ST. MICHAELS, Md. - A serious situation for rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay.
It seems the environment is causing big problems for the Chesapeake Bay. The Department of Natural Resources just released their survey for juvenile striped bass otherwise known as rockfish, otherwise known as rockfish. The population numbers are well below average.
DNR reported, "The 2023 young-of-year index is 1.0, well below the long-term average of 11.1."
According to DNR, unusually warm winters and spring seasons over the past few years have hurt reproduction for the rockfish. DNR is partnering with The Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission and they are already in the process of looking at more regulations. They say they can't control the weather, but they can manage regulations.
Mike Luisi the assistant director with DNR's fishing and boating services says, "We've had a number of poor year classes now in row. Unless something changes environmentally and the conditions are changed for this coming winter it's just going to continue."
And regarding possible new regulations, Luisi says, "Right now in Maryland we have a 31 inch maximum size limit in place, recreationally. All of the options in the current addendum are smaller than that." Luisi went on to say that if regulations were to change, the maximum size limit would be 23 to 26 inches.
DNR is also looking at reducing fish mortality. Luisi explained that more regulations could be placed regarding 'catch and release' for recreational anglers. He says they're trying to reduce the number of large fish that die from being caught.
But commercial rockfish fisherman John Motovidlak says there is no need to panic.
Motovidlak says fishing has been great. "Well, this morning we left at 6:30. At 9:00, we had caught our limit of 12 fish and probably threw 20 undersized fish back. We saw plenty of small fish."
Motovidlak says regulations are not the way to go. He says, "What else can they take away from us but days? Which is really gonna hurt us financially. Like I said, there is not a whole lot they can do. I think they're panicking." He explained that more energy and money should be put towards the natural causes of a the low population like dealing with the blue catfish population.
These regulations are only a possibility at this point. A public discussion with DNR and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will be held Oct. 18. No decisions will be made until January 2024.
Click here to stream the ASMFC Oct. 18 meeting.
