Montauk is New York State’s largest commercial fishing harbor and home port to some of the greatest fishing on the east coast.

Striped bass, bluefish, fluke, black sea bass, porgies, blackfish, and codfish are all popular species targeted by our captains and, very importantly, the thousands of people who visit Montauk to harvest fish for themselves. 

Undoubtedly, one of Montauk's most popular fisheries is striped bass.  In fact, more than 75% of our charter boat fleet focuses the bulk of their season on striped bass fishing. Whether it's the thrill of snapping a photo with a record-setting fish or simply going home with dinner, visitors come from all over the country, and even the world, to get in on Montauks' striped bass bite.  Striped bass fishing is truly the "bread and butter" for most of our for-hire fishing fleet.  

Recently, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) took drastic, unreasonable, and unnecessary measures to pass an emergency action that reduces the maximum size of an allowable striped bass from 35" to 31".   Many anglers will recall the days when customers who paid a premium to fish on board a charter or head boat had the privilege of going home with 2 striped bass per person, vs the 1 per person limit for recreational anglers.  Regulations then changed, limiting the catch to 1 fish per person for all anglers.  Three years ago, in 2020, NYS introduced a slot size, further limiting the ability of our captains to catch striped bass for our customers and requiring not only a minimum size of 28", but also a maximum size of 35".  And then, earlier this year, the ASMFC approved its preposterous emergency action, which was subsequently implemented by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation on June 20, 2023, reducing that maximum size to 31", leaving us with a slot range of a mere 3".  

The emergency action will have a direct adverse impact on our for-hire fleet.  Our customers expect to take fish home after paying a charter or party boat fare.  With the rising prices of fuel, bait, tackle and insurance, our captains have had no choice but to raise their rates.   From our customers’ perspectives, the increase in rate is oftentimes offset by the ability to put fish in their coolers to bring home for their families.  Particularly in light of rising costs for basic groceries, this trade-off is essential.  If our customers are unable to bring fish home, they will be less inclined to book a fishing trip.  This, in turn, also hurts our local businesses, including hotels, restaurants and shops, all of which rely upon Montauk’s visitors to thrive. 

The MBCA has written to and has since received confirmation of support from our State Senator and Assemblyman, who have urged the NYS DEC to listen to its captains and fishermen before adopting this emergency action.  We were never given the opportunity to share our concerns or offer alternatives for their consideration. We understand the importance of conservation, and we support it.  However, such efforts must be reasonable and based upon accurate data.   

We will continue to fight this fight and lobby for better practices in regulating our fisheries.  This striped bass emergency is affecting captains throughout the northeast region and beyond.  We are doing our part here in Montauk, where the impact is devastating.  Please show your support by signing this petition and amplifying our voice for those who need to hear us.

Thank you.