2nd bass season to open August 2nd

Second Retention Period for the Recreational Striped Bass Fishery in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence

Moncton, NB – July 17, 2013 - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) approved today a second retention period during the current limited recreational Striped bass fishery in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. This area includes the Maritime Provinces adjacent to the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The second retention period will begin two hours before sunrise and end two hours after sunset of each day from August 2 to August 11, 2013. During this period, 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.

Like in the first retention period, the size window will remain at a minimal length of 55 cm and 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).

The Department continues to encourage recreational anglers in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence to use a non-offset circular barbless hook when bait is used. This will help to reduce the mortality of fish that have been released.

The Department will continue to compile data collected during the recreational striped bass fishery and encourages the public’s participation in this data collection. Catch report forms are available on the Gulf Region website. All catch report forms regarding the Striped bass limited recreational fishery should be completed and returned to Fisheries and Oceans by October 11, 2013.

For a copy of the notice or the 2013 Striped bass Conservation Harvest Plan, please refer to the Recreational Fisheries Website.

Anyone wishing to report suspicious fishing activity is asked to contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office or to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

For more information on this fishery, please contact:

Pierre Bélanger

Senior Advisor, Recreational Fisheries

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Moncton, NB

(506) 851-2002