Sustainable Preservation Limits for Striped Bass Fishing
Jan 11, 2018 22:19:15 GMT -5
Midwest Walleye likes this
Post by mwardncsu on Jan 11, 2018 22:19:15 GMT -5
While we are in the peak of winter & cold water temperatures on Smith Mountain Lake, the SMSC has its thoughts forward to the Summer and warm-water fishing. As has been discussed here before, striped bass have a low survival rate when release in water over the mid to upper 70's, and while anglers may believe they are helping the fishery by releasing their catch, they may in fact be doing more harm catching & releasing many fish on an outing, killing more than their limit.
The SMSC has recently adopted a position statement on "Sustainable Preservation Limits" led & drafted by member Bruce Brenholdt, unanimously approved by the SMSC Board of Directors and presented to the SMSC Membership, as well as being suported by the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries.
SUMMARY
There is an exceptionally high mortality rate for striped bass caught from & released back into warm water (65-85% die when water tempertures are in the upper 70's or higher). It may be possible to achieve an improvement in the rate of striped bass preservation, & to increase the number of 3+ year old striped bass surviving in SML to catch in future years, by decreasing the number of striped bass caught per person during the warm water months of June through October.
During each of the past 5 years, striped bass anglers have caught fewer & fewer stripers per “angler day fished” (a 5-year cumulative decline of 46.5%). SML anglers have seldom caught more than 2 striped bass per day per person (7% in 2016). Therefore, adopting a new warm water CATCH limit (total catch, inclusive of harvest and/or release) of 2 striped bass per person per day will impact relatively few anglers. Most importantly, better stewardship of the limited & fragile striped bass population in SML will help preserve & protect the opportunity for everyone to catch striped bass on Smith Mountain Lake in the future.
Enforcement of the new warm water catch limit will be voluntary through education, self-discipline & enlightened self-interest. This change should complement, not take the place of, other efforts to increase the striped bass population in SML, such as improving the first-year “recruitment” (i.e., survival rate) of striped bass fry.
NOTE: The Smith Mountain Striper Club’s full report on “Sustainable Preservation Limits” with detailed information and research on warm water mortality is available on the Striper Club’s website at: www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/conservation.html
The SMSC has recently adopted a position statement on "Sustainable Preservation Limits" led & drafted by member Bruce Brenholdt, unanimously approved by the SMSC Board of Directors and presented to the SMSC Membership, as well as being suported by the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries.
SUMMARY
There is an exceptionally high mortality rate for striped bass caught from & released back into warm water (65-85% die when water tempertures are in the upper 70's or higher). It may be possible to achieve an improvement in the rate of striped bass preservation, & to increase the number of 3+ year old striped bass surviving in SML to catch in future years, by decreasing the number of striped bass caught per person during the warm water months of June through October.
During each of the past 5 years, striped bass anglers have caught fewer & fewer stripers per “angler day fished” (a 5-year cumulative decline of 46.5%). SML anglers have seldom caught more than 2 striped bass per day per person (7% in 2016). Therefore, adopting a new warm water CATCH limit (total catch, inclusive of harvest and/or release) of 2 striped bass per person per day will impact relatively few anglers. Most importantly, better stewardship of the limited & fragile striped bass population in SML will help preserve & protect the opportunity for everyone to catch striped bass on Smith Mountain Lake in the future.
Enforcement of the new warm water catch limit will be voluntary through education, self-discipline & enlightened self-interest. This change should complement, not take the place of, other efforts to increase the striped bass population in SML, such as improving the first-year “recruitment” (i.e., survival rate) of striped bass fry.
NOTE: The Smith Mountain Striper Club’s full report on “Sustainable Preservation Limits” with detailed information and research on warm water mortality is available on the Striper Club’s website at: www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/conservation.html
) don't really matter in the big picture - the main concern being addressed with the position statement from the Club is the intentional catch & release of quantites of striper above an individual's limit.