GOOD STRIPER NEWS - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Offshore · 12-18-2005, 09:16 AM

Stripers - Healthy Stock, Total Abundance, High Recruitment

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Scientific evidence presented to ASMFC's Striped Bass Management Board indicates that management under Amend.6 of the Striped Bass Management Plan continues to be a success. The virtual population analysis(VPA) estimates the resource remains at a high level of abundance at 65.3 million fish, 10% higher than the average stock size for the past five years. Female spawning stock biomass is estimated at 55 million pounds which is well above the target and threshold levels of 38.6 and 30.9 million pounds.

Recruitment of young fish (age 1) at 12.7 million is very close to the average recruitment observed since the stocks were declared recovered in 1995. Expanded tagging studies estimate that striped bass abundance may actually be higher than the VPA estimates.

The stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring with 2004 fishing mortality below the amendment threshold of 0.41. Total catch has risen to 5.2 million fish, a 33% increase since implementation of the amendment in 2003. Recreational harvest and discards accounted for 72.5 % of the total mortality, with the majority of the harvest made by anglers in Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts and North Carolina. Commercial catch/discards has risen slightly to 1.42 million fish with Maryland commercial fisheries accounting for half the harvest.

Based on the advice of the scientists of the Technical Committee, the Board has ok'd maintaining the state's current management programs. scientists will continue to monitor the stock and refine stock assessment methodology as necessary. The next peer-reviewed stock assessment is scheduled for 2007.

The complete stock assessment is available on the Commission web site at: www.asmfc.org.

MoroneSaxatilis · 12-18-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Offshore

...with the majority of the harvest made by anglers in Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts and North Carolina

Those RI guys are fudging their numbers...
Or.. maybe all the fish ARE down the Cape.

Backbeach Jake · 12-18-2005, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoroneSaxatilis

Those RI guys are fudging their numbers...
Or.. maybe all the fish ARE down the Cape.

They're in Idaho, they grow 'em on farms.

Pete_G · 12-18-2005, 10:11 AM

Fishing mostly in RI I'd have to say those numbers or at least the interpretation of the numbers is complete BS. But, sometimes I wonder if it's a local problem. Maybe water quality of something. Bluefish never even really raided Narragansett Bay like they normally do. Bunker of any size weren't exactly common either.

capesams · 12-18-2005, 12:01 PM

the only two thing's I'll agree on is dragger by-catch is way up and the fact is there's no big bait left onshore. what's left is offshore, hense the dragger by-catch of bass...as John is always saying,,stop/cut down on the taking of bait fish and you'll see bass[large] along your shore's in great number's once again.

Offshore · 12-18-2005, 12:15 PM

I'll buy into that argument, anytime.

Mr. Sandman · 12-18-2005, 12:57 PM

They changed the way they compute the threshold this year so comparing it directly to years past is comparing apples and oranges. If they used the same method as in past years, the fishery would be below the threshold and deemed overfished and in danger. They say the way they do it now is better...hmmmm one has to quesiton the timing of implimenting a new approach.
I do not trust them anymore.

Is herring overfished? What about Cod, Bunker, scup, weakfish, tog, fluke, winter flounder and eels? These people can't manage themselves out of a paper bag.

Offshore · 12-18-2005, 05:48 PM

On what do you base your statement that the new method of computing the threshold computation is flawed, Mr. S ? Do I hear an echo from Forever Stripers there? I'm familiar with both and feel the new method is much better.

But more important than my opinion or yours; the uninvolved scientists that peer-reviewd the latest assessment agreed that the new method is much better too.

riverrat55 · 12-18-2005, 10:42 PM

Instead of looking at total mass, I think the two main
issues are-
1 Are we protecting the spawning areas significantly?
2 Are we making sure that the food supply for the stripers
is not being overfished?

Mr. Sandman · 12-18-2005, 10:47 PM

Look, I have to admit I don't know it all and I am not in touch with all the details on this subject anymore but I have formed my (bitter) opinions over the years as most fisherman have. Frankly I have lost interest in this subject and think that most fishermen hope someone else will watch over the fish.

That said here is my 2 cents: (AND IS ONLY MY OPINION BASE ON MY PERSONAL EXPERINCES)

I don't dispute the method is better or worse then the prior years.... just inconsistent and not "good science" to compare this measurement directly to prior years and say it things are better. The fact remains, if no change were made to the accounting system the current status of the species would be different then what is declared. This seems somewhat suspicious to me and demonstrates poor management.

I don't belong to sf but do agree with some (not all) of their thinking. I would like to see a move towards game fish status for sb...IMO the bass deserves it. I think it is a special species and is more important as a rec only fish. I also think other things need to change too (like baitfish management)

As for the current managers... I am sure they face all kinds of pressures I am unaware of but how many years have they been "managing” with pathetic results. Look at the codfish? The species never recovered like it was and is now deemed over fished yet again. How is this possible with management? Herring...same thing, I can tell you it is not the guy taking 12 herring at the runs twice a week for a couple months in the spring...I have a feeling it is the pair trawlers taking tons at a time at sea (not to mention the dead bass bycatch they toss back that don't (but should) go against the comm quota). Further south, what about weakfish? They use to allow netting of spawning fish in bays 4-6' deep, knock the price down to nothing and wonder why the fish disappears. They still allow trawlers to mow the sounds and scrape every living thing, cull out what they want and shovel the dead discard overboard. Winter flounder...I doubt it was the rod and reelers that damaged these stocks. Good thing they rescued the spiny dogfish though...Yeah...I guess you could say I have a problem with the managements logic.

IMO the primary problem is they are trying to get the maximum yeild from each species yet their data is deeply flawed as they really don't know how many fish are caught, released or killed and how successful the spawn is ...it is a guess at best and the error could be huge. Whenever you have a problem like this it is best err on the safe side and not try to sqeeze the resource for everything its worth. Moreover I think they need to look at the total problem, not one species at a time. True, the bass moratorium increased the number of bass 10 fold....but did they increase their food source 10 fold at the same time? It begs the question: How smart are these guys?

I am not against comm fishing, it is just I don't think it should be allowed to take spawning fish (at all. ever) nor commercially work the young fish habitat where they seek protection. Recs can be regulated as needed and still make the huge social contribution to the fishing related businesses. Keep the netters well offshore.

Lastly, I think the scientists and management could do a MUCH better job of explaining what is happening to the public, not just to the fishery boards which issue (mis)information blurbs to support the status quo.

Lets just say I think there is a lot of room for improvement in the area of fishery related management

Wanna talk about seal protection and all the "good" this is doing?

Offshore · 12-19-2005, 08:10 AM

Mr. Sandman,
Thanks for the reply. A lot of what you said, I agree with myself.

JohnR · 12-19-2005, 08:49 AM

I "hope" that the numbers are correct but if the formulas to come up with the stock assement are "improved", then what we they be under the old formula so as to remain "losely consistant" with the old data

Offshore · 12-19-2005, 10:40 AM

John,
I am told that they used both the old and new formula to compute and that the results were very close. The new formula factored in a couple new things, so they decided to go with it.

I'm sure any of us could get the lowdown on this issue by contacting your(our)state's member of the technical committee.

NIB · 12-20-2005, 04:18 AM

We had the worst fall migration of bass i can remember here in NJ.except for a 2 week period in the late spring our season would be crap.Mximum yld against vodoo math doesn't work be very carefull of thier assesment of a repaired fishery.This will open up more venues for the comms.