New striper regulations in effect

New Atlantic striper regulations are in full effect for the Chesapeake bay and open ocean. These new regulations were set forth by the Atlantic Marine Fisheries Council last fall to help improve ever decreasing striped bass stocks in the Atlantic. 

The new regulations came after emergency regulations were implemented the summer of 2023 and unlike the emergency regulations the new were designed around commercial and recreational angler input. 

The 2023 emergency measures set a 28-31 inch slot limit and anglers could keep one fish a day. At a public hearing on a new striper addendum, the board received almost 3,000 written comments regarding proposed new regulations, with almost 700 people from Atlantic states/regions showing up in person to voice their concerns and support.

Two thousand of the write in comments supported keeping the 28-31 slot limit, with almost 200 of the in person commenters also supporting the regulation.

With the public input, the fisheries council board decided to keep the 28-31 inch one fish slot limit for the open ocean and implement a 19-24 inch slot limit within the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for recreational anglers.

The commercial striper industry will also see new limits, with each Atlantic state seeing a seven percent cut in the amount of fish they can harvest.

Commercial fishing, in this case, is in reality, more of a drop in the bucket when compared to recreational fishing. 

According to the fisheries council, commercial fishing represents only 10 percent of striper mortality due to fishing. 

The majority of the Atlantic striper fishery is recreational and most of the fishing related mortalities happen from catch and release anglers. 

“The rest of the 90 is recreational either through harvest or incidental release mortality,” ASMFC Fishery Management Plan Coordinator Emilie Franke said. 

“We estimate nine percent of all striped bass will die from a fishing interaction. This varies from times of year when water temperatures are higher. Release mortality can also increase if more inexperienced anglers.”

To combat the catch and release mortality the Atlantic fisheries board implemented gear restrictions to reduce mortality. Circle hooks are required for all bait fishing with the only exception being if you are attaching bait to an artificial lure. Gaffs are also not allowed at all.

Commercial anglers are also facing regulations updates Massachusetts commercial anglers, for example can only keep fish over 35 inches. This is intended to protect the 2015 spawning class, which is the last major successful class.

Franke said another stock assessment is in progress as of now, which will use current data and data from 2023. The assessment will finish this October, providing the data necessary for possible public comment as well as new regulations needed to preserve the fishery.

In the meantime, recreational anglers need to practice safe fish handling practices to ensure a higher survival rate as the temperature warms.

Franke advises anglers to minimize any fish’s time out of the water, to support the belly and hold all fish horizontally when removing hooks. She also recommends using single barbless hooks and not using treble hooks if you can help it.

We will keep up to date on these regulations and stock assessments as they happen. In the meantime, local anglers and regulating bodies have come together to ensure fishing for this amazing saltwater fish remains open, while being highly regulated for the sake of future stocks and anglers. 

Now let’s go fishing. We’ll bring a ruler to measure slot limit stripers.