DNREC Bans Gaffs for Handling Recreationally-Caught Striped Bass to Comply With ASMFC Management Plan

Striped bass caught by recreational anglers in Delaware waters can no longer be handled with a gaff according to a new fishing regulation from DNREC that brings the state into compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission management plan for species’ recovery from overfishing. /DNREC graphic: Duane Raver

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced that the use of a gaff to handle any striped bass caught by recreational anglers is prohibited, effective immediately, to ensure Delaware’s compliance with the Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Amendment 7 to the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP).

The FMP cited the ban on gaff use as one of a suite of required management measures intended to reduce the mortality of recreationally-caught striped bass. Recent ASMFC striped bass population assessments have shown that recreational release mortality is currently the largest source of mortality for the overfished striped bass population. The ASMFC’s gaff ban is seen as aiding the recovery of striper stocks by helping reduce recreational release mortality of fish that could go on to spawn after they were caught and released by anglers.

Delaware’s gaff prohibition regulation can be found on the DNREC regulatory orders webpage. For more information, anglers may call the DNREC Fisheries Section at 739-9914.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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DNREC Revises Recreational Striped Bass Size Limit After Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Emergency Action

DNREC has revised the recreational striped bass size limit for Delaware to comply with emergency conservation action taken by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. /DNREC graphic Duane Raver Jr.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced that Delaware’s recreational striped bass size limit regulation has been revised effective May 21 to ensure compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) emergency action taken earlier this month. The revision changes the recreational striped bass size limit from a slot of 28 to 35 inches to a smaller 28-to-31-inch slot.

Slot limits are increasingly used in fisheries management for conservation of species on the rebound from diminished stocks. The rationale behind a slot limit is that it will protect fish too small to have spawned and reproduced – as are most striped bass smaller than 28 inches in length – while allowing larger fish of the species above the slot limit, most of them fecund females, to continue to reproduce.

The ASMFC took the emergency action in response to the unprecedented magnitude of 2022 recreational striper harvest (3,482,819 fish), which nearly doubled that of 2021 (1,858,386 fish). In weighing the 2022 recreational harvest alongside ASMFC’s new stock rebuilding projections, the estimated probability of striper spawning stock rebuilding to a 2029 target dropped from 97% under the lower 2021 recreational fishing mortality rate to less than 15% if the 2022 mortality rate were to continue each year.

The emergency 31-inch maximum size limit slot for 2023 is expected to reduce harvest of the strong 2015-year striped bass class, which will enable the opportunity for more fish from the exceptional 2015 class to spawn. There is no change through the ASMFC’s emergency action or DNREC’s regulatory revision to Delaware’s one-striped bass possession limit or to the recreational striper season, which is open year-round.

In addition, the ASMFC emergency action does not affect Delaware’s summer striped bass slot season – which allows anglers fishing Delaware River, Delaware Bay, and the tidal tributaries of the river and bay to possess one striped bass 20 to 25 inches long daily from July 1 through Aug. 31.

The new size limit can be found in the online version of the 2023 Delaware Fishing Guide. For more information about the revised regulation, anglers can call the DNREC Fisheries Section at 739-9914.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to Hold Public Hearing In Delaware Dec. 15 on Striped Bass Management Plan

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a public hearing Dec. 15 in Delaware relating to the Atlantic Striped Bass Interstate Fishery Management Plan /DNREC graphic: Duane Raver

Proposal Would Enable Transfer of Commercial Ocean Harvest Quota Between States

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) will hold a public hearing in hybrid format – to include a Delaware in-person venue – from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15 to gather public input on Draft Addendum I to Amendment 7 to the Atlantic Striped Bass Interstate Fishery Management Plan, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today.

Draft Addendum I proposes a range of options for the voluntary transfer of unused striped bass ocean commercial harvest quota between ASMFC member states to include Delaware. The draft addendum also considers quota transfer options based on striped bass stock status and the ASMFC establishing future quota transfer criteria.

The ASMFC’s hybrid hearing format will allow the public to participate in-person or remotely. The in-person meeting will be held at the Kent County Conservation District, 1679 S. DuPont Hwy., Dover 19901. More information on the hearing, including instructions for attending remotely and for commenting on Draft Addendum I, can be found on the Delaware Public Meeting Calendar.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 65,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to Hold Virtual Delaware Public Hearing on Striped Bass Management Plan

The Atlantic Striped Bass Fisheries Management Plan is the topic of March 10 virtual public hearing for Delaware by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Graphic credit: Duane Raver for DNREC.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) will hold a virtual public hearing for Delaware regarding Draft Amendment 7 to the Atlantic Striped Bass management plan on Thursday, March 10 from 6-8 p.m., the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Atlantic coastal states from Maine through Virginia have scheduled hearings to gather public input on the proposed changes to striped bass management through the draft amendment.

Draft Amendment 7 proposes options to address the following issues: management triggers – population indicators that require the ASMFC to take management action, recreational release mortality, stock rebuilding plan and conservation equivalency, which allows states to develop their own measures that equal measures required by the ASMFC’s fisheries management plan. These issues were identified during the public scoping process for Amendment 7 as important to helping rebuild the Atlantic striped bass stock and updating the management program.

To register for the virtual public hearing and for more information about providing input during the hearing, visit the ASMFC website.

The commission will also post a recording of the hearing presentation on the ASMFC’s YouTube page so that stakeholders may watch the presentation and submit comment at any time during the comment period, which runs until11:59 p.m. EDT April 15, 2022. The recording of the presentation will be available prior to the hearing.

Draft Amendment 7 is available on the the ASMFC website. Public comments should be sent to Emilie Franke, FMP Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Virginia 22201; faxed to 703-842-0741, or emailed to comments@asmfc.org (with “Draft Amendment 7” in the subject line).

Any Delaware interest group planning to release an action alert during the comment period in response to Draft Amendment 7 is asked to email Emilie Franke at efranke@asmfc.org, or call 703-842-0740 for guidance on how best to organize and summarize incoming comments for ASMFC Board review.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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