Welcome to our weekly column in which a topic of interest, piece of news, relevant opinion, or general request for feedback is presented. We’ll offer the topic du jour and accompanying question, and you have the opportunity to respond with your thoughts.
Simply fill out the form below. A collection of each week’s responses will appear in the following week’s column. To view responses on our previous topics click here.
Publisher reserves the right to edit responses for clarity and publish online and/or in our print publications.
Please let us know your thoughts!
This week’s Feedback Friday topic is:
Emergency Action for Striped Bass Fishing
This week, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved an emergency action to implement a 31-inch maximum size limit for striped bass recreational fisheries, effective immediately for 180 days (through October 28, 2023). According to the ASMFC, “This action responds to the unprecedented magnitude of 2022 recreational harvest, which is nearly double that of 2021, and new stock rebuilding projections, which estimate the probability of the spawning stock rebuilding to its biomass target by 2029 drops from 97% under the lower 2021 fishing mortality rate to less than 15% if the higher 2022 fishing mortality rate continues each year.”
For Maryland anglers, the current trophy striped bass season is exempt, for which one fish per angler of a minimum size of 35 inches may be kept (from May 1st through May 15th). However, when trophy season ends, Maryland must adopt the new upper creel slot of 31” for any kept fish.
My opinion: Do away with the trophy season altogether next year. Maintain a catch-and-release only season until June 1st, when a 19—31” slot could be adopted. No breeder size striped bass should ever be kept. Thankfully, many anglers are already practicing catch-and-release of large stripers.
What do you think of this emergency mandate, and do you think this is enough action to help rebuild the striped bass population? And what do you think of Maryland’s current trophy season?
Please share your thoughts by filling out this form. Today’s responses—and all future Feedback Friday responses—will be published in our Monday newsletters after the weekend. AND, several responses from recent topics will appear in our upcoming print magazines!
