Mass. weighs tougher protections for striped bass - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Doublerunner · 12-08-2009, 01:38 PM

I do agree that the rec needs to do their share as well. Thinks about this....if commercial is banned completely how many of those guys will make up for it with charter businesses? And if those are not regulated then it could be worse.

I think some of the wording can be mis-leading to some. A lot of people think when you use the term "rec" fisherman all they think of is the guy taking his kid and fishing from the shore. All the party boats and charter boats are considered rec as well. So separate classifications may be needed to spell it out a bit more specifically.

But regardless of that, as I have stated from the beginning, we all need to do our part. This should not all come off the backs of the commercial guys and I think if the commercial guys worked together with the "on shore" rec guys then we could also limit what the "boat" recs take in

Also, by establishing the license registry and more people having to pay to fish the monies raised should go to more enforcement.

And we really need to get rid of the netting of menhaden. This is a huge problem and if we can't eliminate it then there should be tighter restrictions on amounts and also how they are caught so that there is no by-product kill offs and/or damage to the oceans eco-system

Doublerunner · 12-08-2009, 01:45 PM

from another forum

You have some really nice fish up there...and about this time of year they migrate down towards us, here in Virginia, thankfully for you most of them stay miles and miles offshore safe from my treble hooks...however...

This picture was taken 9-11 miles offshore, approximately 13-19 vessels and their tenders were in the process of harvesting tens of thousands of pounds of striper forage...

Quote:

I witnessed a rape!
Today, me and Tim did a little bit of work at the boat and decided to take her out and stretch her legs for a minute. For about the past two weeks, there has been a very large area of menhaden, stripers, and blues out off Virginia Beach. Me and Tim figured that since we were out anyways, we might as well see if we can C&R some blues and stripers on light tackle- with blues being our primary target.
When they first showed up, they were 25 or so miles out. The large schools have been inching their way closer and closer to legal fishing grounds since their arrival from the north and I would have expected to see stripers and blues in legal waters this weekend, IF I hadnt seen what I saw today.
This photo does not do it justice. 7-9 miles straight out of Rudee there was the entire omega fleet RAPING the ocean. The entire horizon was loaded with net boats. I counted somewhere between 13 and 17 of the big boats and a whole bunch more of the tenders. Spread over about two miles, nothing was safe. Thousands of birds feeding and so much death in the water that four miles downcurrent, there was still a scumline of menhaden slime on the water.
I will bet that our school of stripers and blues, which days ago were so thick you couldnt keep a bait in the water, will be gone- and I think you can probably imagine where they went.
Why is this legal?
Thanks again Omega. You suck.
Omega is slaughtering them...they feed on our offshore schools of menhaden and end up trapped in miles of purse seines and end up being crushed and suffocated under millions of pounds of menhaden in OMEGA PROTEINS nets, then released dead to sink to the bottom after OMEGA has suctioned out all the menhaden from their nets... PISSED OFF? SO ARE WE...CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSMAN/SENATOR...put pressure on Virginias Legislature to shut down OMEGA PROTEIN and cease this raping...

Doublerunner · 12-08-2009, 01:46 PM

and more on menhaden

Omega's lobbyist donate millions to the legislature - Senators and Congressman. This has been going on for years on end.

The Virginia legislative session begins January 13th 2010. Watermen and fishermen raise hell year after year. Over the last three years they were appeased with a cap on tonnage. But thats about it. Reedsville screams about the 200 plus workers who will be without jobs but really its the humps in office who take the $$ under the derby in political tradeoffs from some other BS.
The RFA and CCF guys should be lauded and applauded. They wont stop just because it seems futile. Constant pressure and public scrutiny may change status quo. Its not like its going un-noticed any more.

CowHunter · 12-08-2009, 05:32 PM

I know I'm done, (For the 10th time).
Just wanted to post a link for the NJ Bonus tag program. New Jersey allocates its comercial catch to recreational fisherman. Each fish in NJ is sold out for $2.00 a fish, (Used to be a buck or so- I never got one). The COMMERCIAL or as rec guys would like to hear BONUS TAG Program quota is 321,750lbs.... That is twice what RI's commercial quota is and close to a third of mass com quota. Anyone can get one. The State gets all the $$$ and the tag system is abused. Guys rarely fill out the tag unless they see a warden. If heard Rec Guys refer to it as "The Gift that keeps on Giving". Stripersforever dont have a problem with this, are they even aware??

