Natural Resources - Striped Bass Recreational Seasons and Fisheries Regulations

SB 755 prohibits the Maryland Department of Natural Resources from establishing a recreational catch-and-release season for striped bass (rockfish). Instead, it mandates annual recreational and charter boat summer/fall seasons (May 16-December 10) with daily limits (1 fish for recreational anglers, 2 for charters) and specific gear rules, plus a trophy season requiring fish to be at least 28 inches long during designated April/May periods. The bill also requires the Department to prepare an economic impact statement for major fisheries regulations before publication. This directly affects recreational anglers, charter boat operators, and commercial fishing stakeholders who rely on striped bass regulations.