Stripers forever & HR3841

[Brandon-K]

This is an email that I just got from Stripers Forever:

Stripers Forever Members - striped bass forage has always been of concern to our organization. For several years now, there has been an ongoing controversy about the role of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. We are sending this message to you in support of the Menhaden Restoration Group, a group that is focusing its attention on restoring and protecting the populations of menhaden found in our coastal waters.
~
Recent studies have indicated that the availability of menhaden is critical to the sustainability of striped bass. There are indications that the abundance of menhaden has decreased to the point where their role as forage and filter feeder is not being fulfilled. The ASMFC has not responded to public concerns in a meaningful fashion, and show no signs of changing their position that the menhaden stocks are not overfished and that overfishing is not occurring.
~Because of the lack of effective management of~this critical resource, United States Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (Maryland) has introduced HR3841. This bill proposes to eliminate the practice of purse seining of menhaden in both federal and state waters for reduction purposes. The bill is straight-forward and has no apparent loopholes. We believe our membership should e-mail their respective legislators in support of this measure as the most practical resolution of a very serious situation.
Everyone can find and e-mail their congressperson by going to
https://forms.house.gov/htbin/wrep_findrep
Your message could be as simple as this (just copy and paste the message), “Dear Congressperson (their name) my name is (your name) and I live in your congressional district. Striped bass and the marine environment are very important to me. Menhaden are the number one forage of the striped bass, plus they are an important filter feeder. I believe that fishery managers have not done nearly enough to conserve menhaden stocks, and I therefore urge you to become a cosponsor of HR3841, a bill that would eliminate the practice of purse seining menhaden for reduction purposes. Please let me know how you have decided to act on this matter. (Your name again and e-mail address)”

[Riverjim]

This is one of those things I was refering to last fall.

It apeared localy as though the pogy population has been great around here for the last couple years, and I heard lots of people comenting about how good the fishing was around the schools.

I tried to mention it earlier without a reply, that we were being lulled into a false sense of security while meanwhile the population of the chesapeak area seems to be crashing.

Thanks for posting this Brandon-K. Maybe people will beleive you, cause they definatly haven't seemed interested when I posted it earlier.

Get involved folks on this one and the herring situation or before you know it we will be fishing for sunfish in the Taylor Sweetwater because the striper fishing will crash right balong with the forage fish populations.

Jim