CAMBRIDGE, Md. – A new bill in Annapolis that could change how striped bass fishing rules are set in Maryland is drawing strong reactions from both the seafood industry and conservation groups.
Supporters say the proposal would require economic studies before certain regulations take effect, while opponents warn it could weaken protections for the Chesapeake Bay’s most iconic fish.
Robert Newberry with the Delmarva Fisheries Association traveled to Annapolis Tuesday to advocate for Senate Bill 755. He says many fishing communities feel recent regulations have hurt their livelihoods.
“We have said that this adversely affects our industry, but there's been no economic study done,” Newberry said. “You know, all we get is from DNR. Well, you know, some of the guys are going to get hurt, not some — everybody's hurt.”
The bill would change how some striped bass regulations are implemented by limiting certain authority of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and requiring additional economic review before new rules are finalized.
For local seafood businesses, the issue hits close to home.
Mason Little, who owns Choptank River Crab & Oyster in Cambridge, says he understands both sides of the debate.
“I kind of see it from both perspectives because, you know, we want to make sure that striped bass are around,” Little said. “And in Maryland, you know, for our children and grandchildren to see, but we also can't be, you know, a little too strict to where the livelihood of our watermens is being affected."
Environmental advocates say conservation must remain the top priority as striped bass populations continue to face challenges in the Chesapeake Bay.
David Sikorski with the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland says the state is part of a coastwide management system designed to protect the species.
“It's important to find some balance and enact the measures which are approved coast wide, because otherwise we have too much risk, and there's too many people that rely on striped bass,” Sikorski told WBOC.
Sikorski says the legislation could conflict with the interstate process used by states along the Atlantic Coast to manage striped bass populations.
“This legislation just seemingly ignores the Atlantic states marine fisheries process where there’s a coastwide fisheries management plan and Maryland agrees to take part in that process just like the states do from Maine down to North Carolina,” Sikorski said.
Supporters of the bill say it would provide more transparency and economic consideration for communities that depend on fishing.
Lawmakers are expected to continue reviewing the proposal as the debate over how best to balance conservation with the needs of fishing communities continues.