Exactly what stripers DO NOT need
Submitted by Ted Williams on Mon, 10/22/2012 - 17:34.
MASSACHUSETTS STRIPED BASS UPDATE Hope everyone had a wonderful summer. Much has been happening when it comes to regulating your striped bass. This update will briefly cover four recent events worth noting: 1) Spearfishing, 2) MD Juvenile Index, 3) Consumer Health Bill and 4) Menhaden Hearing …… all of which are having a direct impact on your wild striped bass. SPEAR FISHING BILL PASSES 1st READING IN THE MA HOUSE IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED Representative Sarah Peake has again sponsored and successfully engrossed in the House a Bill legalizing the taking of striped bass with a spear gun. (Engrossed means A legislative proposal that has been prepared in a final form for its submission to a vote of the lawmaking body after it has undergone discussion and been approved by the appropriate committees.) Peake has been one of the most vocal opponents of every attempt to conserve wild stripers and together with a small contingent of Cape Cod area legislators continues to sponsor the killing of even more of the prime breeders with this damaging legislation. Stripers Forever does not offer an opinion on whether or not it would be better to harvest a fish by spearing or by hook and line, but spearing eliminates any opportunity to measure a bass before it is killed. Spearing also eliminates the opportunity to catch and release thereby getting maximum enjoyment and economic value from this finite resource. Peake claims that because spearfishing tournaments are being held in other states “…we have money leaving Massachusetts.” But Peake has totally disregarded the millions of dollars lost to MA because of the fish squandered in the state’s commercial striper fishery. It is clear that her only real goal is to give a handful of her constituents what they want from the striper resource regardless of what the consequences may be for other citizens.. Last year our collective lobbying efforts were successful in keeping this bill from final passage, and we hope that will be the case this season too. Here is what you can do to help stop this travesty from taking place:
- Send this note today to your State Senator and to your House representative
“Dear Senator or Representative (so and so): I ask you to vote against H247 or S399, bills to legalize the spearing of striped bass. The striped bass situation is in a state of terrible decline with the worst spawning success ever recorded taking place in 2012 and a recreational catch that has declined some 85% over the last 6 years. Spearing will increase the kill of large striped bass that are valuable as breeders, and spearing does not allow the fisherman to measure their catch before shooting it. Sincerely; (your name and address)”
- If you are so inclined calling your legislators office to express these thoughts can be even more effective.
You can find your state legislators easily at this website: http://www.malegislature.gov/People If you are not a MA resident send your note to the legislator representing the town you fish in or own property in. Let them know that you spend money in MA because of stripers.
2) MARYLAND (AND VIRGINIA) JUVENILE INDEX The Maryland 2012 Young Of the Year (YOY) recruitment or Juvenile Index was the lowest ever recorded in the past 59 years! The long term average Index number is 12. In 4 out of the last 5 years it has been in single digits, way below average. This year it was only 0.9! Scientists at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science also reported a similar drop in YOY recruitment in Virginia’s Chesapeake state waters. Fact: Over 75% of every wild striper in Massachusetts waters was born in the Chesapeake area. This is not good news at all. The truth is that mycobacteriosis is taking its toll on mature fish in the Chesapeake and the overall health of the Bay – the ecosystem - is deteriorating. These negative influences on recruitment, in combination with other environmental factors such as weather should be important management considerations, yet bag limits and commercial quotas have not changed despite the trending decline in the number of young stripers entering the fishery. The unsustainable harvest limits being endorsed by commercial interests bode poorly for the future of wild striped bass. One counter-measure that should be employed to counteract all the negative variables is to better protect wild stripers by granting them game status. 3) CONSUMER HEALTH BILL re. Striped Bass Stripers Forever is actively pushing a Bill that we helped draft that requires a) the testing of wild striped bass for toxic contaminants and b) that public warnings be issued relative to their consumption should cause be found. Based on several academic studies it has been determined that wild striped bass consumption poses a risk to public health, especially to unborn fetuses and children who are still developing neurologically. Massachusetts is the only state on the east coast north of the Carolinas that does not issue either health warnings or consumption advisories about eating wild striped bass due to either or both, heavy metal and/or PCB contamination. We will keep you posted as this Bill makes its way through the legislature and more information becomes available. In the meanwhile, for your own safety and the health of those you care about, please be advised that by the time 75% of all wild stripers reach 28 inches – the legal, recreational minimum length in MA - they have bio-accumulated enough mercury in their edible muscle tissue to have contamination levels that exceed EPA safe consumption thresholds! As they continue to grow they keep bio-accumulating even more mercury which makes wild striped bass purchased by unaware consumers in Massachusetts – the commercial minimum is 34 inches - even more toxic.
