Striper population in trouble

[sternline]

Here's a disturbing article by Dick Russell (author of STRIPER WARS, the great book about how we saved the stripers):

http://mvgazette.com/news/2013/10/31...98f3978bba&r=1

[Joey Dah Fish]

Thanks for the info!!! I personally practice catch and release on these fish. A beautiful fish, fun to catch and I want my grandchildren to have a chance to do the same.

[Leif]

“There is one solution . . . Stop killing the breeders,” longtime fisherman and conservationist Lou Taborey wrote recently. “Both recreational and commercial fishermen target larger fish because regulations require that practice. A slot limit similar to what the state of Florida has for most of its game fish would stop the killing of females.” Taborey points out that a one-fish-a-day, 22-to-26-inch slot limit would be ideal. If stripers from 28 to 48 inches were protected, that would mean at least eight to 10 years of freedom to spawn.

[Fishguts]

I sure hope this is not true. There is nothing better than fresh fried striper roe in the spring time. All you have to to is hang near the cleaning tables when the bunker schools are around and guys will be happy to give away giant piles off fresh roe from all the many cows they are cleaning.

[dfish28]

Yup, the gas alone I could save if I could just keep a river rat if we were allowed 2 at 18-24 inches-ideal table fare would be great, I only keep four a year to eat / smoke. Eels are better.

[kmaty]

Keep killing everything and you'll have nothing in yrs to come i do my own part as catch and release is most common kept 4 i think this yr out of god knowd how many best yr ive ever had and will be super hard to beat. This yr will be written down in a memory book eventually for me! I am guna be more involved eventually to help out more but i hope my grand kids can put a few striper trips in their books

[AndyS]

I won't kill any bass in the spring, and only take a few in the fall.

[fishcounter]

The latest estimate I could find estimated the total population at 56 million fish. That is all ages. Harvest around 3.6 million per year or 7% annually.

That is a lot of bass. Hard to believe rod and reel fisherman can really dent the population. Seems like commercial fisherman have to be taking the most.

Not saying releasing big cows doesn't make a lot of sense, but there are a lot of fish out there.

[NoLimit]

That's right
The ocean and bays we fish are huge
The few fish we kill is a drop in the bucket

[Capt Sal]

The bass 3 miles out are protected.The bunker need protecting.They are the main fish in the food chain.No matter what the recs will take the blame as usual!