Saving Seafood

ASMFC Atlantic Striped Bass Board Approves Addendum III Without Reductions in Fishery Removals New Work Group Planned to Address Long-Term Management and Stock Concerns

October 31, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board approved Addendum III to Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Striped Bass. The Addendum modifies requirements for commercial tagging programs, implements a standard method of measuring total length for size limit regulations, and allows Maryland to change its Chesapeake Bay recreational season baseline if the state so chooses.

The Board decided to not move forward with the proposed 12% reduction in fishery removals after lengthy deliberation. The Board reviewed the preliminary estimates of 2025 recreational catch through June, which were lower than anticipated and suggested that the projections may have underestimated the probability of rebuilding by 2029 and overestimated the reductions necessary to rebuild. The Board noted that the over 4,000 public comments they received on the draft addendum were sharply divided on the issue, as was the Board itself. Ultimately, the Board maintained current recreational measures and commercial quotas, noting the severe economic consequences of the proposed reduction, the low fishing mortality rate in 2024, and preliminary indications of lower catch in 2025. However, the Board continued to express concern about the seven consecutive years of low recruitment in Chesapeake Bay and the impact on the stock as those weak year-classes become the majority of the spawning stock biomass after 2029. To address this, the Board approved the establishment of a Work Group to consider these upcoming stock and management challenges beyond 2029. The Board will further discuss the specific tasks and timing of this Work Group at subsequent Board meetings. 
 
For commercial tagging, the Addendum requires states to tag commercially harvested fish by the first point of landing. Previously, states could choose the point of tagging, including tagging at the point of sale. This change to when tagging occurs addresses concerns that waiting to tag fish until the point of sale could increase the risk of illegal harvest. The three states that will need to switch their tagging program from point of sale to point of landing have until the end of 2028 to make that change due to the extensive administrative and programmatic transition needed.
 


For measuring total length, the Addendum specifies that when measuring total length of a striped bass it must be a straight-line measurement with upper and lower fork of the tail squeezed together. This definition applies to both sectors. This new definition addresses concerns that the previous lack of a standard definition was potentially undermining the intended conservation, consistency, and enforceability of the coastwide size limits, especially for narrow slot limits. States that do not have the new definition in place already have until January 1, 2027 to make changes to their state regulations.
 
For Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay recreational fishery, the Board approved Maryland’s ability to change its recreational season baseline (i.e., the timing, type, and duration of striped bass closures throughout the year) if the state so chooses. Maryland is considering changing its season baseline to simplify its Chesapeake Bay regulations as well as re-align access based on stakeholder input and release mortality rates. The new baseline is estimated to be net neutral calculated to maintain the same level of removals as compared to 2024. Maryland will notify the Board of its decision by December 31, 2025 in its state implementation plan.
 
Addendum III will be available in November on the Commission website athttps://asmfc.org/species/atlantic-striped-bass/ under News and Resources. For more information, please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at efranke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

ASMFC Atlantic Menhaden Board Reduces 2026 TAC by 20% and Initiates Addendum for Chesapeake Bay Cap

October 31, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board received the results of the single-species assessment update and the 2025 Ecological Reference Points (ERPs) Assessment and Peer Review Reports and accepted the ERPs Assessment and Peer Review Report for management use. The goal of the ERPs is to maximize Atlantic menhaden fishing mortality while also accounting for the forage demands of Atlantic striped bass. Atlantic striped bass was the focal species for the reference points because it was the most sensitive predator fish species to Atlantic menhaden harvest in the NWACS-MICE model, so an ERP target and threshold that would provide adequate forage for striped bass would likely not cause declines for other predators in the model. The single-species assessment indicates the stock is not overfished nor experiencing overfishing relative to the ERPs developed through the benchmark assessment.

 
However, fishing mortality (F) was above the ERP F target and fecundity (a measure of the number of eggs the stock can produce in a year) was below the ERP fecundity target. Therefore, the Board set the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) at 186,840 mt, a 20% decrease from the 2023-2025 TAC of 233,550 mt. Projections indicated this TAC would have a 0% chance of overfishing in 2026 but would still result in a 100% probability of fishing mortality being above the ERP F target. To have a lower probability of being at or above the ERP F target, a 50% or more reduction in the TAC would be required. The Board expressed concerns about the socioeconomic impact of implementing such a significant cut in a single year and chose to take a more moderate cut for 2026 only. This change will provide the Board time to conduct outreach on the results of this new assessment and receive more input from stakeholders before considering a TAC for 2027, 2028 and potentially 2029 at the 2026 Annual Meeting.
 
