Public Hearing Scheduled for Draft Striped Bass Addendum VI

CONTACT:
Cheri Patterson, NHFG: (603) 898-1095
Max Appelman, ASMFC: (703) 842-0740
September 12, 2019

DURHAM, NH — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board releases Draft Addendum VI to Amendment 6 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass for public comment. The Atlantic coastal states have scheduled hearings to gather public input on Draft Addendum VI. The New Hampshire hearing will be held on October 1, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. at the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwin Road, Portsmouth, NH.

Draft Addendum VI is a fishery resource management response to the 2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment, which indicates that striped bass are experiencing overfishing, and have been overfished. The Draft Addendum explores a range of management alternatives designed to mitigate overfishing and reduce fishing mortality to a specific target level in 2020.

Draft Addendum VI proposes changes for both commercial and recreational anglers in the Atlantic Ocean and in the Chesapeake Bay to reduce total fishery harvest by 18% relative to 2017 levels. These measures include: reduced quotas for commercial fisheries and changes to bag limits, minimum sizes, and slot-size limits for recreational anglers. Because the practice of catch and release represents a significant contributor to overall fishery mortality, the Draft Addendum also explores the mandatory use of circle hooks to reduce release mortality in recreational striped bass fisheries.

The Draft Addendum is available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/StripedBassDraftAddVI_PublicComment_Aug2019.pdf, or on the Commission website at www.asmfc.org, under Public Input.

Harvesters and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. (EST) on October 7, 2019, and should be forwarded to Max Appelman, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201, by fax at (703) 842-0741, or by e-mail at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Striped Bass Draft Addendum VI).