Moncton, NB     April 4, 2014-

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) today approved the 2014 Conservation and Harvesting Plan for Striped Bass in the waters adjacent to the Maritime Provinces in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. New for 2014, the Department will authorize additional days in the retention fishery. From May 1 to 21, from August 1 to 21, and from September 24 to 30, 2014, anglers will be able to retain a maximum of one striped bass per day and will be prohibited from possessing more than one striped bass at any given time. Outside of these ‘retention’ periods, all striped bass caught must be released immediately in a matter that causes the least harm to the fish. Also new for this year, the size window for the retention fishery has been increased and established at a minimal length of 50 cm and at a maximum length of 65 cm. The length is measured in a straight line from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail (total length). In 2014, the use of a non-offset barbless circle hook is now mandatory when bait is used while fishing for striped bass in tidal waters. This will help to reduce the mortality of fish that have been released. Same as in 2013, the recreational fishing season will begin two hours before sunrise and end two hours after sunset of each day, from May 1 to September 30, 2014. DFO will continue to compile data collected during the recreational striped bass fishery and asks for the angler’s participation in this data collection. Catch report forms are available on the Recreational Fisheries website. All catch report forms regarding the striped bass limited recreational fishery should be completed and returned to Fisheries and Oceans by October 31, 2014. For a copy of the 2014 Conservation and Harvesting Plan for Striped Bass, please refer to the Recreational Fisheries Website. Anyone wishing to report suspicious fishing activity anonymously is asked to contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office or to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.