A post by the Riddler over on NEKF got me thinking... Jeff reports coming across a higher percentage of diseased fish lately. Some had the "vaseline" condition and tail rot, a lesser amount with the open red sores.

My question is, would we be doing a service to the population by killing those fish and putting them out of their misery? I have seen nothing written about this.

no different than a paid shooter taking out starving deer

I've done a bit of snooping around about Myobatireosis in striped bass and other species in the past few years and here's what I can tell you. The red sores and tail rot are natural occurring Bacteria that affect most fin fish most oceans. Kind of like us catching a cold. The problem comes when the "sick" fish are more stressed than normal like when there are more pollutants in the area, overcrowding (of fish)in a particular area, and or a lack of normal forage food. If Jeff is catching thees fish all in the same place there is a problem in that place.
But your Question was should we kill one if we catch one. in a word, NO, not unless you want to add it to your limit of 2 28" fish a day. and if you do it had better be 28" The law doesn't make any exceptions for "sick fish". and if you come across a rookie enviro cop with something to prove you could pay dearly for your choice. In some cases thees fish can heal them selves over time and build better antibodies to fight this infection. in other cases it's survival of the fittest.