Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating - View Single Post - EEZ-zone

baldwin · 07-16-2006, 11:56 AM

A large part of the issue is that some very large stripers winter in the EEZ. The commercial dogfish fishery catches some as bycatch, but must release them. They want to keep the bycatch bass, since they are worth much more per pound than dogfish. This sounds good on the surface, especially since many of these bass die as the nets are hauled in, but there's a problem with it. If they're allowed to sell those bass, they'll profit more by "dogfishing" in areas that have high concentrations of bass, and more will be taken. The line between "bycatch" and directed fishery becomes blurred.
These large bass produce huge numbers of eggs, and they also contain the genetics for producing large offspring. From a biologist's point of view, they shouldn't be removed from the breeding stock. As we keep more and more large fish, those that breed at a small size become more prevalent in the population. The average bass will get smaller and smaller.
Before you decide that this is unsubstantiated hypothesis, you should know that there is plenty of support for this idea gathered from research on several other species.
Those large offshore stripers should be left alone as a genetic reservoir against future problems with the striper fishery. It's kind of like having an ace up your sleeve. They should be kept safe from either the direct opening of the EEZ currently proposed, or even from the allowable bycatch that has frequently been proposed over the last decade or so.
I love catching stripers as much as anyone, that's why I frequent this message board. But...I'm willing to accept the fact that fisheries management is most effective when it bases its decisions with the greatest emphasis on proliferation of the managed species, and does not put it second in line, behind the wishes of us fishermen.
If we are to err, let it be in favor of the fish. Then they will be more likely to outlast us, and provide us and future generations with great sport. If we err in our own favor, we may lose them and thus, life would really suck. I don't want to ever be tempted to turn in my graphite Lamiglas for a graphite-shafted golf club.

07-16-2006, 11:56 AM	#4
baldwin Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Haven County, CT Posts: 3,883	A large part of the issue is that some very large stripers winter in the EEZ. The commercial dogfish fishery catches some as bycatch, but must release them. They want to keep the bycatch bass, since they are worth much more per pound than dogfish. This sounds good on the surface, especially since many of these bass die as the nets are hauled in, but there's a problem with it. If they're allowed to sell those bass, they'll profit more by "dogfishing" in areas that have high concentrations of bass, and more will be taken. The line between "bycatch" and directed fishery becomes blurred. These large bass produce huge numbers of eggs, and they also contain the genetics for producing large offspring. From a biologist's point of view, they shouldn't be removed from the breeding stock. As we keep more and more large fish, those that breed at a small size become more prevalent in the population. The average bass will get smaller and smaller. Before you decide that this is unsubstantiated hypothesis, you should know that there is plenty of support for this idea gathered from research on several other species. Those large offshore stripers should be left alone as a genetic reservoir against future problems with the striper fishery. It's kind of like having an ace up your sleeve. They should be kept safe from either the direct opening of the EEZ currently proposed, or even from the allowable bycatch that has frequently been proposed over the last decade or so. I love catching stripers as much as anyone, that's why I frequent this message board. But...I'm willing to accept the fact that fisheries management is most effective when it bases its decisions with the greatest emphasis on proliferation of the managed species, and does not put it second in line, behind the wishes of us fishermen. If we are to err, let it be in favor of the fish. Then they will be more likely to outlast us, and provide us and future generations with great sport. If we err in our own favor, we may lose them and thus, life would really suck. I don't want to ever be tempted to turn in my graphite Lamiglas for a graphite-shafted golf club.