The need for reduction to achieve the ERP F target is due primarily to the change in the estimate of natural mortality used in the single-species stock assessment update, and secondarily to the lower values for the ERPs as a result of the updated and refined ERP model from the benchmark. The 2025 single-species assessment used a revised value of natural mortality that was lower than the value used in the 2020 benchmark and 2022 update. Natural mortality is the rate at which fish die from causes other than fishing; for menhaden, this includes things like predation, disease, and die-offs caused by low oxygen and warm water. This change was reviewed as part of the 2025 ERP Benchmark Assessment, and the Peer Review Panel agreed it represented the best available scientific information on natural mortality for Atlantic menhaden. Using a lower value of natural mortality in the stock assessment results in a lower overall estimate of population size. When a high estimate of natural mortality is used, the model estimates the population needs to be very large to produce the catches and the trends in observed indices. But, if natural mortality is lower, it means fewer fish are dying due to natural causes, meaning the stock does not need to be as large to produce the observed data.
 
This lower overall estimate of menhaden abundance was also used in the ecosystem models to establish the ERPs. This change, combined with updating estimates of predator (striped bass, bluefish, weakfish, and spiny dogfish) population sizes and diet data as well as refining the ecosystem model structure resulted in lower estimates of the ERP F target and threshold. The ERP assessment, which was endorsed by an independent panel of fisheries scientists, used the Northwest Atlantic Coastal Shelf Model of Intermediate Complexity for Ecosystems (NWACS-MICE) to develop Atlantic menhaden ERPs. The model was chosen because of its ability to explore both the impacts of predators on menhaden biomass and the effects of menhaden harvest on predator populations.
 
The Board also initiated an addendum to Amendment 3 to consider options to reduce the Chesapeake Bay Reduction Fishery Cap by up to 50% and distribute the cap more evenly throughout the fishing season. The options will aim to alleviate a concentration of effort that may be affecting other fisheries within the Bay and other potential ecological impacts. The Board discussed concerns regarding decreasing pound net harvests and catch per unit effort within the Bay as the timing of reduction fishing effort has changed the last few years. Amendment 3 currently caps reduction harvest within the Bay at 51,000 mt per year. The Board will review the Draft Addendum in February to consider the draft for public comment or provide additional guidance to the Plan Development Team for further development.
 
The Assessment Update, the Benchmark ERP Stock Assessment, Peer Review Report, and an overview of will be available on the Atlantic Menhaden webpage athttps://asmfc.org/species/atlantic-menhaden/ under News and Resources. For more information, please contact James Boyle, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at jboyle@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.                    
 
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Fisheries commission again holds fire on striped bass limits

October 31, 2025 — With a glimmer of hopeful news about harvest pressure and a warning from commercial fishermen that their economic survival is at stake, East Coast fishery managers have pulled back from ordering another round of catch restrictions on struggling Atlantic striped bass.

Meeting in Dewey Beach, DE, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted Oct. 29 not to require any additional cuts in either the recreational or commercial catch of the migratory finfish known as rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay.

The vote against tightening already-strict catch limits came after more than a year of debate by the panel, which regulates nearshore fishing on migratory species along the Atlantic coast. Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and North Carolina voted for more restrictions.

Widely regarded as the most prized finfish in the Chesapeake and along the Atlantic Coast, striped bass were declared overfished in 2019, with the number of large female fish below what was needed to sustain the population. The commission responded by ordering a series of catch reductions in ensuing years aiming to rebuild the stock by 2029.

Read the full article at Bay Journal

Virginia, Maryland spawning surveys spell trouble for prized Atlantic coast gamefish species

October 24, 2025 — The most recent Chesapeake Bay striped bass spawning surveys are in and the news is not good.

A young-of-the-year survey done by the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences shows spawning recruitment just below historical averages in Virginia’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries. A survey conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay waters shows numbers significantly lower than historical averages.

That makes seven straight years of poor Chesapeake Bay spawns. Because 70% to 90% of all Atlantic striped bass are spawned and reared in the Chesapeake, the numbers are even more alarming. Striped bass numbers are declining. The fish has a billion dollar sport and commercial fishing impact on the economy of every state from North Carolina to Maine.

Read the full article at WAVY

Seven years of bad luck for striped bass, survey shows

October 22, 2025 — Striped bass reproduction has remained below average in parts of the Chesapeake Bay since 2018, and this year is no different.

The annual juvenile striped bass surveys from Maryland and Virginia give insight as to how the next generation of striped bass will sustain the population. With continuing poor results, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is considering stronger catch limits.

Striped bass are top predators in the Bay and support commercial and recreational fishing. They are found along the East Coast from Canada to Florida, but they spawn and spend the first few years of their lives in the Bay.