4) MENHADEN HEARING At the Menhaden Public Hearing held in Bourne, MA on Oct. 17th Stripers Forever testified in favor of a 50% reduction in the coast-wide Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of Atlantic menhaden in all state waters. We argued for the rebuilding of the biomass to historic levels within five years and to increase the spawning mass threshold (trigger) points. We also lobbied the ASMFC to push for NOAA adoption of these regulations in all federal waters to insure both consistent and effective enforcement and management results. Striped bass need menhaden if they are to thrive. They are the stripers’ primary and preferred forage fish. This is one point that the commercial striper fishermen agree with us on. At the hearing both groups argued in favor of stricter and more conservative regulatory controls….. not for bass, but menhaden. Yes, it was interesting! ****************************** Reminder: please contact your State Rep and Senator now and ask them to vote against the Striped Bass Spear Fishing Bill. Thanks, MA SF Co-Chairs, Fred Jennings and Dean Clark
Spearfishing
"Stripers Forever does not offer an opinion on whether or not it would be better to harvest a fish by spearing or by hook and line, but spearing eliminates any opportunity to measure a bass before it is killed."
Spearing offers THE BEST opportunity to measure a bass (or any fish)...we can SEE them and avoid small schoolies.
"Spearing also eliminates the opportunity to catch and release thereby getting maximum enjoyment and economic value"
The stress placed on a bass during the catch and release "fight" subsequently kills 65% of the fish 'released' back to the sea.
the real fight should be against commercial fishing: a single day with a dragger takes more fish than all the spearfishermen (and women) in New England take during the entire season.
Huh????
You can measure fish while swimming underwater? Why is it better to kill a breeder than a schoolie? 65 percent? Where did you come up with that one??? NO ONE has ever documented anything NEAR 65 percent. So it's okay to start killing even more stripers by spearing them s 'cause comms are already killing stripers?
U know what I think, do away
U know what I think, do away with all rod and reel fishing and only allow spearfishing. Considering the number of people who spearfish in New England waters vs. the number of people who rod and reel, it only makes sense. You have got the charter boats killing them, the surf casters, the weekend warriors out on there boats, the fly/light tackle guys who are on there conservation high horses and think that every fish they release goes on to live a long and healthy life. I understand the concern for not wanting to add another factor into the decline of a fragile fishery, but wouldn't it make more sense to concentrate on issues that statistically cause a greater threat to the fishery? How about a moritorium on all fish over 40 inches? Stricter regs for charter boats?..... It's unfortunate that there will allows be a on going battle between R&R and spearfishing, when the truth of the matter is that the percentage of stripe bass taken by spear each year is such a insignificant number.....
What Battle?
There is no "battle between R&R and spearfishing" because there is no spearfishing allowed in MA despite the fact that a few morons what to legalize it and add to the slaughter.
Ok, first off, spearfishing
Ok, first off, spearfishing is allowed in MA, but not for stripe bass. Get ur facts straight. And secondly, doesn't ur reply seem to be a bit of a juxtaposition? If there is no on going battle between rod and reel enthusiasts and Spearfisherman then why do so many rod and reel fisherman take a oppinion of opposition to the proposed bill? If you feel so strongly against allowing stripe bass to be taken by spear, then why don't you come up with some numbers to prove how much harm it would do to the fishery. For example, how many people in the states of NY, CT, RI and MA pArtake in the sport of spearfishing vs. how many choose to use a Rod and Reel?
Mr. WIlliams Your
Mr. WIlliams
Your shortsighted and uninformed views make you sound uneducated, your ignorance is actually offensive.
