CHATHAM, Mass. — March 12, 2014 — Commercial striped bass fishermen will have to make do with a lot less this year as state fishing regulations for the summer season cut in half the number of days they can go fishing and the number of fish they can catch each day. State fishery officials at public hearings said the move was needed to try to extend the season, improve fish prices paid to fishermen, and try to spread the catches to more ports.
In 1995, the striped bass season lasted 57 days before the annual quota was caught and fishing stopped. For the past two summers, its closed after just 16 days. That's due in part to a large aggregation of striped bass that has been gathering close to shore off Chatham in July, making it easy to catch as much as 60 percent of the quota in a short span of time.
While fishermen understood the need, and showed up by the hundreds at public hearings, many were disappointed by last week's vote by the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission, saying it cut deep into the profitability of the dedicated commercial striped bass fishermen.
"Our guys were fairly displeased by the 15-fish bag limit," said Darren Saletta, the executive director of the Massachusetts Commercial Striped Bass Association. At a public hearing in Plymouth a month ago, many commercial fishermen accepted the reduction in fishing days but argued for a daily limit close to the 30 fish allowed last year.
Saletta said the 15-fish limit, which would now be the total amount of fish allowed for the boat regardless of how many commercial fishermen with permits were onboard, meant that many would have to go fishing solo. For those who have to travel from an Upper or off-Cape port, the profits would likely go into fuel with just 15 fish.
Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times