This year we saw many fish in the Buzzards Bay fishery with signs of infection. Again though, I think Stripers Forever has missed the point entirely. Stress induced deseases such as Myco bacteriosis have a much more profound effect on the stock if the stock cannot find the nutritional resources it needs to sustain itself, namely forage species such as Menhaden, River Herring, squid, crabs , lobsters and the myriad smaller species such as silversides, sandeels, anchovies and mullet.
Why elevate the bass to gamefish status only to watch it's stock numbers soar then be unable to feed itself? Human populations have demonstrated this is untenable over the centuries. One only has to look to china, India, North Korea and a host of African countries to see what affect over population verses the ability to adeqautely find or produce the staples of life have on a population. Starvation is a hard way to go for any animal including humans or fish.
The report by Capt. White acknowledges assumptions, responsible reporting on any given theory must always rely on fact not assumptive theory. This then leads to groups like Stripers Forever to take this assumptive "model" and spin it to thier cause.
That the fish are under some kind of stress is plainly evident, the cause of it calls for prudent action with solid facts and not rushing to action on a "carpe diem" basis.
The call to action should start in intelligent analysis with all factors considered. The most important factor in this investigation should be the state of the basses forage species. One shouldn't cry wolf without hard data and should do so without assumptions.
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