When, where and who took you Spearfishing ? Obviously these people are athletes, selective hunters, who can actually pick the fish they are going to eat. Did you not actually experience what these people do ? For some reason, the general impression I'm getting is you think you just jump off a boat, peek in the water and their are striped fish as far as the eye can see. How is it, I see these people time and time again, diving hours on end, in all kinds of weather and visibility and come back empty handed, a LOT. Their gear is specialized, it's not cheap. The time they spend exercising their bodies to do what they do - nothing short of awesome Sir.
It's called Freediving, I understand freediving is not FREE by any means, it's a sport and looks very expensive for a small return. As an investor, Freedive Spearfishing to feed a family on a regular basis is a fools bet. I would stick to a Finor, braided line and Danny plugging.
Your picking a fight with such an insignificant tiny group of people who's harvest methods are specific, selective and quite frankly couldn't hold a candle to hook and liners. Your being a bully, and my 7/yo says its illegal to do that so you should quit doing it, it's making you look bad.
FACT- if I catch and release 50 fish on a good night tide at the cribbins, I KNOW some of those fish are absolutely spent, and when released I WATCH them float, semi swimming, and soon to be dead and become lobster bait. It's just how it is.
FACT- a Spearfisher cannot practice catch and release..
FACT- I spend my life on/in/under the water, sure I see fish on occasion under there, if I had to hold my breath to catch dinner with a gun, I recon my skin would be blue from lack of oxygen, wrinkled like a prune because it would take me a month of Sundays just to find a fish to shoot, and I would only Weigh 125/lbs because I wouldn't be eating fish very often.
I'm not a stuck up, elitist, holier than thou, these fish are mine, not yours, I'm not a purist with a perfect back cast and can place that fly right on top of a fishes nose in a hole on Mashnee flats kind of guy. What frigging right do I have to tell these athletes, who spend money on fishing like my family does, pay the same taxes, same saltwater license fee, and more I'm sure, that they can't harvest the same fish I can. That Sir would make me an arrogant, uniformed, soap box standing horses backside. In which case, I would be just like you.
Oh, how about we join forces, make up a bogus argument and tell the archery hunters out there, they can't shoot our deer with arrows. No more practicing hours and hours, buying Fancy gear and what not......................
You're talking Nonsense
Qdiver: You are making a nonsensical argument. The issue is not impact of spearfishing for stripers vs impact of RR fishing. The issue this: When the YOY is at record low and the stock is on the way down it is just plain stupid to add to striper mortality by allowing spearfishing in a state where half the Atlantic Coast’s stripers spend the summer. If you want to stick stripers, go to RI.
You Don't Understand the Battle
Yes, yes. We all know you can stick flounders, etc. in MA. We’re talking stripers. Don’t be so pedantic. Again, there is no battle between RR and spearfishing. There is a battle between conservationists and the idiots who want to increase striper mortality while the stock plunges and the YOY is at record low.
The battle between
The battle between consevationists and the idiots who want to increase the striper mortality...I guess that make you an idiot Ted? You preach conservation and not adding to the mortality but your population of recreational rod and reel fisherman kill the most stripers!! I guess its only ok because you had the best intentions?? If you are so worried about the slaughter of striped bass then you should go after your own....the recreational fisherman...they slaughter the most fish plain and simple. your argument is like trying to pass gun legislation against black powder rifles, lets get rid of small minority of the offending population and hope it works. What have you done for me lately Ted?-
Nonsense
Spearfishing Forever: You are talking nonsense. The mortality now is what it is. No one is adding to it. No one wants to add to it save a few spear fishers. This is not rocket science. If you cannot comprehend this simple fact, you are intellectually disadvantaged. Why do you imagine that I have not “gone after…recreational fisherman”? I have consistently written in national publications that they kill way too many stripers. I have consistently advocated cutting the rec. limit to one fish at 36 inches. It’s true that rec. fishermen “slaughter the most fish.” That’s because they outnumber commercials by roughly 1,000 to one. Again, this is not rocket science. Comms slaughter way more fish per captita. It’s not a fair or intelligent distribution of a limited, dwindling resource.
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