Lucky Winners of Striped Bass Survey Raffle

DURHAM, N.H. — Striped bass are popular sport fish along New Hampshire’s coast. During late spring, their arrival coincides with the flocking of fishermen from near and far to our beautiful coastal rivers, estuaries, and seaward. To better manage this highly sought-after species, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Marine Fisheries Division has conducted Striped Bass Volunteer Angler Surveys since 1993.

The lucky winners in 2016 were Jeff Dickson of Exeter, N.H., and Blair Walborn of Mechanicsburg, P.A. Thank you both for helping the Department to monitor this precious resource. And thank you to the additional 64 striped bass anglers who took the time to fill out logbooks in 2016, it is greatly appreciated!

Angler volunteers fill out logbooks to provide Fish and Game with information about their fishing trip. The volunteers are able to supply length data on catch-and-release fish, information that is not obtained through annual creel surveys. The important data collected from these anglers are used by state and federal fisheries biologists to assess the status of the striped bass population each year.

The Coastal Conservation Association of New Hampshire (CCA NH) has been helping the Department with this project since 2000. The CCA NH helped increase participation by distributing survey forms to its members and signed up participants at sporting shows. They increased awareness of the survey through posters at access sites and sporting goods stores. The group also annually donates to the Fish and Game Department a signed and framed, first-of-state striped bass print, “Shadow” by Victor E. Young. This print is raffled off to a lucky volunteer. Thank you, CCA NH, for your continued support!

Kittery Trading Post has also supported the Department by donated raffle items in support of the striped bass program. This past season, they graciously donated a 9-foot Penn Battle rod and reel to raffle off to a second participating angler.

If you are interested in taking part in Fish and Game’s Striped Bass Volunteer Angler Survey, visit www.fishnh.com/surveys/striped-bass.html or contact Becky Heuss at (603) 868-1095 or Rebecca.Heuss@wildlife.nh.gov.