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Sometimes I am amazed by the ignorance of my fellow recreational fisherman.
Yes, the photos hit us emotionally in the heart for a species we love. And yes, that is a huge haul of 30lb+ stripers.
But, look at the facts in play. That is a once in a lifetime haul of stripers. How often do you come upon a pod of fish like that per year? Beach haul seiners are limited to setting nets from the beach in just the same way surfcasters are limited in their casting from shore.
These pictures are of legal fish, taken within season and above the size limits. Don’t forget that these fish have already been allocated to the commercials, no matter who or by what means they are taken!
The beach haul seine crews take of commercial stripers represent a fraction of a percent% of the total amount taken by both rec. and comm. fishers. I don’t have the time to look up the stats right now, but recreational landings FAR outweigh any commercial harvest by multiples.
In these pictures we see literally tons of cow bass on the beach, and that’s tough to see. But lets remember that during the time these photos were shot it was recreational fisherman who were decimating the fish stocks, selling part time commercial. 3 million rec. fishers taking fish and selling a couple boxes per week plus several extremely low Y.O.Y. spawning years led to all the small and medium size fish being harvested and the surge of huge bass everyone was catching in the late 70’s and early 80’s.
The type of fishing I believe must be curtailed or those taking large quantities of indiscriminate fish, such as long-lining and those that ruin the underwater environment like bottom dragging gear.
We’re quick to parade the fisherman in “The Perfect Storm” for taking as many swordfish as they could and then dieing for their greed, but condemn the guys in the less glorious haul seining just breaking money to survive because of our own jealousy.
My only point is, I hope before we jump on any bandwagon make sure you have ALL the facts and understand what is really going on.
Groups like StripersForever scare me. They are a group of zealots, not completely in touch with the needs of our striper coast, who’s only interest seems to be hording all the stripers for themselves. I believe they are the gateway for even more repressive laws and for eco-environ freaks to make headway into governing how we fish for the Striped Bass that we all love.
Rant over..
Krispy
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