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On Thursday January 14th at 11 am, the MA Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources & Agriculture (ENRA) will conduct
public hearings to gather comments on two pieces of legislation regarding the management of Striped Bass. The Hearing will be held
in Room A-2 of the State House in Boston.
H-796 is sponsored by Rep. Matt Patrick (D-Falmouth) and is titled "An Act Relative to the Conservation of Atlantic Striped Bass".
This bill is also know as the "Stripers Forever" Bill. This bill proposes to ban all commercial fishing for Striped Bass, create a slot
limit for recreational harvest that includes allowing for the take of 20 inch or juvenile fish and force other management actions.
The members of the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association have unanimously voted to oppose this bill for many reasons,
the least of which is that fisheries management in MA is currently and should remain a process of rulemaking centered with the Division
of Marine Fisheries and The MA Marine Fisheries Commission and not directly through the MA Legislature. If the legislature is going to get
into fisheries management MSBA predicts there will be at least three bills (Environmental, Recreational and commercial) for every
controversial issue in fisheries management. If this is the new management process MSBA will work to introduce legislation concerning the
protection of River Herring and ending the needless dumping of millions of accidentally caught fish of all types by industrial sized vessels that
are destroying local commercial fishing traditions.
H-799 is sponsored by Rep. Sarah Peake of Provincetown and is a straightforward bill that would allow the harvest of Striped Bass by
the method known as spear fishing. This technique is currently allowed in other States including Rhode Island. MSBA has not taken a
position on this bill.
At this time MSBA urges all fishermen that are concerned with either of these issues to attend the hearing. MSBA political advisors
have informed our leadership that the Stripers Forever Bill has the possibility of passing. Fishermen opposed to ending commercial fishing
for Striped Bass must show up at the hearing and send a clear message of opposition as this may be their last opportunity to
be heard before the legislature takes a vote.
For questions or additional information on MSBA Gov't Affairs Positions please contact:
Capt. Patrick Paquette
MSBA Gov't Affairs Officer
781.771.8374
BasicPatrick@aol.com
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