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Despite claims of the fishery's overall health, it's hard to argue with a 31 percent decline.

November 8, 2009

What's one step that can help restore a fishery that has fallen off from its former abundance? Not catching more of the fish in other places could be a good place to start.

Indeed, that was the conclusion that the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission reached after Maine fishermen and state officials complained to them that a proposal to expand the allowable catch of striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay and elsewhere was a bad idea.

Even though scientists say that the population of stripers is adequate, it has declined from its recent peak in 2003. Maine anglers told the commissioners that despite conditions in mid-Atlantic waters, far fewer of the popular game fish were finding their way north to Maine's coastline.

So they petitioned the regulators to fish or cut bait on a petition by commercial fishing firms to allow them to carry over unused portions of their striper quotas from year to year.

While that might not mean much in any given year, it certainly would impact the fishery over multiple years, the Maine fishermen said.

Commissioners agreed, and by a 8-6 vote on Monday at their meeting in Newport, R.I., turned down the quota carryover request.

The striped bass fishery is very lucrative for Maine, and the anti-quota petition was backed not only by fishermen but by officials from the state's Department of Marine Resources. Despite assurances of the overall health of the stock, the Mainers pointed to a 31 percent drop in the state's saltwater fishery's catch in 2008 from the year before. Younger fish were notably absent from the population, they noted.

Chesapeake Bay is the prime spawning ground for stripers that migrate to Maine each summer, and the bay has been subject to bacterial infections that have affected the supply of younger fish.

While Maine doesn't permit commercial fishing for stripers, sport anglers spend $30 million to $35 million each year on the sport, making it very valuable for the state – and this decision a good one for it, too.