Citing a low probability of achieving the goal of rebuilding striped bass stocks by 2029, the Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (ASBMB) aims to reduce fishery removals by 12 percent in 2026, through commercial cuts and recreational season closures.
According to the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the 2024 Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) catch data estimates were adjusted up from preliminary estimates, “demonstrating continued uncertainty in recreational catch data used for management.” The federal MRIP data collection program for recreational fishing has come under fire repeatedly over the years for uncertainty in several fisheries for numerous species.
Continued Poor Striped Bass Reproduction
The problem with Atlantic striped bass remains the same as it has been for years. According to young-of-the-year surveys conducted by state agencies in Maryland, Virginia and New York, there hasn’t been a strong season for survival of juvenile striped bass since 2018. These surveys track the spawning success of the population by tracking the egress of young stripers from estuaries. Consecutive years of poor reproductive success have been blamed on warm winter conditions hampering the survival of larval striped bass, which are sensitive to water conditions.
Poor reproduction leads to a top-heavy population. Northeastern anglers are seeing good fishing for large stripers, but the younger fish needed to rebuild the stock are not as present. According to an ASBMB press release, the most recent stock projections estimate an increase in fishing mortality in 2025 due to the strong 2018 year-class entering the current recreational ocean slot limit. The current limit is one fish per day in a 28- to 31-inch slot.
Following a public comment period and review, final action will be considered at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) meeting in October.
Read the full ASMFC press release below.
Striped Bass Board Approves Addendum III for Public Comment
Draft Addendum Considers Further Fishery Reductions
Arlington, VA – The Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board approved for public comment Draft Addendum III to Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Striped Bass. The Draft Addendum considers management measures to support rebuilding the stock by 2029. The Draft Addendum will also address requirements for commercial tagging programs, a coast-wide definition of total length for size limit regulations, and changes to the Maryland recreational season baseline.
The Board initiated the Draft Addendum in response to stock projections indicating a low probability of meeting the 2029 stock rebuilding deadline. The most recent stock projections estimate an increase in fishing mortality in 2025 due to the above average 2018 year-class entering the current recreational ocean slot limit. There is also concern about the lack of strong year-classes behind the 2018 year-class.
This proposed action is intended to increase the probability of rebuilding the stock by reducing fishery removals by 12% with management measures implemented in 2026.
For the commercial fishery, the Draft Addendum proposes a commercial quota reduction. For the recreational fishery, the Draft Addendum considers season closures and/or size limit changes. For Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay recreational fishery, the Draft Addendum also proposes changing the recreational baseline season to simplify Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay regulations, which could improve compliance and enforcement, and to re-align fishing access based on stakeholder input and release mortality rates.
For commercial tagging, the FMP currently allows states to choose whether to tag commercially harvested fish at the point of harvest or point of sale. To address concerns that waiting to tag harvested fish until the point of sale could increase the risk of illegal harvest, the Draft Addendum considers requiring commercial tagging at the point of harvest or first point of landing intended to improve enforcement and compliance.
There is also concern that inconsistent methods of measuring the total length of striped bass for compliance with size limits undermines the intended conservation, consistency, and enforceability of the coastwide size limits. To address this, the Draft Addendum considers coastwide requirements for defining total length for both sectors. The Draft Addendum will be posted to the website in late August at https://asmfc.org/actions/atlantic-striped-bass-draft-addendum-iii-2026-measures-to-supportrebuilding/
A subsequent press release will provide the details on the public hearing schedule and how to submit written comments. The Board will meet to review submitted comments and consider final action on the addendum in October 2025 at the Commission’s Annual Meeting in Dewey Beach, DE.
