There may be good news for striped bass anglers on the East Coast, as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) is considering to loosen regulations restrictions for recreational and commercial harvest of the popular gamefish coastwide.
According to the Associated Press, potential changes are being driven in large part because of economic hardships experienced in the Chesapeake Bay fishery. In 2015, regulations were tightened automatically based on a stock assessment that indicated the species was being overfished. Now, an updated 2016 assessment of the stock shows that overfishing is not occurring, and data shows a strong presence of the 2011 year-class, which is anticipated to join the coastal spawning population.
An ASMFC release indicated a draft of the new regulations should be presented for board review in May. Stay tuned to the their website at http://www.asmfc.org/ for updates.