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Originally Posted by baldwin
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.
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That is a total crock. 1st of the commercial stiped bass harvest is set by the ASMFC and it is reached each and every year, so any "bycatch" that is allowed to be sold will count toward the commercial quota and result in
LESS striped bass being killed. Secondly, every state that has a commercial striped basss fishery either has or could implement a limitation on the amount of licenses. In those states that already don't permit new license those "dogfishers" could get a commercial stripe bass license. Thirdly, there almost no boats that any longer target dogfish, since the feds and ASMFC put severe landing limits on the doggies, it just doesn't pay to fish for them anymore. The vast majority of striped bass bycatch today comes from guys targeting cod in the great south channel in the fall.