Maryland Department Of Natural Resources Proposes Changes To Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass Season

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced Wednesday that it is proposing changes to the summer-fall Chesapeake Bay striped bass season.

The changes, which will be made by public notice, are in an effort to make sure of the state's compliance with the directive of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to meet a coast-wide conservation target.

The changes would make the 2020 summer-fall season in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries open from May 16th through August 15th and September 1st through December 10th. In these periods, anglers would be allowed to keep one striped bass, per person, per day with the minimum size of 19 inches. The season would then be closed on all other dates.

As part of the proposal, during the August 16th-31st closure, all forms of targeting striped bass would be prohibited including catch-and-release, charter boats, and commercial hook-and-line fishing.

If the proposal is approved by the Maryland General Assembly Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (AELR), the regulations will be published in the Maryland Register on May 8th.

A public comment period will then be held from May 8th through June 8th and a public information session on the changes will be held on a webinar on May 11th.

The proposed changes would only be valid until the end of the 2020 season at which point fishery managers and scientists would review the effectiveness and may revise regulations.