Striped Bass Closures in Nov and Dec

[Lido-Gambler]

How may others have commented? My comments are succinct and to the point.

1)These proposals are another measure intended to hurt the recreational anglers and the"for hire" sector which is perceived to wantonly just kill stripers. Further restrictions would greatly harm shore economies. Example- Striped Bass Fishing makes up 25-35 percent of our business and drives tourism post summer.

2)Be proactive not reactive-look to fix the spawning issue in the Chesapeake and not base decisions on harvest estimates like MRIP or sporadic state trawl surveys.

3) It was reported by ASMFC that seasonal closures are not supported by NOAA or State Agencies as they are too hard to enforce, why even propose them?

4) Bass are migrating further offshore due to Ocean Temperatures and Geography. The New York Bight and New Jersey Coast sees larger numbers bait and hence larger numbers of striped bass. Others states are driven to push this overly restrictive agenda as a result of poor fishing in thier region.

Capt. Chris Lido
FV Gambler
Point Pleasant Beach NJ