(ARLINGTON, VA)—The Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) reviewed and approved conservation equivalency (CE) proposals for striped bass management designed to reduce harvest by 18 percent along the Atlantic Coast.
Following a recently released benchmark stock assessment that painted a concerning picture for the status of the striped bass population, states were tasked with adopting a standard option or developing their own plans to achieve the required 18 percent reduction.
With current VMRC regulations the Eastern Shore saw over an 80% reduction in the Recreational Striped bass fishery this past fall. And an economic loss to local businesses. Yet at this time no reduction of commercial spawning striped bass has been implemented.