Mass. weighs tougher protections for striped bass

[TheSpecialist]

Like this will get passed. The comms will be all over it..

[Raven]

they said "tagged by the grower"

so as to not to be confused with the wild fish caught (shorts)

but the $1000 dollar Fine,,,,,,,,,,60 days in jail....stuff
was thinking:
whats to stop someone from sticking a few short fish
in the bed of your truck out of revenge or whatever
a bloody hate crime

it would make the buddy system paramount
unless you have a vehicle that prevents this
or it's your word against theirs.

[JohnR]

AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE CONSERVATION OF ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 110A of chapter 130 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is herby amended by striking the section in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following
sentences:-

(a) Commercial harvesting and sale of wild striped bass shall be prohibited in the commonwealth.
The director, with the approval of the marine fisheries advisory commission, shall adopt rules and regulations relative to the taking or possession of wild striped bass by recreational angling, provided that in no instance shall any rule or regulation authorize the taking or possession of striped bass which are less than 20 inches in length or greater than 26 inches total length but less than 40 inches total length. It is unlawful to take or possess striped bass unless the fish are whole with head on and are between 20 and 26 inches total length or 40 inches and greater total length.

(b) It is unlawful to take or possess more than one (1) striped bass each day.

(c) All aquaculture raised striped bass for sale in the commonwealth shall bear the tag of the grower or distributor of the fish.

(d) Whoever violates any rules or regulations made pursuant to this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than two hundred dollars for each fish taken or possessed for the first violation, five hundred dollars for each fish taken or possessed for the second violation and for each subsequent violation shall be fined one thousand dollars for each fish taken or possessed or imprisoned not more than sixty days or both. No part of any fine imposed for the taking or possession of any striped bass in violation of any such regulation shall be remitted.

(e)SECTION 2. The striped bass quota for commercial fishing provided to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission shall not be added to recreational fishing quotas. Said quota shall be set aside for conservation and the Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries shall use his best efforts in working with the Commission to see that the amount of this quota is not given to other

Interesting. Clearly states no commercial harvest and a Slot limit for Recs. The only thing missing is calling it a state gamefish - purely speculating that some that wrote the this would not want to call it a gamefish to give it some long term legitimacy.

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Interesting. Clearly states no commercial harvest and a Slot limit for Recs. The only thing missing is calling it a state gamefish - purely speculating that some that wrote the this would not want to call it a gamefish to give it some long term legitimacy.

Whenever the topic has come up, this is what most people have wanted. I don't believe changes like this in only one state is going to make any difference though.

[MarshCappa]

If this passes through when would it become effective? Has anybody lived through a similar mandate like this? I've only fished within the current regulations but this is alot different and I don't know what to think. Seems ok for the conservation of the species but the Comms would be drastically affected by this. How many dollars are we talking about commercially per season in MA? Sorry for all the questions which may seem stupid to others more in tuned to this.

[striperman36]

John were did you find that?

Bill

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by JohnnyD

Whenever the topic has come up, this is what most people have wanted. I don't believe changes like this in only one state is going to make any difference though.

I think it would make a minuscule difference but not a big one.

Originally Posted by MarshCappa

If this passes through when would it become effective? Has anybody lived through a similar mandate like this? I've only fished within the current regulations but this is alot different and I don't know what to think. Seems ok for the conservation of the species but the Comms would be drastically affected by this. How many dollars are we talking about commercially per season in MA? Sorry for all the questions which may seem stupid to others more in tuned to this.

I don't think the comm money on SB is a drop in the bucket compared to the rec dollar generation. Very few dedicated comm fishers make a sizeable dollar off it and the majority of SB comm fishers are generally recreational anyway. NOBODY can make an annual living off selling SB in Mass.

Personally I'm for tighter regs on both Recs & Comms, coastwide but not for eliminating the commercial take. Allocation isn't the issue.

Originally Posted by striperman36

John were did you find that?

Bill

In PRBuzz's post above

Originally Posted by PRBuzz

Is this the reference to bill: H796...

[Canalman]

Originally Posted by JohnnyD

Whenever the topic has come up, this is what most people have wanted. I don't believe changes like this in only one state is going to make any difference though.

Sets an example for other states to follow. Seems like all the remaining comm states are dancing around a pool of cold water and afraid to be the first to dip their toe in.

Lowering the size limit to 20" is a measure to reduce release mortality. Won't work, but at least they're trying