New York Striped Bass Cooperative Angler Programs

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striped bas
Striped Bass

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is looking for participants to join DEC’s Striped Bass Cooperative Angler Programs to help biologists understand and maintain a healthy striped bass population.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) requires New York State to provide catch information from its recreational fishery to manage this species.

Volunteer anglers play a crucial role in helping DEC satisfy this requirement, and all anglers who fish for striped bass are invited to participate.

DEC provides volunteer anglers with logbooks and instructions to record catch information such as fishing location, gear used, and number of fish caught.

Anglers may participate whether fishing by boat or from the shore. Volunteers return their logbooks at the end of the season.

Biologists analyze the recreational fishery data and send it to anglers in a newsletter, providing an inside look into the striped bass fishing season. Participants also receive the latest news and information about regulations and annual fish population surveys.

This year, anglers may choose to use DEC’s new online logbook and record catch information on their smartphone or computer.

Anglers who fish for striped bass north of the George Washington Bridge in the tidal Hudson River, should visit DEC’s Hudson River Striped Bass website to learn more about the Hudson River Cooperative Angler Program.

Anglers who fish for striped bass in New York’s marine waters south of the George Washington Bridge, should contact the Diadromous Fish Unit at sbcaprogram@dec.ny.gov or visit DEC’s Striped Bass Cooperative Angler website.

2020 New York Striped Bass Recreational Regulation Changes

Striped bass anglers should be aware that ASMFC approved Addendum VI to Amendment 6 (PDF) of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Striped Bass to address the finding that the striped bass resource is overfished and experiencing overfishing.

The Addendum implements a default bag limit of one fish and a 28-35″ recreational slot limit for ocean fisheries, but allows for conservation equivalency by the states and also for inland waters like the Hudson River.

The Addendum also requires the mandatory use of circle hooks when fishing with bait starting January 1, 2021. DEC is currently working with neighboring states to implement measures that are as consistent as possible. Final regulations are expected to be adopted prior to the 2020 fishing season.

source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

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