UPDATE: The ASMFC Striped Bass Board voted to make no changes in restrictions and regulations for 2025, taking a wait-and-see approach. That doesn't mean individual states can't make more restrictive modifications if they so choose, but they will not be forced to do so for this season.
The saga of striped bass regulations and potential changes continues for the 2025 season. Thanks to yet another dismal Young of Year survey in both Maryland and Virginia portions of the Chesapeake Bay, along with the fact that the 2018 year class (the last decent striper spawn) will be entering the ocean slot size soon, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Striped Bass Management Board will meet to discuss new 2025 management measures. In other words, there’s a very good chance of tightening regulations regarding rockfish, which are already the tightest we’ve seen in decades.
This meeting is scheduled for December 16, and the updated projections and management considerations have just been released. Comment on the possible actions is open for less than a week for you anglers to provide your input.
How to Comment on Striped Bass Regulations for 2025
There are a number of options on the table, ranging from shorter seasons to different slots (or a combination of both), with a great deal of variation between Chesapeake Bay and coastal measures. There are also variations between equitable and inequitable reductions between commercial and recreational sectors. To get a look at what the scientists and regulators are considering, see the ASMFC December 2024 Striped Bass Board Materials PDF. Be forewarned, this is an extremely long document. The first chunk includes minutes from the October meeting, but on the 74th page you’ll find the beginning of the current memo including conclusions, updated projections, and different potential reductions via different possible management actions.
General comments can be made by any member of the public from any state by emailing [email protected] by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday December 10. In their latest press release on public comment the ASMFC did not specify a subject line to include, but “December 16 Striped Bass Meeting Comment” should certainly get the message across.
The Maryland DNR has created an online questionnaire specific to the state to be used by the Maryland representatives to the Board. Maryland anglers can give their state-specific comments (note that these will only be reviewed by state reps, not the full ASMFC board, so commenting to both is a good idea) at the 2025 Striped Bass Management Questionnaire. Submissions to this questionnaire must be entered by December 12 to be reviewed.
What FishTalk Recommends for Rockfish Anglers
We want to be as helpful as we can to Mid-Atlantic anglers, but in this case (same as for the 2024 measures) we won’t be recommending any one specific option beyond noting that we support equitable reductions between all recreational anglers and the commercial sector. In truth, all of the options on the table stink. The sad reality is that until we have a successful spawn we simply don’t have the baby rockfish we need for future fisheries in the pipeline. The measures taken to date have been painful for us anglers, and as far as rockfish go, there’s clearly more pain coming in the future. We don’t like any of these harvest reductions—we don’t like them at all—but as long as they’re deemed necessary by the scientists and the Board we don’t have any other choice. So, while hoping that all anglers will make their voices heard, we also ask you to comment as you see fit and support whichever form of reduction you personally find least painful.
