DELAWARE - Delaware anglers can expect new slot size requirements when fishing for rockfish this summer.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has announced a revised striped bass summer slot size regulation, reducing the limit from 20 to 25 inches to a new 20 to 24 inches. The revision, according to DNREC, ensures compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan.
DNREC says the new limit will be in effect from June 1st to August 31st and applies to the Delaware River and Bay and tidal tributaries.
The revision in Delaware comes as watermen in Maryland challenge the ASMFC’s rockfish regulations in the Chesapeake, which designate fish over 25 inches as breeders and reduced the limit of allowable retained fish.
The ASMFC’s regulation stems from Addendum II in their Management Plan, aimed to redue fishing mortality for striped bass and boost stock rebuilding. The addendum was approved last February, according to DNREC, continuing ASMFC’s 2023 emergency action to reduce rockfish removal by recreational activities by 15%.
The new slot size limit and other information on summer fishing in Delaware can be found on Delaware’s 2024 Delaware Fishing Guide.
