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bass, Morone saxatilis, have formed the basis of one of
the most important fisheries on the Atlantic coast for centuries.
Early records recount their abundance as being so great at one time
they were used to fertilize fields. However, overfishing and poor
environmental conditions lead to the collapse of the fishery in
the 1980s. Through the hardship and dedication of both commercial
and recreational fishermen, the stock was rebuilt and today’s
watermen again harvest striped bass in great number. Recreational
harvest has grown steadily since the reopening of many state fisheries
in 1990, approaching 30 million pounds in recent years. Under the
most recent management program, commercial harvest has averaged
nearly 7 million pounds annually, for an average ex-vessel value
of over 13 million dollars.
The most recent
stock assessment for striped bass was completed in 2007. The peer-reviewed
assessment indicated that striped bass are not overfished and
overfishing is not occurring. Since 1982, the striped bass population
has increased from about 7 million fish to an average of 58 million
fish during the last five years.
The Commission
has managed striped bass since 1981. Amendment 6 to the Fishery
Management Plan provides the current guidance to the states from
Maine through North Carolina. The management program includes
target and threshold biological reference points (spawning stock
biomass and fishing mortality), and sets regulations aimed at
achieving the targets. Required regulatory measures include recreational
and commercial minimum size limits, recreational creel limits,
and commercial quotas. States can implement alternative management
measures that are deemed to be conservationally equivalent to
the preferred measures in Amendment 6. <species
profile> <stock
status> <UPDATED:
commercial
and recreational landings> <state
regulations> <habitat
fact sheet>
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Contacts
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Management
Plans & Other Reports
* Previous
plans and addenda can be found at Fishery
Management Reports or by contacting the Commission at (202)289-6400.
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Pendings
Actions for Public Input
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Annual
Reports
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Upcoming
Meetings
3/30
(9:00 AM – 5:00 PM):
ASMFC
Striped Bass Stock Assessment Subcommittee and Tagging Subcommittee
Joint Meeting, Radisson
Plaza Lord Baltimore, 20 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland.
3/31
(9:00 AM – 5:00 PM):
ASMFC
Striped
Bass Technical Committee,
Radisson
Plaza Lord Baltimore, 20 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland.
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Meeting
& Minutes Summaries
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Press
Releases
Updated
Biological Reference points for Atlantic Striped Bass Confirm
Previously Released Stock Status (August 20, 2008)
Striped
Bass Stock Assessment Indicates Healthy Stock (February
6, 2008)
ASMFC
Striped Bass Board Approves Addendum I: Addendum Establishes Bycatch
Data Collection Program (November
1, 2007)
ASMFC
Striped Bass Board Approves RI and MD Proposals
(August 16, 2007)
States
Schedule Hearings on Striped Bass Draft Addendum I
(September
5, 2006)
Striped
Bass Board Approves Draft Addendum I for Public Comment: Addendum
Proposes Bycatch Data Collection Program
(August 17, 2006)
Striped
Bass Stock Assessment Indicates Healthy Stock: Total Abundance,
Female Spawning Stock Biomass and Recruitment Remain High
(October 31,
2005)
ASMFC
Forwards New Jersey Noncompliance Findings to Secretaries of Commerce
and the Interior for Action (August
19, 2004)
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