The Maine Department of Marine Resources on Friday announced that it will close a section of the Saco River over reports of striped bass dying after being caught and released.
Starting Saturday, the state is closing the portion of the river between Route 9 and the head of tide, which is commonly known as the Cataract Dam.
The area has been popular for recreational striper anglers. However, since that stretch of the Saco River is bordered by a cement wall, anglers have difficulty landing and releasing the fish without them being injured or killed, the state said.
“Recreational anglers have reported to Marine Patrol seeing large numbers of dead striped bass in this area,” said DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher. “It’s clear that this is directly linked to some anglers who land stripers in this area with no way to properly release fish without causing a high discard mortality.”
DMR recently enacted a change to the slot limit, which permits anglers to keep only one striper per day measuring between 28 and 31 inches, after the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in May took emergency action to protect striped bass.
The tighter restrictions were put in place after the striped bass harvest by recreational anglers nearly doubled in 2022 over the previous year.
DMR also plans to implement further angler education in conjunction with “Keep Fish Wet,” a nonprofit group that advocates best practices for the safe handling of fish.
“We also strongly encourage striped bass fishermen to view information we have posted on the DMR website that highlights catch and release tips and current regulations,” Keliher said.
A copy of the emergency regulation can be found on the DMR website.