Write those letters to your congressman. This is bad. They took away cod. Next up is striped bass.... And they aren't going to give it back. Time to speak up is now! Their statistics about mortality are flawed. No basis given for how they came to these mortality rates. I find it very difficult to accept a 50% mortality rate without explanation of methods.

https://conservefish.org/2022/02/01/asmfc-approves-draft-amendment-7-to-the-striped-bass-management-plan/

This is a better explanation as there is some good stuff, but also some bad stuff thrown in... (just like with the government)

https://saltwaterguidesassociation.com/

OK - this is interesting. They chance between saying a 50% mortality and 8% and 9% - what causes the 50% mortality - a specific method?

OK - this is interesting. They chance between saying a 50% mortality and 8% and 9% - what causes the 50% mortality - a specific method?

9% die.
The 50% represents 50% of the 90% of the bass rec's kill. I presume the other 50% is actual harvest (and the the remaining 10% is commercial). The wording was a bit off, but I think that's the meaning.

"for about 90% of all striped bass fishing mortality, and nearly 50% of such fishing mortality has been attributed to bass that die after being released by anglers. While biologists estimate that only 9% of released bass fail to survive, anglers typically release over 30 million striped bass every year, and 9% of 30 million remains a large number, large enough to convince some fishery managers that reducing recreational release mortality should be a part of the striped bass management plan."