Stripers Forever Member - The annual young-of-the-year striped bass survey recently released by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) reflects reports received by Stripers Forever during the 2009 season of a deteriorating recreational striper fishery from Maine to North Carolina.
“The graphic [below] released with the MD DNR report depicts the numbers of striped bass spawned in the Chesapeake Bay. Since most stripers that migrate north and south along the coast are born in the Chesapeake Bay, the MD DNR graphic indicates how future runs of stripers along the Atlantic Coast will measure up. The outlook for the species is not an optimistic one.
David Ross PhD -- a scientist, Stripers Forever board member, and longtime striped bass angler -- adds the following comments on the MD DNR report:
“The MD DNR has been doing this young-of-the-year survey for over 50 years and the resulting numbers are thought to be a good indication of spawning success. However, the trend of the recent data (from 2001 to 2009) seems to be more of a measure of spawning failure.
“Scientists, including fishery biologists and oceanographers like me, will often come up with reasons or hypotheses to explain unexpected changes or anomalies in their data. But for fishermen, these reasons have little importance – the fish are either there or not.
“I suspect that some fishery managers will see reasons to be optimistic about the recent data. Others, especially those not involved with the MD DNR, should see reasons for concern. If you look at the index from 2001, it has to be evident to even the most optimistic observer that the trend of the index is heading south – quickly.
“It really does not matter what the reasons are- -- the recent spawning numbers are not good. Look again at the graph: the highs (50.75 to 7.9 – an 84 percent drop) and lows (4.73 to 3.2 – a 32 percent drop) are clearly declining. How can this be good for the future of the striped bass?” --- David Ross PhD.
Please make sure that you send in those letters to your governor to help stop the proposed quota rollover scheme at the ASMFC!
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