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(301) 713-2370 9/25/95
Federal waters off the East Coast from Maine to North Carolina will be reopened for fishing for striped bass because of a significant recovery of stocks, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.
"Because of effective state and federal programs run cooperatively to protect striped bass, some of the East Coast stocks have undergone a remarkable recovery and have reached levels where fishing can once again be allowed," said Rolland Schmitten, director of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service.
"Reopening of the East Coast fishery is but one example of the success of the Commerce Department's on-going program to build sustainable fisheries that, in turn, create sustainable economic opportunity in the multi-billion dollar marine fisheries industry," Schmitten said.
"Enhanced fishery management plans that promote restoration of depleted fish populations will add billions of dollars directly and indirectly to our nation's GDP each year," Schmitten added.
The proposed federal regulations to reopen the fishery were developed in cooperation with Atlantic coast states fisheries agencies and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission which oversees striped bass regulations in state waters.
The proposed regulations would impose a 28 inch minimum size limit on striped bass caught in federal waters, and, therefore, under no circumstances would fish smaller than 28 inches be allowed to be harvested from federal waters. Also, the regulations would allow additional state regulations to apply to striped bass being transported into a state's jurisdiction from federal waters. This could include such state regulations as higher size limits, daily catch limits, seasonal closures, and more.
"We will continue to work closely with state officials to monitor the status of East Coast striped bass stocks," said Schmitten. "If for any reason striped bass do not continue their current recovery, we will take the necessary actions to ensure continued recovery."
The National Marine Fisheries Service will hold two public hearings to discuss the proposed regulations.
October 12, 7:00 p.m.
North Carolina Aquarium
Roanoke Island
Manteo, North Carolina
October 16, 7:00 p.m.
Ocean County Administration Building
101 Hooper Avenue, Room 119
Toms River, New Jersey
The public may submit written comments about the proposal
until Oct. 21 by writing Bill Hogarth, F/CM, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910.Also called rockfish or rock, the striped bass is anadromous, spawning in brackish or freshwater reaches of estuaries primarily from New York to North Carolina. Atlantic coast migratory juvenile striped bass live in estuarine waters for the first several years of life, then move to coastal waters of southern New England and the Gulf of Maine to feed. In spring, the mature bass return to brackish or freshwater water reaches to spawn.