East Coast fishery managers are seeking public feedback this month on options for cutting the catch of Atlantic striped bass to help rebuild its depleted population.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which represents state fishery managers from along the coast as well as federal agencies, voted in August to proceed with a plan to impose a 12% reduction in 2026 on both the recreational and commercial catch of the prized species.
If finalized later this year, the plan would trim the commercial harvest quota by that amount. To curb recreational catch, it would require East Coast states to shorten their striped bass fishing season or adjust the size limits for legally catchable fish.
Striped bass, or rockfish, are found in the Atlantic from Maine to the Carolinas, but the Chesapeake Bay is the primary spawning and nursery ground for 70% to 90% of the entire stock.?
The coastwide population is recovering slowly from years of being overfished, a problem exacerbated by poor reproduction in the Bay. The fisheries commission ordered catch reductions starting five years ago to rebuild the stock by 2029. But higher-than-expected recreational harvest in 2024, mainly along the Mid-Atlantic coast, cast doubt on reaching that goal.
The commission’s plan, known as?Draft Addendum III, includes a range of new catch curbs along the coast and in the Bay aimed at getting the recovery back on track.
Written comments will be accepted until 11:59 pm EST on Oct. 3. Submit them via this link or by email to comments@asmfc.org.
Hearings are to be held from Maine to Virginia. Following are dates, times and locations of Bay-related sessions.
General public
- Sept. 29, 6-8 p.m., via online webinar at this link.
Maryland
- Sept. 22, 6-8 p.m. Chesapeake College, Kent Humanities Building, Cadby Theater, 1000 College Cir, Wye Mills, MD (in person only)
- Sept. 23, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Anne Arundel County Public Library, Busch Annapolis Branch, 1410 West Street, Annapolis, MD (comments must be made in person, but listen-only access is available via https://meet.google.com/qrb-osfg-kpg or 414-909-7468,?pin?933285727.
Virginia
- Sept. 9, 6-8 p.m., at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, 380 Fenwick Rd, Building 96, Fort Monroe, VA (in person only)
Potomac River & District of Columbia
- Sept. 25, 6-8 p.m. via online webinar at this link.