[JohnR]

CCA NEWS
4801 Woodway, Suite 220W Houston, Texas 77056

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: #^&#^&#^&#^& Brame 910.793.3098
November 26, 2001
Pat Murray 713.626.4234

Report to Congress on Striped Bass Calls for Sound Conservation

Washington, D.C. - A recently released National Marine Fisheries
Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study of the Atlantic striped bass population calls for reduced fishing mortality to increase the number of larger, mature bass. Requested after the stock was declared recovered six years ago, this report to Congress shows that while numbers of smaller bass have increased significantly, older bass are becoming increasingly
scarce.

Striped bass, the most sought after marine sport fish in the U.S.,
can live more than 30 years and reach weights in excess of 70 pounds. Recent management measures have helped stabilize the lower end of the stock's size and age range but have increased pressure on larger fish to the extent that few live past age 15, according to the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA).

"We are pleased that the scientific community has recognized the
same thing that recreational fishermen are seeing, namely a decline in trophy-sized fish," said #^&#^&#^&#^& Brame, executive coordinator of CCA's Atlantic States Fisheries Committee. "Our fisheries managers now need to translate these findings into action for sound management."

CCA contends that current management policy (Amendment 5), while it has provided for high population levels of striped bass, implements a mortality rate that is now known to have disrupted the normal age structure of the Atlantic striped bass population. It has slowed a broad-based growth of the population and caused a decline in numbers of mature bass. CCA urges the
striped bass management board to implement Amendment 6 to the striped bass fishery management plan to reduce mortality and allow greater age and size distribution in the population.

"The management measures of Amendment 5 have simply allowed too many large fish to be harvested too soon and, as a result, almost no bass survive past age 15 - just half their normal lifespan," said Charles Witek, chairman of CCA's Atlantic States Fisheries Committee. "Since the current protocol began, there has been a decline in the number of older fish. With this report to Congress, the message is clear -- bring back the big bass."

"Amendment 6 will implement a management strategy that will ensure both the long-term health and abundance of the striped bass population and increase the number of larger, older bass to reflect historic numbers," said Brame.

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