squeteague - what's your opinion on this fishery?

[SeaWolf]

well, a recent thread noted about a couple squeteague caught in rhody waters recently. i have read about a few caught here and there over the last month or so as well. this is a far cry from what this fishery was only a few years ago and what it once was years ago. i have watched my catch of this beautiful fish fall right off to zero the last 2 years, even though i rarely target them, i do have an occasional week or 2 of them being around. i kept my first squet a few years back to try out for table fare. after i made my first cut, i knew i made a mistake as the flesh was very similar to bluefish. after cooking it up, i confirmed my regret of killing that fish. i would not kill any more for that reason, but mainly due to the lack of these fish being around and the severe overfishing/by-catch of this fishery.

capt. jim white of white ghost charters out of narragansett had a very interesting write up in this month's risaa's monthly newsetter. jim seems to be one that is constantly fighting for this fishery. he is one that specifically targets these fish and has watched theh numbers fall right off the chart to dangerous levels. we have read over and over how mid-atlantic shrimp boats are allowed juvenile squets as by-catch. should these rules be changed?

i for one think this is a beautiful fish and it is as hard or harder at times to catch than striped bass. everyone that i catch from now on goes back into the drink.

now, my question, what do you do if you catch a squeteague? release it? keep it? do you think the fishery should be closed before it ends up like striped bass once were?