Congressman Tom MacArthur recently introduced a bill to the House of Representatives to designate the atlantic striped bass as the national fish of the United States. According to the proposed legislation, the striped bass is just as important to the history of our country and is as much of a symbol to its inhabitants as the bald eagle.
Congressman MacArthur said, "New Jersey has always appreciated the importance of the striped bass, as it is our distinguished state saltwater fish. I am honored to introduce this bill to finally recognize the striped bass as our national fish and enshrine its place in our nation’s cultural heritage."
National Marine Manufacturers Association president Thom Dammrich said the NMMA is proud to support the American Striped Bass Heritage Act. "Fishing and boating are inextricably linked, a fact that unifies boaters and anglers and focuses attention on our collective contributions to conservation."
Captain Barry Gibson, president of the New England chapter of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, had this to say: "To be clear, however, this proposed legislation in no way designates the striped bass as a game fish only. We’ll continue to expect managers to allocate the striper resource to both the recreational and commercial sectors appropriately. What the bill will do, we hope, is to elevate the status of striped bass when it comes protecting these tremendously valuable fish from pollution, protecting their spawning habitat and eliminating wasteful and illegal harvesting practices."
For more information on the legislation, visit the Recreational Fishing Alliance's website.
