Do you love striped bass fishing? If so act now and show striped bass some respect. For all of the hours enjoyment (and heartbreak) that striped bass haven given up this is the least we can do!

The Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) wants your input and encourages the public to submit comments on Draft Amendment 7 (D-Amd7) to the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan. The deadline is 11:59PM EST on April 15, 2022. Email: comments@asmfc.org , Subject Draft Amendment 7

If you are out of the loop… there’s a lot to read and know but here is the quick and dirty. Since 2003’s Amd6 the status and understanding of the striped bass stock and fishery has changed. Striped bass are overfished and overfishing is occurring. After recent (2021) public comment and hearings, D-Amd7 was developed to address key issues; Management Triggers, Recreational Release Mortality, Rebuilding Plan, Conservation Equivalency.

Warning this is a heavy one! Here’s a link to the Draft Document which is out for public comment. Here’s a condensed striped bass stock status, Page 17.

Here’s a link to ASA’s (American Sportfishing Association) Guide to the Striped Bass Draft Amendment 7.

The ASWGA (American Saltwater Guides Association) also has a lot of information from podcasts to blogs and a summary page. They are also offering a raffle to all who submit public comment.

Please take the time to submit your public comment!

Below is my letter to the ASMFC. Feel free to copy and modify as you see fit. Please act now. The deadline for public comment ends on April 15.

Dear ASMFC,

A robust striped bass fishery is very important to me, my family, my businesses and my community. I am a light tackle fishing guide from Central New Jersey who primarily focuses on striped bass. While sometimes keeping a fish here and there, most of my clients want to enjoy a great experience on the water and support catch and release. I am also the general manager at Fisherman’s Headquarters, a bait and tackle shop that was established in 1962, which currently employees 22 full time year round staff. I am also the father of a two year old boy who loves the water, the beach, the boat and fish. I hope he can experience the same great striped bass fishing that I enjoyed growing up on the Jersey Coast.

Living in a fishy shore community on a barrier Island (Long Beach Island) striped bass fishing has a rich history and is the way of life here. When the bass are running the community is vibrant. Everything from hotels, restaurants, marinas, convenience stores, gas stations, tackle shops and other small businesses are busy and the local economy is strong. Anglers come from far and wide to enjoy a day/weekend/week/month on the Island fishing the beaches and boats. The trickle down spending radiates from the striped bass economic engine.

While striped bass fishing has been really very good the past few years in my local waters and elsewhere in my state, I understand there is a coast wide issue. I’m curious to learn more about the results of 2020’s 18% reduction as well as other news on the striped bass stock when the new stock assessment will be coming later this year.
I support a responsible and precautionary management style with regulatory stability and reasonable access to the fishery.

I support the following…

Section 4.1 Management Triggers
Tier 1: Fishing Mortality (F) Triggers
Option A: Sub-option A1
Option B: Sub-option B1
Option C: Sun-option C1

Tier 2: Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) Triggers
Option A: Sub-option A2
Option B: Sub-option B1
Option C: Sub-option C3

Tier 3: Recruitment Triggers
Option A: Sub-option A2
Option B: ASA’s Variation of Sub-option B2

Tier 4: Deferred Mgmt Action
Option A: No Deferred Management Action

Section 4.2.2 Measures to address Recreational Release Mortality
Option B: Sub-option B2-a No Harvest Spawning Closure
Option C: Sub-option C1 & C2
Option D: Sub-option D1

4.3 Commercial Fishery Mgmt MeasuresI know this isn’t the time or place however it must be stated that striped bass are exponentially more valuable as a game fish. Now’s the time for striped bass coast wide game fish status.

4.4.1 Recruitment Assumption
Option B

4.4.2 Rebuilding Plan Framework
Option B

4.6.2 Management Program Equivalency
Option B: Sub-option B1-a & B1-c
Option C: Sub-option C3Option D: Sub-option D1
Option E: Sub-option E2

Regards,
Captain Greg Cudnik

Author: FishHead.Greg

A Long Beach Island native with life long experience fishing and navigating the local waters, Greg is a distinguished Master Captain (the highest qualified operator license), holding a US Coast Guard Masters 50T Near Coastal License with Towing Endorsement. Raised in and now managing his family's bait and tackle business, Fishermans Headquarters (Since 1962, The Saltwater Fishing Bait & Tackle Experts) Greg is daily immersed in fishing. He is the Chief Contributor of FishingLBI.com (Long Beach Island's best fishing report blog) as well as the Admin for the shop's social media pages (on Instagram and Facebook). Be sure to follow! View all posts by FishHead.Greg