Massachusetts sets striped bass limits

The MA Marine Fisheries Commission just voted UNANIMOUSLY to accept the Directors recommendation to set 2015 striped bass regulations:  ONE FISH @ 28 inch minimum size FOR ALL RECREATIONAL ANGLERS. This includes passengers on a for hire vessel.

Nice to see another state set their limits to one fish per angler per day.  Virginia did the same not long ago.  Delaware’s choices unfortunately are still in the 2 fish range with option B6 being my choice.   At least with this choice the larger breeders are protected for the future of the stocks and the fish kept will at least have a chance to spawn once or twice before they are harvested.  Now if everyone would just follow a one fish limit as a personal limit, that would help a great deal.  I am sure all of the crabbers will start screaming these fish are eating all of the crabs, however until they show me some scientific evidence aside from a cut open small fish.  I will disagree with that statement.  Because no one ever has any real proof of this except an uneducated guess at best.  Crabs are like insects they will increase their numbers exponentially if allowed to do so, like cockroaches.  I also think based on our fish consumption advisory we should have a 1 fish limit as well, but again that is just my opinion.  Back in the day we had a moratorium on these fish and after it was lifted, limits were set, then anglers knocked the crap out of them both commercial and recreational, so now we are back in the same boat as before … when will we learn?  Humans constantly repeat mistakes of the past.  I wonder had we just created a one fish limit back then across the board, how many of these fish would still be around?  Now we have to save the forage fish too so the striped bass have something to eat.  Nature always fixes its own imbalances, but adding us to the mix was not part of the grand plan.

Don’t forget you can still send in your public comment about Delaware’s choices for creel limits for striped bass.  Send an email to   Lisa.Vest@state.de.us and let her know which option you support.  You have until March 10th.

Fish On!!

Rich King