PRFC Striped Bass Management Status and Timeline

PRFC Striped Bass Management Status and Timeline

PRFC has fielded numerous questions on Striped Bass management. From clarifying current regulations to inquiries of what may be ahead given the discussion of the ASMFC benchmark stock assessment for the species. This post is intended to update PRFC’s current status and timeline of pertinent events going forward.

*Current Management Status (As of 4.11.19): Status quo from 2018. Spring recreational season April 20-May 15th, 1 fish/person/day, 35″ minimum size, no gaffing, no live eels, Rt. 301 bridge and downriver is open. Summer/Fall season May 16-December 31, 2019, 2 fish/person/day, 20″ minimum and only one of the two fish may be 28″ or larger. Commercial regulations status quo.

Timeline

April 20, 2019: PRFC’s Spring fishery for Striped bass opens (see above parameters)

April 30: ASMFC’s Striped Bass Management Board meets 10:15 AM-2:30 PM in Arlington, VA (Public is welcome to attend) to discuss the 2019 Striped Bass Benchmark Stock Assessment and accept the peer review for management purposes. The board will then presumably move forward with a discussion of potential management responses.

May 16: Summer/Fall recreational fishery regulations begin (see above)

May 22, 2019: PRFC’s Fin Fish Advisory Committee will meet at 6 PM to discuss the Benchmark Stock Assessment and provide feedback for PRFC’s full Commission.

June 7, 2019: PRFC’s full Commission meets for its quarterly business meeting. At this meeting, the Commission (Chairman Phil Langley (MD), Vice Chairman Ken Neill (VA), Secretary (Dave Blazer (MD), William “Billy” Rice (MD), Steven Bowman (VA), Robert “Bobby” Boarman (MD), Wayne France (VA), and Kyle Schick (VA)) will be briefed on the ASMFC deliberations on Striped Bass, and consider feedback from PRFC’s Fin Fish Advisory Committee and the public in attendance. They will provide feedback and guidance to staff for PRFC management positions on any relevant issues. *Note: The 8 appointed Commissioners are the decision making authority for the Potomac River Fisheries Commission.

August 6-8, 2019: ASMFC will continue deliberations related to potential changes to Striped Bass management at the Summer Meeting in Arlington, VA. Depending upon which process is chosen (addendum or amendment), this could involve finalization of a Public Information Document to go out to public hearing in September or ongoing discussions related to developing a more in depth amendment process.

Mid to Late August, 2019: PRFC’s Fin Fish Advisory Committee will meet (if necessary) to provide feedback for the full Commission at its September meeting.

September 6, 2019: PRFC’s full Commission meets for its quarterly business meeting, and will discuss the ongoing Striped Bass management deliberations and provide guidance to staff on how to proceed.

October 28-31, 2019: ASMFC meets for its Annual meeting in Portsmouth, NH. Discussions on Striped Bass will continue and could possibly involve a final action for an addendum for implementation in 2020, or could involve ongoing discussions related to development of a more comprehensive management response via an amendment.

December 6, 2019: PRFC’s full Commission meets for its quarterly business meeting, and will discuss the ongoing Striped Bass management deliberations and provide guidance to staff on how to proceed.

This is our best effort to update you on PRFC’s status on Striped Bass management. This is a highly dynamic discussion, and can and likely will change with each meeting listed. We will update you as changes occur, and we will also be sharing with you perspectives from media and stakeholders in other jurisdictions, as this discussion relates to the coastal community’s cooperative management through ASMFC and the inter jurisdictional fishery management process. Please note that these shared perspectives are not necessarily the position of the Potomac River Fisheries Commission.

If you have any questions, you can e mail Marty directly at: martingary.prfc@gmail.com