I'm just calling it how it is... How do you Hardcore rec Guys feel about this????

Mark My words, if Mass looses its com quota it WILL Be distributed to other states. Boys down south Cant wait!

CowHunter · 12-08-2009, 05:38 PM

NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife - Striped Bass Bonus Program

Slipknot · 12-08-2009, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CowHunter

I know I'm done, (For the 10th time).
Just wanted to post a link for the NJ Bonus tag program. New Jersey allocates its comercial catch to recreational fisherman. Each fish in NJ is sold out for $2.00 a fish, (Used to be a buck or so- I never got one). The COMMERCIAL or as rec guys would like to hear BONUS TAG Program quota is 321,750lbs.... That is twice what RI's commercial quota is and close to a third of mass com quota. Anyone can get one. The State gets all the $$$ and the tag system is abused. Guys rarely fill out the tag unless they see a warden. If heard Rec Guys refer to it as "The Gift that keeps on Giving". Stripersforever dont have a problem with this, are they even aware??

I'm just calling it how it is... How do you Hardcore rec Guys feel about this????

Mark My words, if Mass looses its com quota it WILL Be distributed to other states. Boys down south Cant wait!

I told you earlier how i felt about it and i hope it never happens like that here in Mass.

well put cowhunter
I guess I'll just continue doing my part by releasing all my 40 pounders and hope they survive the gauntlet so I can catch them again when they are 50's

MikeToole · 12-08-2009, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CowHunter

I know I'm done, (For the 10th time).
Just wanted to post a link for the NJ Bonus tag program. New Jersey allocates its comercial catch to recreational fisherman. Each fish in NJ is sold out for $2.00 a fish, (Used to be a buck or so- I never got one). The COMMERCIAL or as rec guys would like to hear BONUS TAG Program quota is 321,750lbs.... That is twice what RI's commercial quota is and close to a third of mass com quota. Anyone can get one. The State gets all the $$$ and the tag system is abused. Guys rarely fill out the tag unless they see a warden. If heard Rec Guys refer to it as "The Gift that keeps on Giving". Stripersforever dont have a problem with this, are they even aware??

Mark My words, if Mass looses its com quota it WILL Be distributed to other states. Boys down south Cant wait!

So for small money any joe blow can get a mass license and kill far more at less than $2.00 a fish. There are plenty of fish caught under the Mass license process that do not make it into the state quote numbers. This system is abused and the state gets the money. Different process, same results. How about the great results Maryland recently had with their commercial fisherman poaching problems. In that case they were actually real commercial fisherman. In mass the licenses mostly go to greedy recreational fisherman.

I can assure you that Stripers Forever are well aware of how NJ uses their quota. From the ones I've talked to they do not think this is any better then commercial fishing. Lets make demons out of a group that is actually working together to protect a resource. They may be on the extreme side but it is usually these groups that finally get action to occur.

I look at the fishery as something that should be maintained in the best interest of the public. For stripers you have a huge number of people fishing for them, which results in true social benefits. So it is in the best interest of the public to keep this fishery in a very health state. When you reach the point where you need to reduce the catch you should first reduce the catch being taken by the groups being given special benefits, over the general population. That is what the commercial quota is. What makes anyone think that they deserve the right to a public resource for personal finiancial gain over that of the rest of the public.

The Northeast cod fishery could produce at least three times as much fish as it presently does if we would just let it recover. But to prevent short term job loss we continue to waste a valuable resource by are in action.

CowHunter · 12-08-2009, 02:00 PM

Its a no win situation here, this board is so biased it isnt even funny. Ive been on here since 2000 and it really is waste of time to post here...Im done. Enjoy the Canal...

Slipknot · 12-08-2009, 02:05 PM

Its a no win situation here,

this board is so biased it isnt even funny.
Ken, maybe some members are but the board is NOT

calm down everyone please