DURHAM, N.H. – This time of year, striped bass are starting to arrive in
New Hampshire’s coastal waters. With their arrival, anglers from near and
far flock to the state’s coastal rivers, estuaries and ocean waters to
pursue this popular sport fish.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is conducting a Striped Bass
Volunteer Angler Survey and we need your help! The annual striped bass
survey has been ongoing since 1993 and the information collected is used in
the annual coast-wide stock assessment for striped bass. It’s easy to take
part, simply fill out a logbook (found at
http://www.fishnh.com/marine/striper_survey.html) each time you fish for
striped bass in New Hampshire waters. Volunteer angler survey participants
are asked to measure each fish they catch.& Fish and Game’s Striped Bass
Volunteer Angler Survey is the only method we currently have of getting
length measurements on fish that are released. This important data helps
state and federal fisheries biologists assess the status of the striped bass
population each year.
To help boost participation in the voluntary survey, the Coastal
Conservation Association of New Hampshire (CCA-NH) has supported the project
since 2000 by distributing survey forms to its members, signing up
participants at sporting shows, and posting information at access sites and
sporting goods stores. Each year, CCA-NH also donates a signed and framed,
first-of-state striped bass print, "Shadow" by Victor E. Young. Fish and
Game raffles off this special print to a lucky Striped Bass Survey
volunteer.
Last year, Kittery Trading Post joined the effort by donating a Penn Fierce
rod-and-reel combo that was raffled off to a second lucky participant. Both
of these prizes will be supplied again in 2012, so while you’re on the
water, keep a rod in one hand and a pen in the other!
The 2011 winners were Cody Cartnick of Dover, N.H., who won the striped bass
print. Cartnick has participated in the survey since 2006. Philip Giuffrida
of Lowell, MA, won the Pen Fierce rod and reel combo donated by Kittery
Trading Post for the 2011 season. Giuffrida vacations on New Hampshire’s
coast, where he spends most of his days fishing and teaching the art of
catching striped bass to anyone that wants to learn. To see photos of the
2011 winners, visit
http://www.fishnh.com/Newsroom/News_2012/news_2012_Q2/SBVAS_winners.html.
If you are interested in participating in Fish and Game’s Striped Bass
Volunteer Angler Survey, visit
http://www.fishnh.com/marine/striper_survey.html or contact Marine Biologist
Becky Heuss at 603-868-1095 or Rebecca.Heuss@wildlife.nh.gov.
Fish and Game’s work conducting the Striped Bass Volunteer Angler Survey is
funded in part by the federal Sport Fish Restoration Program, a user-pay,
user benefit program. Learn more at