The much-anticipated stock assessment.....
 

....appears to be in.

ASMFC says, everything's hunky-dory.

No further mortality restrictions coming before a "more comprehensive" stock assessment sometime in 2013.

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pb...NEWS/111150311

:wall:

The 2011 Atlantic striped stock assessment update indicates that the resource remains in good condition with the female spawning stock biomass (SSB) estimate at 109% of the SSB target and 137% of the SSB threshold. The estimated fishing mortality rate (F) in 2010 was 0.23, below both the target (0.30) and threshold (0.34).

Full story here: Striped Bass Stock Assessment Update | BoatingLocal.com

The pressure is off the ASMFC after this recent YOY bonanza.

Although the current female spawning stock is dropping fast, in several years a new influx will be coming and they can probably squeak by without hitting their mandatory cutback level.

Trouble is that the quality of the fishery is going to drop seriously, at least for larger (say 20lb) fish for about a decade.
For those that target larger fish, the fish we that we have now, are what we are going to be fishing on for the next 8-10 years. Still, since the current fish have now produced a saving year class, they are expendable as far as the ASMFC is concerned.

Sadly, current regulations have taken a tremendous toll on the good year classes of the early 2000's. Continuing those same regulations on the meager classes that are out there now seems destined to deplete them and leave us with a fishery composed primarily of small fish from this year's class (with a limited remnant of true trophy fish from the last good year class) during the later half of this decade.

Bottom line is that the quality of the recreational fishery is not a management goal of the ASMFC. This decision is an expected result once this year's YOY came back so promising.

Deja vu. Once the 1982 and the remnants of other year classes produced the bumper crop 1989 YOY class, the moratorium ended, and shortly thereafter the 36" limit went bye-bye. The 82 class became expendable.

But, when you consider that ASMFC has this mandate to manage the fishery for "maximum sustainable yield", what option do they have? That mandate has to change, and it won't. That's the reality of it. There are bigger economic interests at stake than guys like us who many of the managers see as leisure-time dabblers and hobbyists.

Exactly. But at least we can enjoy seal watching so what do we have to complain about?

Sad. Just sad.
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No words can describe how angry I am about the current state of all fishery management, esp in MA.
:wall: :cens: :af: :splat:

Well said

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Here is how the state reps voted on doing nothing. As expected Augustine was the number one person pushing to stop any changes. All of the New England states except for Mass voted to move forward with at least some form of action. The report noted that Maine and NH have seen a sharp decline in the numbers and I would say the same is true for much of the North shore. I put in about 75 nights in NH and compared to 2005 my numbers were down by about 70%.

Motion to Substitute:
Substitute motion to postpone further action on this addendum until completion of the next
benchmark stock assessment.
Motion made by Mr. Augustine and seconded by Mr. Johnson. Motion carries (Roll call Vote: In favor –
MA, NY, NJ, MD, PRFC, VA, NC, USFWS, NMFS; Opposed – ME, NH, RI, CT, PA, DE).

It is such a shame. Obviously I am happy about the YOY class for the future, but unless something is done we will keep going through these drastic peaks and valleys. And, we are definitely heading toward (or are already in) a valley. All could be avoided if both rec. and comm. fisherman were made to take a little less. I do not even think that it would have to be drastic.

Those of us who fish cape cod bay by boat will continue to tell you that there's more large striped bass than we've ever seen.

millions of fish.

The fish are there, the bait is not. We have the bait.

Wasn't there a time when the large fish weren't concentrated into only a few small areas?

Now that the assessment is completed there going to be a s-b striper cup next year?
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7 days/nights fishing Block Island + 2 days/nights fishing Montauk = 0 bass ..not a bump ,, not a drop .. nothing to see here folks ,.. everything is fine .. ( not counting bluefish , thank God for bluefish )...

Glad to hear everything is fine. :lama:

What a joke...

:bs::mad:

I always stay away from these threads, dont have the knowledge and insight many here do. Here is my question -
Do you disagree with the stock assesment or the lack of action to address the decline? Seems like 2 different issues.

Back in 1984, if I was in charge of things, and I judged the health of the fishery on what I saw on some days in the Canal, there never would have been a moratorium.

Stuff like this makes me think game fish may be the only way.

We'll see.

It sure is working out real well down in NJ. :hs: I would bet you that NJ probably has the highest rec mortality of any state, including NY and Mass.

No one in the AMSFC owns a rod and reel....I betcha!!!:wall:

The stock assessment I performed for the entire season past flies in the face of the conclusions reached by the ASMFC!!! The sky has fallen....just wondering when it will hit bottom???:jump1:

You guys actually sound upset that the stock assessment didn't show a crash.
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Problem Jay is it should have shown there is a problem yet it did not! I would love to know where the AMSFC gets their information? Most I know that are out there fishing alot feel as I do...something is wrong and we need to act now instead of waiting for it to get worse.

OR.....the stock assessment showed what alot of other people think (myself included) that there are a heck of alot more Stripers out there than some people think.

Boat guy Jay? Surf fishermen are seeing things differently for sure.

Yes - and that's the big difference. I believe the stock assessement when they talk about total #'s because we are seeing sh*tloads of bass offshore - often times in places we never really saw them before.

I agree yes there are fish places....offshore. My biggest bone in contention is that they need to tighten regulations starting with the 2 a day at 28" and roll it back to 1 a day at 34"!!! Some will say 34" some will say 36"......it can only help. The fishing overall is not what it was 5-6 years ago and that is a certainty!