Rockaway anglers report strong striped bass catches as managers worry about juvenile stocks
While local fishermen describe abundant fish off New York’s coast, state surveys show juvenile abundance in the Chesapeake Bay has remained below average for eight straight years.
By Julian Schulz ·
Maryland’s 2026 survey recorded a juvenile abundance index of 5.5, less than half the long-term average of 10.8. This figure, the highest since 2018, highlights a persistent trend that has alarmed fisheries managers even as anglers off Rockaway report bumper crops this fall.
Local charters are seeing strong activity. Mark Holstrom, a Rockaway fisherman, completed seven trips over 10 days in late October without landing a single striped bass because the fish present were too large to keep. He attributed the late arrival of the fish to warm water conditions that delayed the migration of their prey, bunker. "I don’t see the population being down at all," Holstrom said, noting that fish were plentiful from Breezy Point Jetty to Jones Beach.
Captain Pat Butera of Forever Two Worlds, a local charter company, echoed these observations. Speaking from 15 years of experience, Butera described recent conditions as the best in four years for the New York area. "I can close my eyes, open up a chart in a 15-mile radius of my dock and go catch a striped bass," he said.
Despite these local reports, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) maintains that the striped bass stock remains overfished. A 2024 assessment found that while the rate of catch is below overfishing levels, the number of mature females is still insufficient. The assessment estimated 191 million pounds of mature females in 2023, falling short of the 247-million-pound rebuilding target.
Emilie Franke, a fishery management plan coordinator with the ASMFC, explained that managers are concerned about weak juvenile production in the Chesapeake Bay. Surveys in Maryland’s portion of the bay have recorded below-average abundance for eight consecutive years. These weak year classes threaten to leave fewer fish to replace older generations.
Current regulations in New York marine waters allow anglers to keep one striped bass per day between April 15 and December 15, provided the fish measures between 28 and 31 inches. Butera questioned the effectiveness of this narrow slot, arguing it forces anglers to catch more fish than they can keep. ASMFC estimates that 9% of released striped bass die. During recent deliberations, the commission’s management board declined a proposed 12% reduction in fishery removals, citing economic concerns and low fishing mortality.
A comprehensive benchmark stock assessment is expected to be completed by mid-2027. That review will update estimates of the population’s condition and guide future management decisions.
