With errant states falling in line with new striped bass catch curbs, East Coast fishery managers agreed last week to consider imposing still more limits on recreational fishing later this year to help the struggling fish recover.
The striped bass management board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which regulates inshore fishing for migratory species, accepted revised plans May 1 from Maryland, Pennsylvania and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission for making required cutbacks in recreational and commercial harvests.
The board had rejected the three jurisdictions’ plans in March, putting them in jeopardy of having the federal government shut down all fishing for striped bass if the deficiencies weren’t corrected.
At issue for Maryland and the bi-state Potomac fisheries agency were their plans to delay action until 2026 if their 2024 commercial harvests exceeded the reduced level ordered by the Atlantic States commission.
The commission in January had ordered reductions in recreational and commercial catch amid concerns over an unexpected jump in recreational catch along the coast and surveys finding poor reproduction in the Chesapeake Bay, where most of the coastwide stock is spawned.
Under rules that took effect May 1, recreational anglers are limited to landing just one fish per day within narrow minimum and maximum size limits. The annual harvest quota for commercial fishers was reduced by 7% from the 2023 level.
The Atlantic States commission specified that any exceedance of the commercial quota must be corrected by deducting that amount from the quota for the following year. Maryland and Potomac fishery managers said they couldn’t respond that quickly because of a months-long lag in compiling harvest reports.
But after the commission rejected their plans, the two jurisdictions’ fishery managers submitted revised plans in April. They said they would track the commercial harvest more closely using preliminary weekly reports and by December would pre-emptively reduce the overall 2025 quota to offset any projected exceedance.
Overharvesting isn’t likely, given recent history. With one minor exception, commercial landings in Maryland since 2014 have been under the quota. The 1.2 million pounds harvested in 2022 — the most recent year for official figures — would still be below the state’s reduced quota set for 2024 of 1.3 million pounds.
That's assuming you trust the reports from the the commercials. I don't, and Pete doesn't. The catch reported by commercials is essential self reported. Watermen run the check in stations, and check in their their own and their friends catch. You don't think there isn't a bit of shaving going on there? Especially as they near a quota?
Meanwhile, Maryland DNR Biologists Monitor a Critical Year of Striped Bass Eggs, Larvae. An interesting article from DNR on how they monitor the baby stripers.
One theory for low spawning success is known as the “mismatch hypothesis.” This suggests that the food source—blooms of cold-water zooplankton—are not matching up with the first time larval striped bass need to eat, as winter temperatures in the Chesapeake increase. If the zooplankton blooms don’t align with the first-feeding larvae, feeding success is too low for good survival.
Warm winters and low flow rates, as well as a shortened spawning window, make things difficult for striped bass, which are sensitive to small changes.
“With temperatures warming up faster, things may not be lining up anymore,” Uphoff said. “That ‘just right’ is a narrow window, and it’s getting narrower.”
Recently, Uphoff returned to egg survey data he helped collect for DNR decades ago and published research suggesting that poor larval survival was a driving factor in the 1970s collapse of Chesapeake Bay striped bass.
Conservative management of the fishery aided in the recovery at the time, because a larger stock of adults allows for greater spawning success when conditions are right. But Uphoff said information on what’s affecting the species at the egg and larval stage is critical to understanding the challenges that striped bass face.
Last year, the team found that the larvae did seem to eat well, and that larval mortality was more likely a direct result of temperature changes. But the team is continuing to collect data to determine how much mismatched zooplankton blooms are affecting low larval survival and what other factors are contributing to spawning success. Uphoff said they’re hoping to publish a study on this year and last year’s larval feeding.
The Wombat has Early Morning Rule 5 Monday: Smokin’ Blonde ready and awaiting your attention at The Other McCain.
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