Thirty-five years ago this January, a five-year moratorium on the taking of striped bass went into effect in the state of Maryland.
Thirty-five years ago this January, a five-year moratorium on the taking of striped bass went into effect in the state of Maryland. Other states, including Massachusetts, soon followed suit with regulations resulting in a near-total shutdown of fishing for the vaunted species across the 11 coastal states where it migrates.
There was no scientific consensus on what was causing the disastrous decline of stripers. Pollution on the Chesapeake Bay spawning grounds was surely a factor, but solving that problem would take years — and by then, it would be too late. The only realistic solution was to stop the fishing pressure from commercial and recreational anglers.
My family and I, longtime Vineyard fishermen, played an integral role in fighting for this to happen. And it worked, beyond anyone’s wildest imaginings. A striped bass population estimated to contain about 4.6 million fish in 1982 would reach a historic peak of an astounding 56.7 million fish in 2004. The resurgence of the striper was hailed by Scientific American Magazine as “the best example in the world of a species that was allowed to recoup through tough management and an intelligent rebuilding plan.”
Now in a painful déjà vu, another dire crisis is occurring. Once again, the reasons are unclear. New threats have arisen, including not enough available food due to overfishing of menhaden and the aquatic environment being detrimentally affected by climate change. So, once again, all we can do immediately is drastically reduce fishing mortality.
A recent study of female spawning stock biomass revealed a sudden drop of levels deemed strong enough to sustain the species. An overfishing threshold estimated at 202 million pounds in 2017 fell to 151 million pounds this year. In the realm of the fish, that’s a lot.
In response, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission mandated an 18 per cent cut in allowable harvest quotas for 2020. This includes an addendum that will hold sports fishermen to keeping one striper per day and require the release of any fish measuring less than 28 inches and more than 35 inches.
Obviously, the Vineyard derby’s prizes for the largest stripers, daily and overall, fly in the face of the new conservation measures. This past autumn, the derby weighed in 146 striped bass, the majority being precisely those females bearing the most eggs.
It’s time to take the bass out of the derby. A precedent already exists.
Back in 1985, and for the eight years that followed, derby officials removed endangered stripers from the competition and made it a bluefish derby.
The decision did not come easily. A full-page ad in the Gazette signed by more than 50 fishermen and conservationists, including seven former derby grand prize winners, had called for this to happen a year earlier. When the derby committee and the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce were not swayed, sponsors began to withdraw their support. Saltwater Sportsman Magazine led the way, followed by three leading fishing gear manufacturers including the world’s largest rod-and-reel maker, Zebco. The town of Chilmark formally declared it could no longer in good conscience support a bass derby.
On May 23, 1985, the derby committee reversed itself. Striped bass would be dropped from the tournament, not to be included again until the fishery recovered. With that, all the sponsors moved to renew their support. The bluefish-focused event continued to thrive, and the Vineyard assumed a role as a conservation leader.
We would do well to heed the lesson of history, seeking to ensure that despite the many obstacles in its path, this most majestic of inshore creatures will continue to survive if given a chance by their primary predator. Stronger protections will no doubt need to be put in place. Recreational fishermen must realize their role in the decline and utilize less damaging circle hooks while practicing catch and release.
It makes no sense that commercial fishermen in Massachusetts still be allowed to take 15 fish a day twice a week with a 34-inch minimum size limit, when the larger females are desperately needed to keep the population afloat. The fact that the allocated catch hasn’t even been reached for the past two years should be a sign that business as usual can’t continue.
In October, the annual survey tracking reproduction success for juvenile striped bass in Maryland fell to 3.4 fish per scientific haul, well below the 66-year average of 11.6. So it’s quite likely that the current quota cutbacks called for across the Atlantic coast and in the Chesapeake Bay do not go far enough. This was the case in the mid-1980s, when it became apparent that a 55 per cent reduction in fishing pressure wasn’t going to keep the bass off the Endangered Species List.
We must prepare for another complete moratorium. Until then, it is unconscionable to keep striped bass in the Vineyard derby.
Dick Russell is the author of Striper Wars: An American Fish Story.
Corrected from an earlier version which reported that 446 striped bass crossed the scales in the derby this year. The number is 146, derby president John Custer said.
Comments
Those who cannot remember the
Rob Thorpe Natick, MaThose who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it!
I support a complete
Fred Norton Island beach state park New jerseyI support a complete moratorium on striped bass.
Time to stop taking bass.
Paul lehmann Long Island new yorkTime to stop taking bass.
The slot proposal for next
Greg MAThe slot proposal for next year and beyond makes little sense to me. In the past 4 years, I have not caught a Bass from shore much larger than the current 28" keeper size. This 28-35" class seems to be the most abundant/accessible at the moment. So now we will be allowed to chip away at that slot legally until that dries up? I would support a 1 @ 36" or over. Let the fish spawn a bit before taking them. As for the Bluefish, I have not even seen one of those in the past 4 years. I do not fish the Vineyard, I fish all around the Boston area from Quincy to Nahant. Unfortunately, something drastic is needed and soon. O should mention, I am a 100% catch and release fisherman.
Sorry to say it but I believe
David West Deltaville VirginiaSorry to say it but I believe they need to put the moratorium back on. And keep Omega out of the Bay. And try to get Maryland to work along with us we let 36-inch fish go here we're not allowed to keep her across the line and get caught in Maryland and they go in somebody's frying pan
The Omega thing is absolutely
Greg MAThe Omega thing is absolutely puzzling and needs to be addressed. But they have lots of money, so they can grease palms/wheels and carry on decimating food supplies for most anything above it in the food chain. Baffling really, but not surprising.
