Monmouth University, NJSGC release posters to educate fisherman

October 7th, 2014

For Immediate Release

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Bait shop owners will soon receive “Striped Bass Catch and Release” posters, which marine experts hope will educate anglers on the best practices for releasing angled striped bass.

The posters are being mailed to bait shop owners throughout the state by New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium and Monmouth University in advance of the fall stripers. The posters are part of a three-year campaign called Stripers for the Future, which is intended to allow anglers to understand the causes of stress in angled striped bass and educate them about best practices to increase the survival of released fish.  We believe that an understanding of proper catch-and-release techniques should be a key piece of every fisherman’s education. A brochure reviewing the best practices for catch and release can be found here: Striped Bass Catch and Release Brochure.

Since its inception in 2011, Stripers for the Future has been a collaborative effort with the recreational angling community.  Highlights of the campaign include distribution of 500 posters and 2,500 brochures on striped bass catch-and-release do’s and don’ts, publication of a feature article in the January 2013 edition of On The Water magazine entitled “Stripers for the Future: Employing Best Practices to Increase the Survival of Released Striped Bass” (http://www.onthewater.com/stripers-future/), and filming of a Catch-and-Release Best Practices roundtable.

At the roundtable a small group of respected scientists, striper anglers, authors, and proponents of catch-and-release including fly fishing legends Lou Tabory and Bob Popovics ‘talked story’ about what anglers can do to ensure survival of released fish.  The video has been widely disseminated via YouTube, collaborating organization websites and other media outlets and shown at fishing club meetings and regional angler-based events and can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5t1vYC7Xfc.

The New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium is an affiliation of colleges, universities and other groups dedicated to advancing knowledge and stewardship of New Jersey’s marine and coastal environment. NJSGC meets its mission through its innovative research, education and outreach programs. For more information, visit NJSGC on the web at www.njseagrant.org or on social media at Facebook.com/NJSeaGrant and @NJSeaGrant on Twitter.com.

Contact: Matthew McGrath
Communications Specialist
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium
732-872-1300 x18
[email protected]
Petra Ludwig
Public Relations
Monmouth University
732-263-5507
[email protected]