Opening EEZ?

[baldwin]

Atlantic - NOAA Reopens Scoping on Striped Bass Fishing in the EEZ; Public Invited to Comment
NOAA Fisheries Service is seeking additional public comments on a preliminary draft analysis document containing Federal management options to open the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to striped bass fishing, as recommended by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). The stock of Atlantic striped bass, once overfished, was declared fully rebuilt in 1995. New regulations were later established to allow limited fishing in state waters. Under the current closure of the EEZ-- the zone of federal waters that extends from 3 to 200 miles offshore-- any striped bass caught there must be discarded. The fish are often dead when thrown back. Reopening the EEZ could reduce waste by allowing some of the discarded catches of striped bass to be landed and counted toward quotas.

NOAA first announced that it was considering proposed rulemaking to reopen striped bass harvest in the EEZ during 2003. After reviewing comments from the public, NOAA decided to further evaluate the potential impacts of this proposal. Public scoping meetings were held in nine Atlantic coast states. In 2004, the ASMFC Striped Bass Technical Committee prepared a new stock assessment. However, members of the Technical Committee did not feel the assessment was an accurate representation of stock status. Given the uncertainty, NOAA decided to delay the analysis of new management options until the 2005 stock assessment became available.

Due to the significant time that has passed since the initial scoping hearings in 2003, together with widespread public interest in this matter, NOAA Fisheries is now seeking additional public comments on management options that could open the EEZ to the harvest of Atlantic striped bass. Comments may be sent to: Striped-Bass.Comments@noaa.gov. Please include the following in the subject line: Striped Bass Scoping. The deadline for public comments is May 24, 2006.

The preliminary draft analysis document and other background materials are available online. Please contact Tom.Meyer@noaa.gov with any questions.

[numbskull]

Yikes! I'd better wrap that Arra 1205 soon.

[likwid]

This will affect the draggers not rod and reel.

[MakoMike]

likwid,
How many draggers have striped bass licenses?

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by likwid

This will affect the draggers not rod and reel.

Hmmmm. Haven't been to Rose & Crown in July, I see.

[NIB]

This is no Joke. The Opening commercial stripe bass fisherey in the eez will decimate the stocks.Large fish that use offshore highways will become a thing of the past..It is important to go to ur local meetings an have ur voice heard.An then also send in a letter.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

likwid,
How many draggers have striped bass licenses?

I know of two owners who are lining up for licenses already.

[MakoMike]

Well the total commercial catch won't go up, so maybe its a good thing. At least all that bycatch the draggers catch in the great south channel in the fall won't go to waste and will (for a change) get counted in the catch.

[zimmy]

There needs to be a system that allows for by-catch estimates to be used so that by-catch can be kept in the EEZ. By design the limits must be very strict and based on how many bass are being killed anyway. There should not be an increase in the commercial quota and the regulations should aim to limit or prevent targeting of bass in the eez. I think we are shooting ourselves in the foot when we allow bass to be tossed dead into the ocean. Count them and make em count toward the overall commercial take.

[beamie]

Mass Commercial Regs still state that Bass will be catch with Hook and Line only......so bycatch from gillnets and draggers still cannot be sold. Maybe longline and tub trawls would be allowed, But the way I read it still no netting. Who knows..........

I don't believe this vote will pass to open the EEZ anyway....

[likwid]

Originally Posted by beamie

Mass Commercial Regs still state that Bass will be catch with Hook and Line only......so bycatch from gillnets and draggers still cannot be sold.

Get friendly with some fish houses.

Amazing things happen.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by zimmy

I think we are shooting ourselves in the foot when we allow bass to be tossed dead into the ocean. Count them and make em count toward the overall commercial take.

There is no way to count them if we force the fishermen to thorw them over the side. The only way they will be counted is if we allow them to be kept and sold, and if you do that then you provide an incentive to target them. Tis a problem!

[beamie]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

There is no way to count them if we force the fishermen to thorw them over the side. The only way they will be counted is if we allow them to be kept and sold, and if you do that then you provide an incentive to target them. Tis a problem!

This is the main reason I don't think they would open it. You'd have a dragger targeting bass (bycatch) he'll throw a few rod and reel setups on the boat and call it rod and reel catch fish. Like MM said this would creacte an incentive.....it is human nature.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by beamie

This is the main reason I don't think they would open it. You'd have a dragger targeting bass (bycatch) he'll throw a few rod and reel setups on the boat and call it rod and reel catch fish. Like MM said this would creacte an incentive.....it is human nature.

If a enforcement officer can't tell the difference between a line caught fish and a net caught fish he should quit and go back to school. Picture a fish that looks like it went through a clothes washer, that's what a net caught fish looks like.

[Sweetwater]

You know, every time something gets good again (striped bass recovery), everyone wants to go back to the old ways that decimated the population to begin with. I'm an RFA member but I haven't (yet) bought in to the "make S-B a recreational only fishery"...but I'm tempted.