Due to the regulations, the average weight of striped bass landed by sport anglers increased from 1980 to 1993. Virginia anglers accounted for 12.6 percent or 901,040 pounds of the total recreational harvest of 7.1 million pounds in 1994, while New York anglers harvested 26.7 percent or 1.9 million pounds of the resource. New York and Massachusetts accounted for over half the recreational harvest in 1994. The catch of striped bass which occurs in fisheries directed at other species is referred to as bycatch. Bycatch also refers to unwanted, illegal, or unmarketable striped bass caught in directed striped bass fisheries.
Few data exist on bycatch of striped bass in other fisheries.
Other surveys indicate that the spiny dogfish fishery bycatch exceeds this in North Carolina alone, and that the bycatch in the shad fishery may be understated. The Plan has been amended five times since then. Under this program Atlantic striped bass have made the most significant recovery ever experienced for a coastal finfish species, and are likely to increase to record levels over the next few years. The Commission declared that the Chesapeake Bay stocks of Atlantic striped bass, which support the greatest portion of the coastal stock, was recovered as of January 1, 1995. The recruitment in 1986 finally showed some promise of the future when the protected year class of 1982 matured to produce an acceptable recruitment.