Anglers hoping to catch the striped bass of a lifetime, or enhance their chances of winning a tournament, increasingly have been using a technique where they cut a hole in the fish’s bottom jaw, tie a rope through it and drag it through the water.
Culling, called roping in saltwater circles, can bloat the striper’s stomach to make it heavier, but also tear apart its jaw and potentially drown it.
Fishermen, conservationists, marina owners, and fisheries biologists are calling for the state’s regulatory agency to look into the practice that became widespread during the fall striper season that concluded on Dec. 31.
LINK (via: The Virginian-Pilot)
