For Many, Striped Bass Fishing Is a Way of Life. But the Iconic Species Could Face Collapse – WTOP News
Scientists blame poor spawning and warming waters as regulators consider tighter limits or a moratorium to protect a fishery that supports 100,000 jobs.
- Regulators reported last week that striped bass populations have declined along the Atlantic coast after eight consecutive years of poor reproduction in the Chesapeake Bay, threatening an industry worth $8 billion and supporting 100,000 jobs.
- With up to 90% of stripers spawning in the Chesapeake Bay, Chris Batsavage, chair of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's striped bass management board, said low precipitation and warming waters result in weak year classes. "It seems like its environmentally driven," Batsavage said.
- Fishing guide Bill Wetzel said "I havent seen a blitz in four years," referring to chaotic feeding frenzies once common in Montauk. Author John Skinner, who has fished for over 55 years, reports once-reliable spots have completely dried up.
- Warning that striped bass "is going to go off a cliff" by 2029 or 2030, Patrick Paquette, government affairs coordinator for the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association, said drastic action is needed. Some anglers argue a fishing moratorium is the only way to prevent collapse.
- Jason Markowitz, former president of the Montauk Surfcasters Association, described current scarcity as "last of the buffalo." As Montauk transforms, anglers struggle to preserve a generations-old tradition amid the loss of these high-level predators.
30 Articles
30 Articles
Fishermen cast for striped bass as the species faces decline, in photos
MONTAUK, N.Y. (AP) — Fishermen along the Atlantic coast cast for striped bass, a prized sport fish whose population has declined after years of overfishing and poor reproduction. Climate change and shifting environmental conditions may be adding to the pressures…
Generations of anglers have made the pilgrimage to Montauk to catch st
MONTAUK, N.Y. (AP) — On most October nights, fishing guide Bill Wetzel can be found navigating the shores of Montauk, New York, in a modified 4×4 pickup truck, rumbling over boulders and thick sand as he scans
The Toronto Star
For many, striped bass fishing is a way of life. But the iconic species could face collapse
MONTAUK, N.Y. (AP) — Striped bass fishing has been Bill Jakob's passion for more than 60 years, and he remembers an era when he'd spend all night casting his line into the crashing waves off Montauk and get eight or…
For many, striped bass fishing is a way of life. But the iconic species could face collapse – WTOP News
MONTAUK, N.Y. (AP) — Striped bass fishing has been Bill Jakob’s passion for more than 60 years, and he remembers an era when he’d spend all night casting his line into the crashing waves off Montauk and get eight or nine fish ranging up to 40 pounds (18 kilograms), a big catch by anyone’s standards....
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