Comments on: Too Many Striped Bass and they are Eating all the Chesapeake Crabs: Fact or Fiction to Save the Dying Commerical Chesapeake Crab Industry? http://laterallineco.com/blog/2008/06/05/too-many-striped-bass-and-they-are-eating-all-the-chesapeake-crabs-fact-or-fiction-to-save-the-dying-commerical-chesapeake-crab-industry/ Fishing Blog Fly Fishing Blog by Lateral Line, Saltwater, Striped Bass Fishing, Fishing Reports, Fishing Travel, Fisheries Conservation, and Fishing Journal Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:54:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Brandon http://laterallineco.com/blog/2008/06/05/too-many-striped-bass-and-they-are-eating-all-the-chesapeake-crabs-fact-or-fiction-to-save-the-dying-commerical-chesapeake-crab-industry/#comment-133 Brandon Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:52:56 +0000 http://laterallineco.com/blog/2008/06/05/too-many-striped-bass-and-they-are-eating-all-the-chesapeake-crabs-fact-or-fiction-to-save-the-dying-commerical-chesapeake-crab-industry/#comment-133 Ken, I can not agree with you more, water quality is the main cause of a lot of fish issues we have in the bay. You an I are in violent agreement on that point. I do not blame watermen for our problems in the bay, we all are to blame. Due to the poor water quality, fish and crab populations have and will decrease. When that happens harvest limits must be reduced until water quality can be improved. If you do not reduce harvest limits then the math is simple, the population of that fish species will decline at a rapid rate and eventually disappear. The situation with the Chesapeake Blue Crab's decline has been compounded by the fact that it has been harvested at 20% ABOVE the sustainable rate for the last few years. So now we have poor water quality and over harvesting at work, a deadly combination. We all have created this problem in the bay, it's unfortunate that watermen bear the brunt of the pain when these restrictions are put into place, but it's a reality of our times. Just like the reality of the workers in truck building plants across America are feeling the pain of high gas prices. They too are losing their jobs as a result of all of us using way too much gas and other natural resources. None of this is good, it's all bad. Not all of us that call for reductions in fish harvests do it in spite of watermen, we do it to save the fish for the future. The whole we should harvest more rockfish arguement has little basis. I am sure in some places striped bass eat crabs, but it is not their main portion of their diet. Just because they eat a lot of crabs in one tributary of the bay, does not mean you can extrapolate that saying they are the problem. So far all the research I have reviewed and referenced above says the rockfish's main diet is menhaden. If you believe Rockfish are solely responsible for the decline of the crabs beyond the poor water quality and over harvesting that has taken place then I challenge you to conduct a scientifically valid and peer reviewed study of stomach contents of striped bass throughout the Chesapeake Bay. You do that and prove existing science wrong I'll change my mind, until then saying things like Rockfish are to blame sounds just as lame as those that blame the crab situation solely on the watermen. Brandon Ken,

I can not agree with you more, water quality is the main cause of a lot of fish issues we have in the bay. You an I are in violent agreement on that point. I do not blame watermen for our problems in the bay, we all are to blame.

Due to the poor water quality, fish and crab populations have and will decrease. When that happens harvest limits must be reduced until water quality can be improved. If you do not reduce harvest limits then the math is simple, the population of that fish species will decline at a rapid rate and eventually disappear.

The situation with the Chesapeake Blue Crab’s decline has been compounded by the fact that it has been harvested at 20% ABOVE the sustainable rate for the last few years. So now we have poor water quality and over harvesting at work, a deadly combination.

We all have created this problem in the bay, it’s unfortunate that watermen bear the brunt of the pain when these restrictions are put into place, but it’s a reality of our times. Just like the reality of the workers in truck building plants across America are feeling the pain of high gas prices. They too are losing their jobs as a result of all of us using way too much gas and other natural resources. None of this is good, it’s all bad.

Not all of us that call for reductions in fish harvests do it in spite of watermen, we do it to save the fish for the future.

