WGMD Fishing Report 8-30-19
On Thursday evening I attended the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting in Dover. The subject of the meeting was the striped bass regulations that will be imposed in 2020. The reason for the new regulations is the drastic drop in the spawning stock biomass (large female stripers). There were 13 members of the public in attendance.
The meeting dealt with what choices we had as to which regulations we would prefer. There are three options: Option one is status quo. No changes just keep on killing stripers as we have done for the past 20 years. Option Two; Decrease the commercial quota by 18% and the recreational catch by 18%. Option Three: Decrease the commercial quota by 1.8% and the recreational catch by 20%.
A vote was taken by a show of hands. Option One received seven votes, Option Two received one vote and Option Three received one vote. As it now stands Delaware will go to the ASMFC meeting supporting the Status Quo Option One.
This is Eric Burnley with your WGMD fishing report
