Striped bass fishermen could face stricter regulations, including no-harvest or no-target seasons, in 2025. The potential changes will be considered by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)’s Striped Bass Management Board at a special meeting on Dec. 16.

The latest assessment of the striped bass population showed that striped bass remain overfished. In October, the Striped Bass Management Board voted to reconvene at a special meeting to evaluate potential action for striped bass to increase the probability of rebuilding the stock by 2029.

In preparation for the meeting, scientists on ASMFC’s Technical Committee prepared rebuilding projections for a number of different scenarios with management options the Board could consider to reduce fishing mortality. They include potential changes to recreational size limits, seasonal no-harvest closures, and seasonal no-target closures.

ASMFC held an informational webinar on the striped bass options Dec. 5. A recording of the webinar can be found here. Public comments on proposed management options will be accepted via email to comments@asmfc.org through Dec. 10.