[JohnR]

Got this off the wire from Chuck Cassela:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, MARCH 24, 2011
PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER, 703/842-0740

ASMFC Atlantic Striped Bass Board Initiates Addendum to Reduce Fishing
Mortality

Alexandria, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic
Striped Bass Management Board has initiated development of Draft Addendum
III with the goals of reducing striped bass fishing mortality (F) up to 40%
and further protecting spawning stock when it is concentrated and
vulnerable. The addendum was initiated in order to allow managers to
promptly respond to the results of the stock assessment update in the fall
if necessary. Provisions of the addendum, if passed, could be implemented
prior to the start of the 2012 fishing year.

The Board’s action responds to recent trends in the fishery and resource,
including a 66% decline in estimated recreational catch from 2006 to 2009;
a 25% decline in estimated striped bass abundance from 2004 to 2008; and
lowered recruitment in recent years. Additionally, states in the northern
extent of the fishery have expressed concern over decreased availability of
striped bass as a result of the diminished water quality in the Chesapeake
Bay during the summer months that may also contribute to increased
prevalence of mycobacteriosis in striped bass.

Draft Addendum III will propose a range of fishing management measures
including, but not limited to, adjustments to commercial and recreational
minimum size (for jurisdictions outside Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle
Sound/Roanoke River), reductions in annual coastal commercial allocation,
reductions in recreational bag limits, revisions to the target F rate (for
Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River), and reductions on
fishing for striped bass in known spawning areas during the spawning season
by at least 50% (for jurisdictions bordering the Hudson River, Delaware
River, Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River).

The commercial and recreational fishery is currently managed through
Amendment 6 to the Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan. The Amendment,
passed in 2003, allocates the coastal commercial quota and set a two fish
bag limit and a 28 inch size minimum for the recreational fishery, with the
exception of the Chesapeake Bay fisheries, Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River
fisheries, and states with approved alternative regulations.

The Draft Addendum will be developed for preliminary review by the Atlantic
Striped Bass Management Board in August. For more information, please
contact Kate Taylor, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at
ktaylor@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

###
PR11-17
*************************
Tina Berger
Public Affairs Specialist
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N
Arlington, VA 22201-2196
(p) 703.842.0740
(f) 703.842.0741
tberger@asmfc.org
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

ASMFC Vision: Healthy, self-sustaining populations for all Atlantic coast
fish species or successful restoration well in progress by the year 2015.

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