The whole we should harvest more rockfish arguement has little basis. I am sure in some places striped bass eat crabs, but it is not their main portion of their diet. Just because they eat a lot of crabs in one tributary of the bay, does not mean you can extrapolate that saying they are the problem. So far all the research I have reviewed and referenced above says the rockfish’s main diet is menhaden. If you believe Rockfish are solely responsible for the decline of the crabs beyond the poor water quality and over harvesting that has taken place then I challenge you to conduct a scientifically valid and peer reviewed study of stomach contents of striped bass throughout the Chesapeake Bay. You do that and prove existing science wrong I’ll change my mind, until then saying things like Rockfish are to blame sounds just as lame as those that blame the crab situation solely on the watermen.

Brandon

]]> By: ksmithre http://laterallineco.com/blog/2008/06/05/too-many-striped-bass-and-they-are-eating-all-the-chesapeake-crabs-fact-or-fiction-to-save-the-dying-commerical-chesapeake-crab-industry/#comment-96 ksmithre Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:22:57 +0000 http://laterallineco.com/blog/2008/06/05/too-many-striped-bass-and-they-are-eating-all-the-chesapeake-crabs-fact-or-fiction-to-save-the-dying-commerical-chesapeake-crab-industry/#comment-96 Because of pollution the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay is horrible. Due to this degraded water quality a lack of sun light gets through the water which is needed for sub aquatic grasses to grow. These grasses are nursery areas for crabs. They are also good hiding places and offer protection from predation. Predation from stripe bass is a problem and a big one. I wish I could post a picture with this comment and you would see what one fish in one day can eat (crabs). The Bay has become a nursery for the east coast stripe bass fishery. I would like to see the quotes raised both commercially and recreationally to reduce the numbers. When the marine biologist sample the stripe bass and their feeding habits they never go in shore close. When crabs molt many go close to shore. The fish follow them. It is an easy food source. Because there is limited grass the soft crab that has just molted and now weak is easy prey. At one time the Bay could sustain all marine life in abundance; but today 40% of the Bay is a dead zone, meaning that in those waters nothing can live. Think about this! All the larvae and microscopic life that is carried by the tide has to pass through the water. What happens when it passes through the dead zone? Getting the picture? Instead of blaming the commercial fishermen go to the problem. Pollution!! Demand that EPA does what it has promised to do. Did you know that in the Commonwealth of Virginia you have a Constitution right to unpolluted water. Article 11 of Virginia's Constitution. Only 2 things in Virginia are given constitutional protection, education and natural resources. Demand your constitutional rights. If the water quality of the Bay is not restored there won't be a commercial waterman. When the commercial waterman is gone then who will be blamed for the continuing decline in a once abundant resource. Ken Smith President Virginia Waterman's Association Because of pollution the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay is horrible.
Due to this degraded water quality a lack of sun light gets through the water which is needed for sub aquatic grasses to grow.
These grasses are nursery areas for crabs. They are also good hiding places and offer protection from predation.
Predation from stripe bass is a problem and a big one. I wish I could post a picture with this comment and you would see what one fish in one day can eat (crabs).
The Bay has become a nursery for the east coast stripe bass fishery. I would like to see the quotes raised both commercially and recreationally to reduce the numbers.
When the marine biologist sample the stripe bass and their feeding habits they never go in shore close. When crabs molt many go close to shore. The fish follow them. It is an easy food source. Because there is limited grass the soft crab that has just molted and now weak is easy prey.
At one time the Bay could sustain all marine life in abundance; but today 40% of the Bay is a dead zone, meaning that in those waters nothing can live. Think about this! All the larvae and microscopic life that is carried by the tide has to pass through the water. What happens when it passes through the dead zone? Getting the picture?
Instead of blaming the commercial fishermen go to the problem. Pollution!!
Demand that EPA does what it has promised to do.
Did you know that in the Commonwealth of Virginia you have a Constitution right to unpolluted water. Article 11 of Virginia’s Constitution. Only 2 things in Virginia are given constitutional protection, education and natural resources. Demand your constitutional rights.
If the water quality of the Bay is not restored there won’t be a commercial waterman. When the commercial waterman is gone then who will be blamed for the continuing decline in a once abundant resource.
Ken Smith
President Virginia Waterman’s Association

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