Legislation is still not finalized to protect striped bass from being commercialize. Connecticut has protected this migratory fish for years and now its population has rebounded but not necessarily stabilized. For now, recreational anglers are entitled to a 28-inch, two-fish per day creel limit set by the Connecticut DEP.
State Representative Richard Roy of Milford (119th District) has sponsored a bill which is now looking to change this with HB #5506. There is already tremendous pressure on the striped bass population, much from black market activity, its harvested quantities unknown. The Connecticut Department of Public Health has come out with caution that eating Long Island Sound striped bass is risky.
In a Guide to Eating Fish Safely it is recommended that “high-risk groups eat none” and “low-risk groups eat one meal per two months,” It makes no sense to open up a commercial market and allow these same fish to be sold to the public for consumption. The fishermen are experiencing a good old fashion New England Winter with plenty of cold weather and the 2009 ice-fishing season continues in high gear. As folks encounter icy conditions, they are re-acquainting their bodies with the art of balance, stretching muscles that seemingly have been dormant.
