All fishing for striped bass in Maryland, Pennsylvania and the Potomac River could face a shutdown, unless fisheries managers in Atlantic coast states can resolve issues over how to meet new catch curbs. After an at-times testy debate, the striped bass management board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted March 26 to reject plans by Maryland and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission over how they would meet required commercial catch reductions. It also rejected Pennsylvania’s plan because it sought to delay imposition of mandated recreational catch limits.
The Atlantic states commission, which regulates inshore fishing for migratory species, voted in January to curtail both recreational and commercial catches of the fish commonly known in the Chesapeake Bay region as rockfish. They did so in response to a worrisome spike in the recreational catch along the coast in 2022, along with a five-year stretch of poor reproduction of the fish in the Bay, their primary spawning and nursery grounds.
Under rules scheduled to take effect May 1, recreational anglers will be limited to just one fish per day within narrow minimum and maximum size limits. Commercial fishers face a 7% reduction in their annual quota.
The cutbacks are particularly controversial in Maryland, where on March 8 groups representing commercial watermen and charter fishing businesses filed a federal lawsuit challenging their legality. The case is pending.
At its March 26 meeting, the striped bass board approved all but three of the affected East Coast jurisdictions’ plans for tightening catch rules. At issue with the plans for Maryland and the Potomac River were provisions for delaying action until 2026 if their 2024 commercial harvests exceed the 7% cutback. Under the rules, jurisdictions that exceed that limit would have to offset the overage the following year with further reductions.
But Maryland and the Potomac fisheries agency said they wouldn’t be able to make adjustments until 2026. Because of a lag in reporting, they said, they won’t know until spring 2025 at the earliest if the 2024 commercial harvest overshoots the quota.
Other states’ board representatives were unmoved and criticized the stance of Maryland, which has the largest commercial striped bass fishery on the East Coast. The Baywide commercial catch quota for this year under the new rules is nearly 2.8 million pounds, with Maryland allotted nearly half, Virgina one-third and the Potomac River about one-fifth.
“It seems to me there’s an opportunity to take action in 2025 for Maryland,” said Emerson Hasbrouck, a board member from New York. “They’re just not willing to do it.”
Mike Luisi, a board member and Maryland DNR fisheries manager, countered that his agency lacks the resources to move that quickly. He said later that DNR has just one full-time employee assigned to manage the commercial striped bass fishery of some 900 license holders, each allocated an individual transferable catch quota.
Moreover, Luisi argued that the “administrative burden” was not warranted. Maryland’s commercial harvest has usually been below the annual quota, he said, so the number of fish at stake was likely to be “biologically insignificant.” Coastwide, recreational anglers are estimated to be responsible for 90% of the striped bass mortality, both from harvest and from fish dying after catch-and-release.
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Maryland DNR doesn’t require commercial harvesters to report their catch electronically, so it lacks the ability to track numbers so closely, Luisi said. Legislation is pending in Annapolis that could change that.
Slow production of data has long been problem with the Striped Bass management, with decisions being made years after the problems actually arise, but I hadn't realized that MD was a particular offender in this regard. It's not like we don't pay enough for fishing licenses.
WBOC TV, Could Electronic Reporting Become Mandatory For Commercial Watermen?
In Annapolis, lawmakers are considering significant changes to the way commercial fishermen report their catch. A proposed bill (HB 512) aims to replace traditional pen-and-paper reporting with electronic methods. Currently, Maryland's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) does not mandate electronic reporting, but this legislation would grant the department the authority to implement such a system.
It takes about 3 minutes, whether you're oystering, crabbing, or fishing," remarked Rob Newberry, President of the Delmarva Fisheries Association, on electronic reporting.
While commercial watermen already have the option to participate in DNR's pilot electronic reporting programs, the proposed bill would broaden the scope, allowing electronic reporting to become mandatory or voluntary across all fisheries, including crabbing and oystering.
Advocates argue that electronic reporting should be a requirement for recreational fishermen. "Everyone should be reporting their catch," insisted John Motovidlak, a commercial striped bass fisherman. "Recreational fishermen should have something similar so they can be held accountable for what they're catching. Right now, they're not accountable for anything."
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation echoed Newberry's sentiments, emphasizing the potential for improved accuracy in data collection. "We're hopeful that the ability to implement electronic harvest reporting will enhance reporting rates and the quality of data received by DNR," stated Allison Colden, Maryland Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
I know Pete reports his daily catch electronically. It only takes him a couple of minutes, and he can do it while he's steaming into port.
The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Stellar Blade up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.
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