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It's true rec guys kill a lot of fish too. I think the answer lies in moderating both comm and rec guys. In the short term gamfish status combined with a higher limit on recs will help. This will be especially true if something can be done about the chesapeake bay fish. So many small fish are kept there it's ridiculous. Recs can keep 18" fish so basically every trip results in fish killed who could eventually grow to be breeders. Essentially I just think fewer fish need to be kept. It doesn't matter if these are rec fish, comm fish, 18" fish or 60" fish. If any measure is put into place that results in fewer fish killed we will be in good shape. I like the idea of gamefish status especially because bass don't have as many people who rely on fishing for them for their entire livlihood as say swordfish or cod so it would be easier to employ the sanction. Putting a much stricter rec limit would be just as effective but harder to enforce and in the end maybe more detrimental given how much money rec fishing generates.
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