Massachusetts commercial striped bass fishermen exceeded their quota this summer by over 100,000 pounds. Fishermen landed 1,163,666 pounds or 109.6 per cent above their quota of 1,061,898 pounds.

Dan McKiernan, deputy director of the state Division of Marine Fisheries, said the average will be taken off next year’s quota. He said overshooting the quota was unintended and reflects an abundance of fish, although many Island fishermen would argue with that. The state uses fish market reports to estimate how much is taken and how long the season will last. “We usually use last week’s data to forecast next week’s closure,” Mr. McKiernan said. “If [fishermen] know the closure is coming, they don’t delay, they go fishing. It is typical that we might get a percentage over [the quota],” he said.

Massachusetts commercial striped bass fishermen had an 18-day season, six days shorter than the year before.

Alec Gale, who ships commercially caught striped bass from Menemsha to the mainland, told the Gazette this summer that striped bass landings in Vineyard waters were the worst he has seen in many years.