In a last minute effort, the Governor of Massachusetts yesterday intervened in a successful effort to convince the state marine fisheries commission to remain conservative in adopting striped bass
On Thursday night the Massachusetts marine fisheries advisory commission set the new commercial striped bass season to open on June 23 this year. Commissioners dropped the daily bag limit from 30 fish to 15 fish per fisherman. Rod and reel fishing permits are limited to two fish per day.
I completely agree with the view Captain Contessa expresses in the Feb. 28 letter/commentary about stronger striper regulations needed.
What are needed to save the striped bass in this state and coastwide are not minor logistical adjustments, but rather wholesale changes to the overall management strategy.
On Tuesday, the state Division of Marine Fisheries held a public hearing in Vineyard Haven. Discussions centered around commercial fishing season length, reducing fishing days, bag limits, bass tagging systems, and stricter licensing rules for conch fishermen.
Changes under consideration by the Division of Marine Fisheries include an extended commercial season for striped bass, smaller daily limits and a rule barring charter fishermen from selling their catch commercially.
In his op-ed Conservation is Essential to Save the Striper (Vineyard Gazette, Oct. 31), author Dick Russell suggests that recreational and commercial fishermen stand at odds when it comes to striped bass conservation. He claims that commercial striped bass fishermen from Massachusetts and menhaden fishermen from Virginia are obstacles in the way of stronger protections for striped bass.
