10/03/2025
Below is the JCAA position on the striped bass addendum. Also, just a reminder that comments are due by midnight 10/3.
ASMFC
Subject: Striped Bass Addendum III to Amendment VII
The Jersey Coast Anglers Association (JCAA) is an organization composed of many clubs throughout our state that represents thousands of recreational fishermen. At our meeting on 9/30/25, representatives from a clear majority of our member clubs voted in favor of status quo. Increasing the biomass will not increase spawning success as there are more than enough stripers in the system to produce a great spawn. There are too many other environmental factors that have caused poor spawns that need to be addressed to correct this problem. However, the strict regulations we have now have slowly but surely helped to rebuild the biomass.
Further, NOAA is hosting a peer review of the fishing effort survey, that could show that effort is currently far less than originally believed. Additionally, the MRIP numbers for stripers in waves 2 and 3 are significantly below those that were estimated. If that’s the case, perhaps there has been enough done already, with the small slot limit, to ensure sustainability of the stocks for the future and for the stocks to have better than a 50/50 chance to be rebuilt by 2029. Also, the biomass is approaching the level when the stocks were declared restored in 1995. However, the reference points were changed and the current target may be unattainable with the environmental conditions we have today. The stocks biomass is increasing and there is also a new benchmark stock assessment coming up in 2027. Therefore, we strongly urge the Commission to maintain status quo.
More specifically, the cuts made in 2018, 2019, and 2023 have been sufficient in reversing the downward trend in the female Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB), and the most recent data shows a steady upward trend in the stock. (See Figure 1 in the Addendum). Likewise, fishing mortality has been reduced below the threshold (Figure 2). Though the stocks are still considered to be overfished, overfishing is not occurring.
In our opinion, contrary to the interpretation by the TC and the Board, the odds highly favor the restoration of the SSB by 2029 (Figure 3). The curve crosses the target line at 2029 well within the 95% CI. Considering the uncertainty of the stock assessment process, and the known errors of the MRIP process for estimating recreational catch, the 30% odds seem highly questionable. Remember, MRIP numbers drove the TC to revise their spring estimate of needing only a 1% reduction to the current estimate of 12%.
Relying on recruitment patterns and trends to set regulations for fishing is problematic. It is known that there is little to no mathematical direct correlation between the female SSB and recruitment patterns for most of the species under management by the Commission and the Council. Furthermore, we would challenge the TC to prove that the current level of recruitment is incapable of supporting the SSB at its current level. Threshold and Target values for Atlantic Striped Bass were set in 1995, when the stock was declared rebuilt, and the conditions in the estuaries supported a higher level of recruitment. Conditions have deteriorated due to climate change and human development of the watersheds, and the SSB has now apparently stabilized to a new range, a “new normal”. Trying to restore recruitment and the SSB to 1995 levels may be an exercise in futility, unless there is remediation issues underlying poor recruitment (see below)
Key numbers that went in to the TC’s and Board’s projection regarding the rebuilding will be changing in 2026 and 2027. It has now been established that the Fishing Effort Survey (FES) portion of the MRIP process is severely flawed, and that a recalibration will almost certainly revise the historical recreational catch numbers, including the ones that triggered the 2019 rebuilding program. In addition, a new stock assessment workshop will be conducted in 2027, which may better clarify the status of the stock. It seems prudent to wait on making more decisions costly and damaging to the recreational and commercial communities before we see just how the new numbers develop
Regarding specific options in the addendum, we prefer the following:
3.1 B – All states should be required to measure the fish in the same manner. A straight-line measurement with the fish placed on a flat surface, with the tail pinched and the mouth closed is the best way to do this.
3.2 B – Fish should be tagged at the point of harvest which will best prevent illegal harvest and sales.
3.3 A – Status Quo for Chesapeake Bay though Option C would also be acceptable with a 10% buffer. We are concerned that seasons being changed would result in more effort which would result in higher mortality.
3.4 A – Status Quo for the Ocean for reasons previously explained
There are, however, some things that are not in the addendum, which we all should be supporting that could significantly improve recruitment and the SSB for the future that do not involve more cuts in the RHL. These include the following:
Coastwide declaration of Atlantic Striped Bass as a gamefish, as has already been done in New Jersey. Legal and illegal commercial killing of stripers is almost certainly occurring at a higher level than the currently estimated 10% levels of total harvest. Underreporting of dead discards, unreliable weight and size estimates, and other misrepresentations are suspected, and if nothing else, should be investigated and remediated.
Establish a stocking program for Atlantic Striped Bass for more coastal estuaries (as has already been implemented to restore the stock in North Carolina) should be further considered. Costly, yes, but it should work, as it has for other stocks. Creeks and rivers where dams have been removed, and where there were once populations of Atlantic Striped Bass, should be at the top of the list for any new efforts.
Support efforts and legislation to control the Blue Catfish population in the Chesapeake and elsewhere that they are becoming established. Their impact on the YOY surveys could be huge.
Get control of the Menhaden commercial fishery. Now.
Say no to sector separation. Special regs for the for-hire fleet would be unfair and lead to infighting amongst ourselves.
Increase Law Enforcement – There are far too many stripers being illegally harvested by both the commercial and recreational sectors.
Encourage Educational Programs – Teach people how to properly handle and release fish. Stress the importance of abiding by the law and cooperating with officials and fisheries managers. Show them how they can become more involved in the process.
Study phenology. It could be possible that striper fry and the microscopic organisms they feed on could be out of sync. Perhaps something could be done about that, if it is a problem.
In conclusion, seasonal closures will do severe damage to the for-hire portion of the recreational sector, and to businesses and facilities that support recreational fishing, including boatyards and bait and tackle stores. And it will further the decline in recreational saltwater fishing generally. We do need to ensure that there are enough stripers to go around, but the Commission and the Board have already reduced the RHL to a point where further reductions to recreational harvest have little chance of making an impact on the SSB. Fix the real issues as best we can, and we might see an improved SSB for years to come.
Respectfully submitted,
Mark Taylor
President, JCAA
