| numbskull |
11-24-2011 01:02 PM |
No it doesn't, although you may be hung up on semantics.
The current management plan establishes a threshold for SSB (spawning stock biomass) where fishing MUST be shut down. The plan allows for adjustment of fishing regulations to avoid that eventuality (in contrast to what your earlier posts suggest). The current SSB is dropping fast and without fish in the pipeline (until now there have been none to speak of) it was INEVITABLE that the SSB would reach the level of mandatory reduction in fishing pressure soon. Commercial interests wish to avoid this at all costs, since it costs them money (and without money their influence on fishery management, and hece their fishery itself, withers fast). Many on the ASMFC keep commercial interests paramount. If there was no good YOY class, the managers could easily see that the commercial (and recreational catch and kill) striped bass fishery was in danger soon of ending. To prolong that eventuality and buy more time for a year class to salvage the situation, they would have reduced fishing effort on the present SSB, PROBABLY UNANIMOUSLY.
The good YOY class made this unnecessary. So the states with strong commercial (or recreational C&K) bias felt safe opposing any change, knowing that in several years, likely before the SSB shut down level is met, a large number of juvenile fish will reach spawning age and ensure the continuation of a commercial fishery. Furthermore, voting that way is entirely consistent with the ASMFC's mandate of achieving maximal sustainable yield.
Believe what you want, but this seems plain as day and not anything unexpected or wrong to me. Just a fact of life.
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