Mass Bass

[Rip Tide]

Massachusetts mismanages the wild striped bass fishery - Opinion - capecodtimes.com - Hyannis, MA

Recent NOAA data reveals that:
a) recreational striped bass fishing in Massachusetts and our commercial scallop fishery are our two most valuable marine industries;
b) recreational striped bass fishing is more economically valuable to Massachusetts that all of our other fin-fisheriers combined;
c) the value of the commercial striped bass fishery represents less that one half of one percent or all our commercial fin-fisheries.

Conclusion: Recreational striped bass fishing has a much greater impact on our over all economy than most people realize,and that current management's commercial priories are misdirected

 

[karstopo]

I’ve had a little experience with that fishery and know back in the 1960s the people I know caught 50 pound fish but I guess that’s rare these days.

Here in Texas we had a battle with the commercial redfish and speckled trout people and the recreational folks won that. I see it as the wild fish belong to all of the people of that state in state waters and shouldn’t be reserved for a commercial interest. There’s a huge industry involved in the recreational side of things from lodging, boat and gear sales, guiding, restaurants serving the folks, the list is long. The commercial guys prior to their being kicked out were wiping out the fish and driving away the recreational folks.

 

[bigjim5589]

Same thing applies to MD. The commercial fishery is only a small part of the overall economic impact, yet there's a lot of politics involved because of the commercial watermen's heritage & influence. There are certainly watermen who deserve to make a living, and some who abide by the rules, but history has proven that there's too many who don't and poaching has been a huge problem, and not with just the Striped Bass. Of course the same can be said for recreational anglers too, there are some who poach, except that there's a higher percent of the watermen's group that have been charged with poaching than there is on the rec side, but there's also a lot more people in that rec group. The biggest issue IMO is neither side wants to give the other any credit or credence. It's a blame game & too much attitude of "take what's ours". Both sides share some blame IMO in depleting the stocks. Add to this the complex situation of management at both state & federal levels, and the politics involved and all the while they squabble over the issue, the Stripers are losing the battle to exist. It won't surprise me to see another moratorium in the near future.