The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board has released Draft Addendum VI to Amendment 6 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass for public comment. Several states have already conducted their hearings, and Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts are up next as noted below. These three states will wrap-up what has been a month-plus-long run of public hearings up and down the east coast.
Maine Department of Marine Resources
October 1, 2019 at 6 PM
Kennebunk Town Hall – Room 300
1 Summer Street
Kennebunk, Maine
Contact: Megan Ware at 207.446.0932
October 2, 2019 at 6:30 PM
Yarmouth Town Hall – Log Cabin
196 Main Street
Yarmouth, Maine
Contact: Megan Ware at 207-446-0932
New Hampshire Fish and Game
October 1, 2019 at 7 PM
Urban Forestry Center
45 Elwyn Road
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Contact: Doug Grout at 603.868.1095
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
October 2, 2019 at 6 PM
Crowne Plaza Woburn
15 Middlesex Canal Park Drive
Woburn, Massachusetts
Contact: Mike Armstrong at 978.282.0308, ext. 109
October 3, 2019 at 6 PM
MA Maritime Academy, Admiral’s Hall
101 Academy Drive
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
Contact: Mike Armstrong at 978.282.0308, ext. 109
Draft Addendum VI was initiated in response to the 2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment, which indicates the resource is overfished and experiencing overfishing. The Draft Addendum explores a range of management alternatives designed to end overfishing and reduce fishing mortality to the target level in 2020.
The Draft Addendum proposes management options for both commercial and recreational sectors in the ocean and in Chesapeake Bay in order to reduce total fishery removals by 18% relative to 2017 levels. The proposed measures include reduced quotas for commercial fisheries, and changes in bag limits, minimum sizes, and slot size limits for the recreational sector. Since catch and release practices represent a significant component of overall fishing mortality, the Draft Addendum also explores the mandatory use of circle hooks when fishing with bait to reduce release mortality in recreational striped bass fisheries.
Draft Addendum VI is available at www.asmfc.org or via the Commission’s website. Fishermen and other stakeholders are encouraged to provide input on Draft Addendum VI either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. Public comment will be accepted until 5 PM (EST) on October 7, 2019 and should be sent to Max Appelman, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at [email protected] (Subject line: Striped Bass Draft Addendum VI).
