1@32 Pledge

[LISurfcaster]

All good comments - thanks. There was quite a bit of conversations with a number of people, some that had been through the last moratorium. 32" was decided on as a compromise point that we felt would result in fewer fish being harvested and would be palatable to a larger number of people. Personally I prefer and practice C&R and I am not opposed to any other efforts that will help result in fewer fish being killed. I agree that education is key. We are planning on getting some bumper sticker printed up and some hand-outs that we can offer at shows, shots, etc.

My hope is that the Pledge can get people to just think before deciding to harvest the fish. Do they really need this one? Do they really need to take more than one even if it is legal to do so? I have been encouraged to see some names in the boat fishing community endorse the Pledge too.

Personally I think the best chance we have is to influence the people that state governors appoint to the ASMFC. Those are the people casting the votes. Strength will come in numbers so please consider lending your name to the Pledge on the FB or ipetitions page. Thanks!

[Dick Durand]

Apparently, one at 32" is a proposal having merit for some people, those who are accustomed to taking their two fish limit frequently or whenever possible; however, as has been pointed out earlier, 28" fish are just entering the spawning stage, the fish responsible for renewing the resource. I suppose until the ACMFC acts, if it ever does, the pledge improves upon the present situation. At the same time this resource, the striped bass, needs a sustainable diet and the harvest of millions of pounds of menhaden isn't helping. I eat fluke, BSB, and scup, but stiper fishing is a passion, an activity I pursue for pleasure the way some guys play golf. Surfcasting eats up hours of my time every week in season, and if the bass stock is decimated, I'll have to figure out how to fill the void.