CHESAPEAKE BAY, Md. - A new proposal in Annapolis could change how Maryland manages one of the Chesapeake Bay’s most iconic fish by limiting the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ regulations on striped bass.
Introduced on Feb. 6, Senate Bill 755 would limit some regulatory authority of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and require additional oversight before certain fisheries rules take effect.
Under the bill, DNR would be prohibited from establishing a recreational catch-and-release season for striped bass. Instead, the department would be required to set specific recreational and charter boat fishing seasons during the summer and fall, along with a trophy season for rockfish.
Currently, there is a recreational and charter boat season from May 16 through May 31 when anglers can catch or possess one striped bass 19 inches or longer per day in limited areas. Striped bass may not be targeted from April 1 through May 15 under current DNR regulations.
DNR recently proposed new striped bass rules that would allow catch-and-release fishing in April, limited harvest in certain areas during May, and Bay-wide fishing from June 1 to December 5 with a one-fish daily limit of 19 to 24 inches. The month of August would be completely closed to striped bass fishing under DNR’s proposal.
SB 755 would also require DNR to complete an economic impact statement when proposing fisheries regulations that could have a major effect on stakeholders, including watermen, charter boat operators, and coastal communities.
Those statements would then be submitted to state officials for review before the regulations move forward.
The bill is sponsored by Democratic State Senator C. Anthony Muse, of Prince George’s County, and Republican State Senator Stephen Hershey, representing much of the Eastern Shore.
Maryland’s striped bass fishery is a major economic driver for coastal and Chesapeake Bay communities. Charter boat captains, tackle shops, marinas, and tourism businesses all rely heavily on the annual fishing seasons.
State fisheries managers have previously adjusted seasons and restrictions in response to concerns about declining striped bass populations in the Chesapeake Bay.
Lawmakers considering the bill say the additional economic review could help balance conservation efforts with the needs of businesses that depend on the fishery.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, however, disagrees, calling the proposed legislation “troublesome” and asking Maryland lawmakers to reject the bill.
“We know this species has been struggling for years,” Chesapeake Bay Foundation Maryland Executive Director Allison Colden said in a statement on Monday. “Young striped bass aren’t surviving early life, and mature fish are dying at high rates during the hot summer months. Maryland must address these challenges before it’s too late. That’s why we urge legislators to reject SB0755 and adopt DNR’s seasonal adjustments to give striped bass a fighting chance.”
SB 755 is scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee on Tuesday, March 10. As emergency legislation, the bill would take effect later this year if approved by lawmakers.