Surfcasters Unite let's let
Edmund John Ludwicki Staten IslandSurfcasters Unite let's let those big girls swim take a quick pic revive and release. I would be all for a moratorium it's amazing what that has done for the species already can you imagine if we take the pressure off them and hopefully hopefully the waters are cleaner in there spawning grounds so they make a huge comeback again
It is time to let them rest
Michael mc guire Troy nyIt is time to let them rest for a while and see if we can bring the striper back to what they use to be we done it once and we can do it again
I for one can remember the
James Daniels New York cityI for one can remember the disappearance off striped bass during the 80s lets be smart about this a moratorium on the species is absolutely necessary right now i enjoy catch and release fishing most true fishermen enjoy the fight more than the flesh lets be smart
Shut it down for at least 5
Joe Bunger Northern Neck VaShut it down for at least 5 more years!! I think a moritorium on the Blue fish is way past due also. They used to THE game fish in the bay when I was coming up. I'm not sure about the menhaden harvists. I know they have been depleted also but has the harvest increased that much more than in years past( I don't know)? Slap a moritorium on them too!!! It can only help in the long run!!
If we do not address the
Ed Suchy Hatboro, PennsylvaniaIf we do not address the issue of trawler bycatch all our efforts will be wasted. Catching any species of game fish or forage fish to sell commercially for pennies a pound is a complete waste of the resource. Buying out owners and cutting commercial permits by 75% will allow all species to recover. Saltwater fish need to move to a model more like deer hunting, no commercial harvest. That is sound management and has been show to work where the game resource is limited. We need to act decisively or the Striped Bass will go the way of the last Buffalo. I am fine with catch and release. Trawlers can only release dead fish 100% mortality, it is the 800 lb. "Gorilla in the Room" no one will address.
The councils have the numbers
Biologists Smith point LighthouseThe councils have the numbers. The monies push the limits beyond all reason. It's always them the other guys. It's all of us more or less.
I have fished the fall run in
Ray Yee CaliforniaI have fished the fall run in Rhode Island and Long Island for the past 10 years and 5 years ago I noticed a huge decline of the bigger fish in both areas and the past three
years have only seen mainly juvenile fish with less than 10 fish over 36” in my 2 week stay this year gone are the acres of busting fish with only small pods of fish showing up and once again they are mainly juvenile fish under 25” I see widespread poaching and have called the DEM numerous times once even posting the offenders truck on social media i am mainly a catch and release fisherman on both the west and east coast only keeping fish bleeding too badly to release I have started pinching the barbs on my treble hooks to try to inflict less damage on the fish I do hook as i am going to release them anyway and don’t see a need to actually touch them unnecessarily I don’t fish with bait but I do see the need for bait fishers to use circle hooks in order to reduce gut hooked fish that will probably die even if they seem to swim off the water wars have decimated a once thriving fishery on the Westcoast and the silly regulation of different laws in each state in the east will soon have the same effect extinction of the species I would rather see a total shutdown of the fishery for 5 years now the laws need to be the same for every state involved it can’t be blamed on on group sport or commercial each group is equally responsible and each group will definitely suffer if too little is done to protect the fishery
So happy that there is a
DBar2017 EdgartownSo happy that there is a growing body of support for a striped bass moratorium. Yes and the Derby needs to follow this pro-moratorium movement. Now, how do we eliminate the poaching problem on MV? ..higher fines? ...an island based EPO? ...confiscate boats, tackle? ...jail time?
The decline and decimation of
Pam Coblyn Oak BluffsThe decline and decimation of the striped bass is an issue that WE can help reverse at the local level. Concern for a healthy planet—water, air, forests, etc.—can be troubling and futile because national and state governments are daunting. Laws are difficult to change When faced with pushback from industry, commerce and lobbies. But, helping to save the striped bass can be done on our local level. A moratorium and retooling the derby will make a difference. Long Island has a history of bass conservation and began a Tag A Striper contest back in the late ‘60’s and there are ongoing efforts to clean up the Chesapeake, which isn’t as appalling as it was 5-10 years ago.
Lots can be done. Let’s just do it. No more bass fishing for now. Period. And speak up at any restaurant/fish market that has striped bass on the menu!
If you continue to deplete
Damon Vickers ChilmarkIf you continue to deplete the very food that striped bass and bluefish depend on by the harvest of 100's and 100's of tons of the very thing they need to survive, namely Menhaden/Bunker , for Vitamins namely VIT E, fish oil, what other outcome could you expect? Our fisheries are being starved due to the industrialization in harvesting. NOT the recreational fisherman, In fact the contrary we need to keep the recreational fisherman engaged so that as a voting block they will give the fisheries their support. If we are to moratorium anything, let us moratorium the raping of our oceans thru stoping the Menhaden slaughter, consider this as the foundation of the entire northeastern fishery.
I'm all in favor of a
bridget aquinnahI'm all in favor of a moratorium. It worked before and it should work again.
I do have a question for all: my friend in NJ sends me updates quite frequently (including today) about the striper fishing down there. They are killing them as we speak. Surf fisherman catching them like never before (yesterday one person caught over 100 small stripers). Is this a regional issue or is the east coast population at large in trouble?
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