THE LATEST NEWS and advice on fly fishing, fly fishing gear, fly fishing trips, and fly fishing books and media.Bush to End Commercial Harvest of Stripers, Redfish
Even the most discouraged striper and redfish anglers may finally have something nice to say about the White House. President Bush will announce in his weekly radio address today that the federal government will prohibit the commercial harvest of stripers and redfish in in territorial waters. It will also encourage states who haven't already given the two species gamefish status to do so. While most U.S. states had banned the commercial fishing of redfish years ago, Mississippi still allows it. "The two main sections of the order charge the Secretary of Commerce with encouraging states to declare the two species as game fish in state waters and prohibit the sale of striped bass and red drum caught within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The EEZ extends 200 miles beyond state waters." Jeff Dute in Alabama's Press-Register.
Comments
Wait, do I have this right? Every state except Mississippi has banned commercial harvest of redfish and stipers, and now Bush weighs in to make Mississippi toe the line as well, and we are supposed to think Bush actually did something of value? Small step indeed.
Posted by: jdubya | October 21, 2007 4:56 PM
This is much more about stripers than redfish. Miss. is the only state allowing redfish harvest but NY, Mass., RI, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina still allow commercial harvest of striped bass. It very well could be a big step in striper conservation. Bush has finally done something I agree with.
Posted by: Jaeger | October 25, 2007 9:03 AM