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science has conducted its annual survey on striped bass since 1967. This year, scientists caught more than 1,000 juvenile striped bass at 18 sites in the Rappahannock, York and James rivers with a 100-foot seine net. Fish are captured, counted, measured and thrown back.

Read the full article at Bay Journal

Striped Bass Reproduction Still Low in Maryland, Despite Slight Improvement

October 16, 2025 — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources says the state’s striped bass population is showing only slight improvement, with reproduction levels still well below average.

The department’s 2025 juvenile striped bass survey recorded a young-of-year index of 4.0 — an uptick from recent years, but far below the long-term average of 11. It marks the seventh straight year of low spawning success for the species, which is Maryland’s state fish.

“Management actions taken over the last decade have resulted in a healthy population of spawning-age striped bass,” said Lynn Fegley, director of DNR’s Fishing and Boating Services. “However, continued low numbers of striped bass entering the population is a threat to this progress.”

Read the full article at WBOC

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission holds a series of public hearings

September 19, 2025 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is hosting a series of public hearings on the East Coast. This aims to rebuild the striped bass stock by 2029.

This comes after projections indicated the numbers wouldn’t meet the deadline in that year.

The proposed action is to increase the probability of rebuilding the stock. They will do this by reducing fishery removals by 12% through management measures.

Read the full article at WMDT

NEW JERSEY: Frustrated, skeptical Jersey Shore fishermen say ‘no’ to striped bass closures

September 19, 2025 — Displaying frustration and skepticism with the management of striped bass, and now faced with potential seasonal closures, one by one recreational fishermen who went to the Stafford firehouse Tuesday, for the public hearing on Draft Addendum III, pleaded to keep the “status quo” rather than go forward with a strategy to reduce striped bass mortality by 12%.

It was a nearly unanimous room, but there were two people who voiced their opinon in support of the reduction.

About 100 party and charter boat captains, tackle shop owners and anglers shuffled into the firehouse and filled out the rows of metal fold-out chairs for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s presentation of the addendum’s options to meet what several recreational industry members in the room said is an “unobtainable” rebuilding goal.

Read the full article at Asbury Park Press

ASMFC to hold public hearing on controversial striped bass management plan

September 18, 2025 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission plans to hold a public hearing on Thursday to gather input on controversial new striped bass regulations.

Draft Addendum III to Amendment 7 of the Atlantic Striped Bass Interstate Fishery Management Plan includes updated quotas and regulations designed to protect Atlantic striped bass, or rockfish, numbers in the Chesapeake Bay. Some watermen on Delmarva have criticized the latest proposed policies on striped bass fishing as overregulation that threatens their livelihoods.

Read the full article at WBOC 

Atlantic Striped Bass Benchmark Stock Assessment Data Workshop Scheduled for October 6-9, 2025, in Arlington, VA Data Submission Deadline: September 30

August 25, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic Striped Bass Stock Assessment Data Workshop will be conducted October 6-9, 2025 at the Hyatt Centric Arlington, 1325 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA. The Data Workshop is the first in a series of workshops to develop the next Atlantic striped bass benchmark stock assessment. The assessment will evaluate the condition of the Atlantic striped bass stock from Maine to North Carolina and inform the management of that stock. The workshop will review all available data sources for Atlantic striped bass and identify data sets that will be incorporated in the stock assessment. The Workshop is open to the public, with the exception of discussions of confidential data*.

 
The Commission welcomes the submission of data sources that will contribute to the goals of the assessment. This includes, but is not limited to, data on landings and discards, catch per unit effort, biological samples (length or age frequency), and life history information (growth, maturity, fecundity, natural mortality). For data sets to be considered at the workshop, data must be sent in with accompanying methods description by September 30, 2025.  All available data will be reviewed and vetted by members of the Atlantic Striped Bass Technical Committee and Stock Assessment Subcommittee for possible use in the assessment.    
 
It is anticipated there will be two stock assessment workshops – one in Winter 2026 and another in Summer 2026. The benchmark stock assessment will be peer-reviewed in Spring 2027. The details of the assessment workshops and peer review will be released as they become available. For more information on submitting data, including the appropriate format, please contact Katie Drew, Stock Assessment Team Leader (kdrew@asmfc.org). For information on attending the Data Workshop (space is limited), please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, atefranke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.
 
* Each state and federal agency is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of its data and deciding who has access to its confidential data. In the case of our stock assessments and peer reviews, all analysts and, if necessary, reviewers, have been granted permission by the appropriate agency to use and view confidential data. When the assessment team needs to show and discuss these data, observers to our stock assessment process are asked to leave the room to preserve confidentiality.