What is the reasoning behind making striped bass illegal to spear?

[Redneck7]

I'm curious because step one in fighting something is understanding the other side's point of view (however flawed it may be). It's illegal here in VA to spear striper, but other state's it's legal. I don't get it. Only other critters that are illegal to take by spear here in VA are sturgeon and lobster.

Anyone know the reasoning behind the striper illegality?

[Denny]

I'm curious because step one in fighting something is understanding the other side's point of view (however flawed it may be). It's illegal here in VA to spear striper, but other state's it's legal. I don't get it. Only other critters that are illegal to take by spear here in VA are sturgeon and lobster.

Anyone know the reasoning behind the striper illegality?

I don't know if you call prejudice and ignorance 'reasoning', but that is usually the cause.
Ask your state senator or representative for a copy of the legislation and the logic behind it. Then ask how to go about getting it corrected. (Use the word 'correct', not 'change'.)

[jackpine savage]

I agree Denny, I think its lack of knowledge on the sport of spearfishing amongst the general public and elected officials. I have had a hard time getting replies from my state legislators in regards to lifting the ban here in MA.

[kjflyfish]

I may be off base with this, but you decide: The Chesapeake Bay and the long-fought environmental battles over it's health may have a lot to do with the no-spear law. Stripers are one of the poster children of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other groups, and I think that it's safe to say that many of those folks aren't very familiar with spearfishing as a sport, but think that many forms of fishing can lead to overfishing. The political power the CBF has is quite strong - not that it's a bad thing, but the prejudices and ignorance towards recreational fishing (especially spearfishing) present in the organization can lead to sentiments that make their way into legislation.

[jackpine savage]

That may have to do with VA, I sure wish I could figure why its illegal here in MA

[sticknrelease]

Visit lake Mead in Arizona, you can spear some biguns off of willow beach

[Bill McIntyre]

Its illegal to shoot them in California too. Of course our fish are all imports from the East Coast, but they caught on very well and are thriving in the San Francisco Bay area.

Like Denny said, don't worry too much over reasoning or fairness. Things like this happen because of someone or some group that has influence with a state legislature, and science seldom has anything to do with it.

[apnea_beast]

spearfishermen have less impact on fisheries due to less bycatch, no lead or mono or nets left in the environment. we have a 2 fish limit in RI and it seems that this keeps the fish coming back in pretty good numbers every year. what is the rec limit in VA? bass are a pretty good species to target spearfishing becuase they are migratory and you won't wipe em out like a reef species.

[JLittle44]

Its illegal to shoot them in California too. Of course our fish are all imports from the East Coast, but they caught on very well and are thriving in the San Francisco Bay area.

Holy shit! We introduced a non-native species and then protected them?!?!

Sometimes nothing the government does makes any sense.

[Bill McIntyre]

Holy shit! We introduced a non-native species and then protected them?!?!

Sometimes nothing the government does makes any sense.

Yep, here is a little history I found on the web.

Two small plants of striped bass from the East Coast were made in California. The first release of 132 small fish was made near Martinez in 1879 and in 1882 an additional 300 were released in lower Suisun Bay. Within 10 years a commercial fishery had developed and did well until it was closed in 1935 in an effort to build up the sport fishery.

So you can see that they have done quite well after such a modest plant. We haven't seen any over 100 pounds like some recorded on the east coast, but a 78 pounder was in a seafood market in 1910.

It seems like they are doing well enough to allow spearfishing.

[Tedbudion]

Anyone know the reasoning behind the striper illegality?

My 2¢ in nutshell, same as the snook's, pompano's, billfishes' in Florida, for example; and dusky grouper's in metropolitan France: good lobby by the recreational line fishers and lack of unity and representation by spearfishers.

[fishyak]

i wish you guys could spear them, especially cuz i might head towards VA for school next year! i heard their nerves get shot and they die if you shoot one and the spear rips out, worse than with other fish. maybe the laws are just residual from when the stocks used to be wicked low?
Gabe

[scrounger]

is it a law or a fish and game reg?