New Striped Bass Season Changes Collide with Emergency Bill in Annapolis

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By Hannah Combs for Kent County News – March 12, 2026

ANNAPOLIS — A new striped bass season structure announced by the Department of Natural Resources is set to take effect at the end of March, even as lawmakers consider an emergency bill that would prohibit spring catch-and-release fishing and require economic impact studies for future fishery regulations.

The Department of Natural Resources announced Thursday it intends to open April to catch-and-release fishing and close the entire month of August to striped bass targeting as part of changes aimed at protecting the struggling rockfish population.

At the same time, Senate Bill 755 — introduced by Sens. C. Anthony Muse and Steve Hershey — would prohibit a spring catch-and-release season during the spawning period and require the state to conduct socioeconomic impact studies before adopting major fishery management plans.

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The competing proposals have exposed a growing divide among anglers, charter captains and policymakers over how to rebuild striped bass stocks while protecting Maryland’s fishing economy.

“The new regulations simplify the recreational and charter boat seasons, making them easier to find and read,” said Kate Charbonneau, assistant secretary for aquatic resources at the Department of Natural Resources. “We are allowing for more access to recreational fishing opportunities without increasing mortality or total fish removed.”

According to the Department of Natural Resources, spawning rivers will remain closed to targeting striped bass from March 1 through May 31 to protect fish during the spawning period. Anglers can refer to the department’s website for maps and additional information about those closures.

The Department of Natural Resources also said the recreational striped bass fishery is a major economic driver for Maryland communities and that shifting the season is intended to balance conservation goals with angling access.

“The recreational striped bass fishery in Maryland is a significant economic driver that benefits communities throughout Maryland,” the department said in a statement. “The season shift will meet the needs of recreational anglers and businesses by bringing fishing opportunities back to the spring and moving the closure from July to August, when there are other species present in the Bay that can be targeted such as red drum.”

Del. Jay Jacobs, R-District 36, said the regulation has already generated intense debate within the recreational fishing community.

“You know, it’s really a huge split right now in the recreational fishery between catch-and-release and charter boats,” Jacobs said in an interview.

The regulation expands opportunities for anglers who practice catch-and-release fishing while shortening the harvest season, he said.

“This regulation is definitely favoring catch and release by giving them 34 more days than they’ve ever had,” Jacobs said. “They have not been able to do any catch-and-release fishing during the month of March or April in the last five years.”

Under the proposal announced by the Department of Natural Resources, anglers would gain additional spring access to striped bass but would lose the entire month of August, a change intended to protect fish during the hottest water temperatures, when release mortality rates increase.

Jacobs said the August closure raised concerns about economic impacts on charter captains and coastal tourism.

“It’s 700,000 recreational fishers in the state of Maryland,” he said, citing Department of Natural Resources estimates. “When people are in the middle of their summer vacation, they’re not going to be able to fish in the Chesapeake Bay for striped bass anywhere.”

Jacobs said he requested a regulatory hold earlier this year in order to review those impacts.

“I actually requested it on Jan. 23 and was granted the hold on March 6,” he said. “It was not an attempt on my part to do it at the 11th hour. It was an attempt to have a further conversation about the economic impact to the state of Maryland.”

In addition to concerns about fishing pressure, Jacobs said other environmental factors may also be affecting striped bass populations.

When asked whether the Department of Natural Resources had studied the impact of invasive blue catfish on striped bass eggs and juvenile fish, Jacobs said the issue deserves closer examination.

“This winter and early spring, more than 50 tons of blue catfish have been caught in the Upper Bay,” Jacobs said. “Six or seven years ago, they weren’t there at all.”

“A lot of people believe they’ve moved there to feed on spawning rockfish and their eggs,” he said.

“If those catfish start feeding heavily on eggs or fingerlings, it could dramatically affect the striped bass population.”

Jacobs noted the Chesapeake Bay plays an outsized role in the species’ recovery.

“Remember, 70% to 90% of all striped bass spawning on the entire East Coast happens in Maryland,” he said. “So if blue catfish begin targeting those eggs or young fish, it could radically change the striped bass fishery.”

“To my knowledge, that research hasn’t been done yet,” Jacobs said. “They know it needs to be studied, but it hasn’t been completed.”

The Department of Natural Resources said the seasonal changes are intended to simplify the rules and reduce mortality among resident striped bass during summer heat.

The department also encourages anglers to practice safe catch-and-release techniques, including dehooking fish while they remain in the water, avoiding fishing during extremely hot days and using circle hooks to reduce injury.

Officials also encourage anglers to target invasive species such as blue catfish and Chesapeake Channa, also known as snakehead, during the striped bass closure. Those species have no bag or size limits and their harvest helps support a healthier Bay ecosystem, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

But some charter captains say the change could further strain an industry already affected by previous rockfish restrictions.

Chuck Woodfield, captain of Elligail Charters out of Rock Hall, attended the first hearing on Senate Bill 755 and said he believes the proposed regulation is being driven largely by recreational fishing interests.

Woodfield said charter operators previously accepted the loss of a full month of spring fishing in order to protect spawning fish and questioned the science behind allowing anglers to target pre-spawn striped bass through catch-and-release.

He said the little research available suggests catching fish before spawning may reduce the chances of a successful spawn even if the fish survives.

Rob Newberry of the Delmarva Fisheries Association said the proposal could have unintended consequences for the spawning population.

“This is not rebuilding the stock,” Newberry said in an interview. “This is basically clobbering the stock.”

Newberry said allowing anglers to target striped bass during the pre-spawn and spawning period could increase stress on breeding fish.

“These fish should not be touched during their spawning time,” he said.

Newberry also argued the state has not adequately studied the economic impact of its fisheries regulations.

“The department has never done a socioeconomic impact study,” he said. “If they’re going to make a management plan that affects people financially, they should have to look at how it affects tourism and local fishing communities.”

That requirement is included in the amended version of Senate Bill 755, he said.

According to Newberry, the bill would not change the state’s authority to set seasons but would require economic analysis before major regulatory changes.

“What the bill does is say the department will set seasons, which they do now,” he said. “But if they’re going to do a fishery management plan, it has to be accompanied with an in-depth socioeconomic impact study.”

The legislation would also prohibit catch-and-release targeting of striped bass during the peak spawning period, generally March through April.

Jacobs said the broader goal is to balance conservation efforts with economic realities for Maryland’s fishing communities.

“You’ve got to look at the human impact of the problem,” he said. “The charter boat industry already took a huge hit three years ago when they went from two fish to one.”

Newberry said the economic effects are already visible in some communities.

“We’ve lost tackle stores. Marinas are losing money. Charter boats have been sold,” he said. “Guys that were running 200 trips a year are running maybe 60 now.”

Supporters of the regulation argue that protecting fish during summer heat is essential to rebuilding the population, while critics say the state is focusing on the wrong season.

“The average striped bass carries around 7 million eggs,” Newberry said. “You catch 100 of them, that’s 700 million eggs that don’t have a chance to get into the biomass.”

Senate Bill 755 received a hearing earlier this week and must still advance through the legislative process before the General Assembly’s crossover deadline.

Jacobs said the issue remains under active discussion in Annapolis.

“It’s stirred the hornet’s nest this week,” he said.

The Department of Natural Resources said the new recreational season structure would take effect at the end of March if finalized.

 

 

 

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