Coastal Fisheries –The ASMFC defines Maryland’s coastal fisheries as those in the Atlantic Ocean and coastal bays, and the Spring Chesapeake Bay recreational fishery. The following management changes are under consideration to achieve the ASMFC required 25% harvest reduction in 2015. Commercial: Reduce the annual quota to 94,800 pounds and maintain the current season and 24-inch minimum size limit through conservation equivalency. Recreational: Reduce the individual daily creel limit from 2 to 1 fish and maintain the current season and 28-inch minimum size limit. Spring Chesapeake Bay Recreational Fishery: Increase the minimum size from 28-inches to 36-inches and maintain the current season of 3rd Saturday in April to May 15 and individual daily creel limit of 1 fish. Chesapeake Bay Fisheries – The ASMFC requires a 20.5% harvest reduction in 2015. · Commercial: The following two management options are under consideration, and are considered to be conservationally equivalent. o Option A: Reduce the annual quota to 1.472 million pounds and maintain the current season and 18-inch minimum and 36-inch maximum size limits. o Option B: Reduce the annual quota to 1.508 million pounds through conservation equivalency associated with an increase minimum size from 18-inches to 20-inches, and maintain the current season and maximum 36-inch size limit. · Recreational: o Increase the minimum size from 18-inches to 20-inches and maintain the 2 fish individual daily creel limit and season of May 16 to December 15. o Note: Because the above option is projected to achieve a reduction slightly higher than the required 20.5%, Maryland is considering submitting a proposal to ASMFC to extend the season from December 15 to December 20.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 22:09:00 +0000
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