Atlantic State anglers are potentially facing additional seasonal closures on the striped bass fishery for 2026. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) is considering applying new restrictions on striped bass for 2026, including a proposal for a 12% reduction of the recreational sector. This reduction would require additional seasonal closures to achieve this number. These closures even include a “no targeting” closure that would prohibit catch-and-release fishing for striped bass during the specified closures. This push for new restrictions by the ASMFC is due to short-term swings in the recreational catch estimates from the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), a survey that NOAA Fisheries has already acknowledged to overestimate fishing efforts due to design flaws. For anglers who are curious about what the short-term swing value was to prompt the 12% proposed reduction of the recreational season, it was based on a difference of 0.01 in fish mortality.
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Now with strict recreational fishery management already in place using a narrow slot limit, fishing-related mortality in striped bass has dropped to a 30-year low. This is well below the goal and threshold needed for rebuilding the striped bass fishery. So, additional seasonal closures are not needed and are pointless. The ASMFC is offering a Lose-Lose choice to anglers: either accept the closures that completely ban striped bass fishing or put the burden on anglers who want to legally and ethically harvest fish. Both of these choices suck and are based on unreliable data. So please tell the ASMFC to reject the new closures and maintain the current management system that works Here. Comments are needed before October 3rd.
Writer for AllOutdoor.com and OutdoorHub.com Lifelong angler that will fish for anything that swim, firearms enthusiast, and hunter. Instagram – mrfish49
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