Quote:
Originally Posted by sternline
So you think the big bad government set up the EEZ ban on stripers to make money? It was we recreational anglers and other conservationists who fought for this to save striped bass from virtual extinction. Read Dick Russell's great book STRIPER WARS to learn the true history of this great victory for recreational anglers and for the marine environment. Every time I catch a striper, I'm grateful for this victory that allows the bass to thrive in the EEZ. And I'm grateful to all of us in New Jersey who fought for the ban on commercial fishing for stripers in our waters.
Learn this history and don't forget it. Otherwise you may end up wondering what ever happened to all those stripers we were catching back in the first decades of the 21st century.
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Just an FYI - I'm fully aware of the conservation efforts that were undertaken 20+ years ago to save OUR striped bass and I'm also fully aware of why the regulations within the EEZ were implemented. I was born in the mid 70's and didn't see a striper until the early 90's -
I DO KNOW WHAT WAS DONE TO SAVE STRIPED BASS from extinction ---
Please don't insult my intelligence 
If you re-read my post, I have no problem with conservation efforts to save these fish and I applaud the "victory" conservationists have created for all saltwater anglers who target striped bass. That has NOTHING to do with the EEZ.
I am also not complaining about
regulations per se, my complaint is with enforcement of a ridiculous law that is still in place and should be lifted. This law was NOT enforced for over 20 years of it's implementation, now suddenly the USCG has decided to actively pursue any vagrant past the 3 mile line that MAY have a striper on board. Come on man. This is over-regulation and if this "law" was so vital to the survival of striped bass, why didn't the USCG and F&W enforce it in the early 90's till say, 2010? The EEZ was created to protect bass from COMMERCIAL fishermen(as
YOU said in your thread above), and the intent was to ALLOW recreational anglers to catch stripers and keep their 2 fish.
Prior to the moratorium, yes these fish were virtually extinct, and yes, it took a great deal of effort to restore the stocks to where they have been, but let's not make my comments into something they are not.
And FYI #2 - Dick Russell is a great author, and Striper Wars is a great book and really does touch on some of the bigger issues that have surrounded conservation of striped bass in the last 30 years --
I've read it three times, cover to cover Feel free to continue to "educate" folks like me bud
