MA Action Alert

ACTION ALERT
On March 8, 2013, a petition signed by approximately 750 concerned anglers was delivered to Paul Diodati, Director of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), requesting that the commercial and recreational harvests of wild striped bass in Massachusetts each be reduced by 50 percent for the 2013 season
You are getting this email because you have expressed concern for wild striped bass. We are asking you to put that concern into action by emailing  Director Diodati and informing him of your support for this long over-due conservation measure.
Scientifically and anecdotally, it is well known that the striped bass population has been declining for at least five years. Recruitment of newly spawned striped bass has not kept pace with fishing mortality along the entire coast. The recreational harvest in the coastal fishery has declined by 75 percent since 2005 and the striped bass population will continue to decline until harvest restrictions are put in place.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has voted against coastwide fishing mortality reductions as recently as 2012. That vote came as a surprise to Director Diodati because he had proposed the motion for fishing mortality reductions!
The director  is fully aware of all the problem with striped bass and he needs your encouragement to do the right thing. From 1995 to 2002, Massachusetts enacted statewide regulations that were more conservative than the ASMFC allows.  Massachusetts needs to step up again this year and be a leader in striped bass conservation.
Whether you live in Massachusetts, travel to fish there, or are simply concerned for the overall quality and sustainability of the striped bass fishery, please send Director Diodati an email and tell him you support the requested harvest reduction outlined in the petition that he has just received.

You can write your own message to Director Paul Diodati or just copy and paste the message below into an e-mail. Send your message to paul.diodati@state.ma.us.

Sample e-mail:
Dear Director Diodati – I ask that you act immediately and affirmatively on the recently submitted petition~to reduce the commercial and recreational harvests of striped bass in Massachusetts by 50 percent for the 2013 season.~ With the striped bass population and associated~fishing in~a troubling decline, now is the time for Massachusetts to step up and be the leader in the protection of this valuable natural resource.~
Please don’t let future allocation issues prevent you from doing what is right for striped bass now.~
Sincerely:
(your name here)