Sea Flat - I don't want to seem like I'm bad mouthing them, i'm sure they are smart people. I do ZERO commercial fishing and I am not an advocate of Commercial fishing - I'm neutral to it. I think the problem with the fish is a combination of pressure and more importantly, habitat/forage. What is going to fix the fish? Stopping Commercial fishing
specifically for Striped Bass? Or fixing the Habitat and Forage?
I'm willing to bet the latter. For all of Striper Forever's ability to unite a tremendous amount of anglers, I would truly applaud them if they were able to do it more in the interest of the fish ~ Forage & Habitat ~ than who gets to fish for them. Deciding who gets to fish for them is kind of like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, it does little to save the fish. Now if Stripers Forever was calling for a 35% reduction (arbitrary number) of fishing pressure by both Commercial AND Recreational fishers, AND making significant inroads to protecting FORAGE, I would be impressed. Otherwise it smells like is a grab that does not address the core issues, total fishing pressure AND habitat/forage protection.
BTW - good thread Art...
Until that happens - in my opinion
and until others can change my thinking
- Stripers Forever is missing squandering their tremendous potential...