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May 19, 2006

American Sportfishing Association Policy Alert
Please make your voice heard on this issue by contacting the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and let them know that you oppose re-opening the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to striped bass fishing.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to open federal waters to commercial and recreational striped bass fishing. NMFS needs to know that you oppose re-opening the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to striped bass fishing.  

The Issue: Whether to allow commercial and recreational fishing for striped bass to resume in federal waters in the EEZ. NMFS is proposing four options for striped bass management in the EEZ. Only Option 4 would maintain the closure of the EEZ. The U.S. EEZ was declared by Presidential Order in 1983. This area includes the sea floor extending 200 nautical miles away from all U.S. possessions and trust territories, excluding the area within 3 nautical miles of a state’s coastline.

ASA's Goal: To keep federal waters closed to all striped bass fishing to preserve the tremendous gains made in past decades in recovering the striped bass population on the East Coast. The striped bass stock has only recently become a sustained resource. The EEZ protects that portion of the population from commercial harvesting pressure. Furthermore, the science of assessing the striped bass stock is not completely accurate. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Technical Committee is now revamping its assessment process. The Committee’s benchmark assessment will not be available until 2007. ASA believes that now is not the time to change the status of fishing in the EEZ.
 
Please take action! Please make your voice heard on this issue by contacting the National Marine Fisheries Service and let them know that you support Option 4.  You can find NMFS documents regarding this issue here. To comment on the proposal, send an email or fax 301.713.0596 with “Striped Bass Scoping” in the subject line or go to ASA’s Web site to send a pre-written letter.