Recreational fishers and anglers cannot target certain types of fish in certain parts of Maryland for the time being and extreme heat is to blame.
This week, the state began encouraging people fishing in areas designated for catch and release to not target trout, and in the Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries, targeting striped bass is prohibited until the end of the month.
“This is to protect the population of fish and avoid additional mortality during the hottest time of the year, which is typically mid-July into early August,” said Erik Zlokovitz, recreational fisheries coordinator for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Zlokovitz said this summer, especially with instances of extreme heat, water temperatures have reached the upper 60s and low 70s — temperatures that can really stress out and risk the lives of fish in catch-and-release areas.
“We have high temperatures, low oxygen, which is a bad combination,” Zlokovitz said.
When it comes to striped bass, Zlokovitz said the heat isn’t the only reason for the restriction, since the summer prohibition has been in place since 2020. Around that time, the state of Maryland saw a big spike in the number of fish dying after being caught and released.
When the temperature of the water rises, fish go deeper or toward the mouths of cold water streams or rivers, seeking cooler water. The problem for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay is there a limitation on how deep they can go.
“The problem in the bay is we have an issue with low dissolved oxygen as well. So they can’t go too deep or otherwise, the striped bass will have some issues with low oxygen,” he said.
The bass fishery is expected to open back up Aug. 1, but those fishing in the bay can expect advisories on days when the temperature outside exceeds 95 degrees. Zlokovitz also said advisories for trout are expected to continue until things cool down.
Zlokovitz said there are fish that the state welcomes everyone to fish for right now — invasive blue catfish and Chesapeake Channa, better known as the northern snakehead fish, which are challenging the state’s ecosystem by eating smaller native fish, freshwater clams and blue crabs.
“So we’re targeting all these invasive fish. They provide sport and a lot of fun times for our anglers in Maryland and, by the way, they’re also excellent to eat and are served at several restaurants,” he said.
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