NJ DEP Announces Reopening of Popular Striped Bass Bonus Program

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M.
Campbell today announced a plan to administer the Striped Bass Bonus
Program (SBBP) for 2005. This year's program rewards past participation
while bringing in new participants via a lottery system.

"DEP has developed a unique Striped Bass Bonus Program that protects
the striped bass resource, is fair to the anglers who choose to apply
for the privilege of taking home a third striped bass, and is mindful of
the Department's limited resources," said DEP Commissioner Campbell.
"The Program has been extremely popular with New Jersey anglers and it's
important that we continue to work cooperatively with the Marine
Fisheries Council and other constituent groups to enhance our
recreational fishing programs."

Details of the SBBP were developed with the assistance of New Jersey's
recreational fishing organizations and the New Jersey Marine Fisheries
Council.

New Jersey is allocated a commercial harvest quota of striped bass
under the Striped Bass Interstate Fisheries Management Plan as
administered by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).
Since New Jersey does not allow the netting or sale of striped bass, the
quota was transferred to the recreational sector in 1990, resulting in
the origin of the SBBP. If New Jersey harvests more than the assigned
quota in any calendar year, the following year's quota will be reduced
by the amount of over-harvest.

New Jersey is the only state on the east coast that allows recreational
anglers the opportunity to keep a third striped bass per day. The
current striped bass recreational size limits allow anglers to take one
fish at 24" to less than 28" and one fish at 34" or greater. Under the
2005 SBBP, anglers will be able to take a third fish at 28" or greater.

The existing Striped Bass Bonus Program remains free of charge.

The following is an overview of the 2005 program. Complete details
about the SBBP and instructions for filing an application can be found
at www.njfishandwildlife.com.

The striped bass size limit under the SBBP will be 28 inches or
greater.


The Division of Fish and Wildlife (Division) will allocate 20,000 bonus
cards. Limiting the SBBP to 20,000 cards will safely guarantee that the
harvest quota will not be exceeded.


25 percent of the cards will be distributed to party and charter boats.
Eighty cards will be distributed to each participating party boat with
18 or more passengers, while all other boats will receive 16 cards.


18 percent of the cards will be distributed to individuals that were in
the SBBP in 2004 and returned their voluntary log information.


57 percent of the cards will be distributed to anglers via lottery.


Individual participants will receive two non-transferable cards, one
card good per day. There will be no replacement cards issued after using
the two cards. The cards, which should be returned to the Department
with the catch details, provide valuable information the Department
needs to manage the striped bass resource.


The SBBP season will start on or around September 1, 2005.
Applications will be available at www.njfishandwildlife.com, and at
most bait and tackle shops that distribute the Marine edition of the
Fish & Wildlife Digest. No applications will be mailed out of Division
offices. The application deadline is May 31, 2005.

To read the web version of this information, click on the following
link:

http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2005/05_0030.htm


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Dave
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