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NH meeting on new striper regulation 11/13/2014 at Urban Forestry Center

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MichaelT

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Here is your chance to give input on the new NH striper regulations.

 

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department will hold a public hearing on proposed marine rules on November 6, 2014, at 7 p.m. at the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road in Portsmouth, N.H. The hearing is an opportunity to provide public comment on proposed changes to recreational bag and/or size limits for striped bass. These changes are being proposed to comply with measures in Addendum IV to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass.

 

Written comments on the new rules may be submitted by November 13, 2014. E-mail to comments@wildlife.nh.gov (please put "Comment on Marine Rules" in subject line); fax to (603) 271-1438; or mail to Executive Director, N.H. Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301.

 

Questions about Addendum IV and the ASMFC meeting should be referred to Mike Waine, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at mwaine@asmfc.org.

 

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Striped Bass Board is scheduled to take final action on Addendum IV at a meeting beginning at 10:15 AM on October 29, 2014, at the Mystic Hilton, 20 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, Connecticut. The Draft Addendum proposes new fishing mortality (F) reference points, as recommended by the 2013 benchmark stock assessment, and associated management measures to reduce F to a level at or below the proposed target within one or three years. It responds to results of the 2013 Atlantic striped bass benchmark assessment indicating F in 2012 was above the proposed F target, and female spawning stock biomass (SSB) has been steadily declining below the target since 2006. This means even though the stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring, SSB is approaching its overfished threshold and stock projections show SSB will likely fall below the threshold in the coming years. In addition, a similar decline has been observed in

total harvest. In response to these factors, the Draft Addendum proposes changes in recreational bag and size limits and reductions in commercial quotas to reduce fishing mortality to the target level.

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At the ASMFC meeting yesterday they passed having a 25% reduction. Many are reporting this as one fish minimum of 28" but that is not correct. The states can use any option that meets the 25% reduction. From the original Add IV there was multiple options to get to 25% which are listed below. Any of these options will be easy for a state to implement because the technical committee has already agreed that they would meet the 25% reduction. That does not mean a state can not come up with another option, but they would need for the technical committee to agree. At the November meeting shown above NH will be deciding which option they will go with. If you want a say please attend the meeting. The end of each option is the reduction percentage the technical committee expects to get if that option is selected.

 

1 at > 28” >31% reduction

1 at > 30” > 31% reduction

1 at >32” > 31% reduction

1 at 28-40” slot > 31% reduction

2 at >33” > 29% reduction

2 at 28-34” slot > 28% reduction

2 at (1 slot, 1 trophy) 1 fish 28-34” slot 1 fish 36” min >28% reduction

2 at (1 slot, 1 trophy) 1 fish 28-36” slot 1 fish 38” min >26% reduction

2 at (1 slot, 1 trophy) 1 fish 28-37” slot 1 fish 40” min >26% reduction

 

Note: the meeting is on Nov 6, written comments are due by Nov 13.

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The reduction numbers came directly from the Add. IV document. Since they are listed as greater than 31% I would guess one at 32 would just be much greater than one at 28.

 

At the NH meeting it was noted that if you let a striper reach 28" there is a good chance at least 50% will have spawned once. If you let them reach 32" many will have spawned twice. So that is the main advantage of the one at 32. While big fish lay more eggs it needs to be remembered that there are many more smaller fish spawning.

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Anyone heard about a similar meeting for ME yet?

 

 

I've got unofficial word that meetings won't be held until early December.

 

If anyone hears the official date for maine please post it i would like to attend.

Many men fish all their lives without ever realizing that it is not the fish they are after, If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles

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At the meeting last night NH plans on going with the 1 fish 28" or greater. One of the reasons for this is NH is hoping that Maine and Mass will also go with 1 at 28" so that the three states are the same. There was very little discussion at the meeting and only a few people turned out.

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At the meeting last night NH plans on going with the 1 fish 28" or greater. One of the reasons for this is NH is hoping that Maine and Mass will also go with 1 at 28" so that the three states are the same. There was very little discussion at the meeting and only a few people turned out.

That's too bad it didn't get a good showing, and yes I'm with T.... If anyone hears of one in Maine please post!

GOD made my Mold different from the rest, Then he broke that mold so I know I'm Blessed.
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Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelT View Post

At the meeting last night NH plans on going with the 1 fish 28" or greater. One of the reasons for this is NH is hoping that Maine and Mass will also go with 1 at 28" so that the three states are the same. There was very little discussion at the meeting and only a few people turned out.


Hope springs eternal...


At the initial Maine meeting, it was made very clear that Maine would explore a conservation equivalency, although they've yet to put forward any draft proposals.  I'm surprised that NH seems oblivious to this.  When the Maine meeting date is announced I'll post it.


This is conjecture, but states with large "six pack" charter businesses like NY & MA will put pressure to get some sort of conservation equivalencies that will let them keep 2 fish per angler per day. The captains have been screaming "bankruptcy" since the ASMFC October meeting.


Shall I go to heaven or a-fishing? - H. D. Thoreau

 

Veni.  Vidi.  Cepi. - with apologies to Gaius Julius Caesar

 

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In the end I think the only reduction from the coming changes will be from the commercial end. Since their harvest numbers will be reduced it will be easier to track. At the state meetings and during the ASMFC meeting there was a lot of talk about protecting the 2011 young of the year class. One at 28 protects them for about another year. So it doesn't do much for the 2011 class. I would say that from NJ South they will be going with the 2 at (1 slot, 1 trophy) 1 fish 28-34” slot 1 fish 36” min. Which will result in very little reduction, especially for the charters. In the Northeast including NY much of the input to ASMFC from the charter boats was to go with one fish. So there is some hope for them sticking to the one fish limit.

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  • 2 weeks later...

NY had a meeting yesterday and as predicted, Charter & Party Boat Captains want a second fish, while Coms asked for a 28-40" slot. NY DEC is putting together some equivalency proposals for Dec/Jan meetings that may address these.  NY, non-Hudson River season is closed Dec 16 - Apr 14 so they have time.  


Some one commented that MA, RI & NJ were also pushing for a second fish option.


As Yogi observed, "it ain't over till it's over!"


Shall I go to heaven or a-fishing? - H. D. Thoreau

 

Veni.  Vidi.  Cepi. - with apologies to Gaius Julius Caesar

 

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Before you get your shorts in a knot mumichog, current NY Commercial Slot is 24-36" and each fisherman receives a set number of tags.  They expect the number of tags allocated next year to be reduced.


Shall I go to heaven or a-fishing? - H. D. Thoreau

 

Veni.  Vidi.  Cepi. - with apologies to Gaius Julius Caesar

 

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Thanks for the details.  But when it comes to comms and stripers I'll take my shorts in a knot every time.  They and the head boats are behind the attempt at 3 year implementation of the newest regs ( an idea law enforcement, among others, strongly opposed), behind the one year delay that preceded this action to reduced take and they would have jumped for joy had the the whole cut back been throw over the transom as unnecessary.  


Recs kill way too many fish.  In case anyone thinks I forgot or am ignorant of the fact.


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