DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife sets Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission public hearing on striped bass management Aug. 29 in Dover

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife sets Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commissionpublic hearing on striped bass management Aug. 29 in Dover

DOVER (Aug. 23, 2019) – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a public hearing regarding a proposed addendum to the Atlantic Striped Bass Interstate Fisheries Management Plan at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 29, in the DNREC Auditorium, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife announced today.

The addendum to the striped bass fisheries management plan proposes to reduce fishing-related mortality by 18 percent in response to the 2018 Striped Bass Benchmark Stock Assessment, which indicated that the population was overfished and overfishing was occurring. The addendum proposes a range of coastwide management options for both the commercial and recreational fishing sectors, designed to end overfishing and reduce fishing mortality to the target level in 2020. 

Striped Bass Draft Addendum VI PFD

Draft Addendum VI is available for review on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s website athttp://www.asmfc.org/about-us/public-input. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide input on the draft addendum, either by attending Delaware’s public hearing, or submitting written comment. Public comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, and may be mailed to Max Appelman, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, 1050 N. Highland Street, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; faxed to 703-842-0741; or emailed to comments@asmfc.org, subject line: Striped Bass Draft Addendum VI.

For more information on the public hearing, please contact the DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.