Bill > H1145

This bill, titled "Relative to the conservation of Atlantic striped bass," proposes significant changes to how striped bass are managed in the Commonwealth. It would prohibit the commercial harvesting and sale of wild striped bass, meaning only fish raised through aquaculture, which must be tagged by the grower or distributor, could be sold. For recreational anglers, the bill directs the Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries, with approval from the marine fisheries advisory commission, to establish rules for taking or possessing wild striped bass, but with specific size limits: fish must be at least 20 inches long, or between 26 and 40 inches, or 40 inches and greater in total length, and anglers will be limited to keeping only one fish per day. The bill also addresses the striped bass quota allocated to Massachusetts by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, an interstate body that manages fisheries, by stating this commercial quota should not be added to recreational quotas and should be set aside for conservation, with the Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries tasked with ensuring this quota remains with the Commonwealth for conservation purposes. Violators of these new regulations face escalating fines, starting at $200 per fish for a first offense, increasing to $500 for a second, and $1,000 per fish or up to 60 days imprisonment for subsequent offenses, with no part of the fine to be remitted.