Striped Bass Stock Assessment Update

[Soundbounder]

The following information on the current status of the Atlantic Coast striped bass fishery was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) following its annual meeting in Boston last week. In short, the ASMFC has found that striped bass are not overfished and overfishing is not occurring.

The 2011 Atlantic striped stock assessment update indicates that the resource remains in good condition with the female spawning stock biomass (SSB) estimate at 109% of the SSB target and 137% of the SSB threshold. The estimated fishing mortality rate (F) in 2010 was 0.23, below both the target (0.30) and threshold (0.34).

Striped bass are assessed as a single stock although there are at least 3 distinct stocks contributing to the coastal migratory group: Hudson River, Delaware River, and Chesapeake Bay. The striped bass stock complex is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring.

Striped Bass Stock Assessment Update | BoatingLocal.com