Contact:
Cheri Patterson (NHFG): (603) 868-1095
Emilie Franke (ASMFC): (703) 842-0740
November 22, 2024

Concord, NH – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASFMC) will hold a special Striped Bass Management Board meeting in response to the 2024 Striped Bass Stock Assessment. In preparation for the board meeting, the ASMFC will hold a public informational webinar to review the management options developed by the Technical Committee informed by the updated stock assessment to increase the probability of rebuilding the fishery by the 2029 deadline. The webinar will be at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2024. The hybrid Board meeting will be held on December 16, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Arlington, VA and through webinar.

Per the ASMFC press release, the Board is responding to the results of the 2024 Stock Assessment Update, which indicates that the resource remains overfished but is not experiencing overfishing. However, the probability of rebuilding by 2029 is less than 50%, because the short-term projections estimate an increase in fishing mortality in 2025 due to the above average 2018 year-class entering the current recreational ocean slot limit combined with the lack of strong year-classes behind it. Under Addendum II to Amendment 7, the Board can change management measures through Board action, instead of developing an addendum, if the stock assessment indicates a less than 50% probability of the stock rebuilding by 2029. As a result, the Board will meet December 16 to consider changing 2025 management measures to reduce fishing mortality and increase the probability of rebuilding to at least 50% by 2029.

Those wishing to join the public informational webinars can register by visiting https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3243414609517348697 (Webinar ID 263-766-419). You may also call in by phone instead: 1 (562) 247-8422, access code 195-793-780. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN. There will not be an opportunity for public comment during the webinar, however stakeholders are encouraged to provide input on striped bass through written comment. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, and should be emailed to comments@asmfc.org.

Also, the Coastal Conservation Association of New Hampshire will hold a hybrid meeting on December 12, 2024, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road, Portsmouth, and via Zoom, to provide input to the New Hampshire ASMFC Striped Bass Management Board members ahead of the Board meeting. Please note this is after the informational meeting and public comment period. You can find additional information by visiting https://ccanh.org/striped-bass-emergency-action-planning-new-hampshire/.

The NH Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the state’s fish, wildlife, and marine resources and their habitats. Learn more about the NH Fish and Game Marine Division by visiting www.wildnh.com/marine.