SACO, Maine — A popular fishing area in the Saco River is closed to striped bass fishing following numerous reports that striped bass died after being caught and released.
The closure of the popular fishing area between Route 9 and the head of the tide, commonly known as Cataract Dam, takes effect Saturday, June 10th, according to the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) website.
The DMR's website states that the popular fishing area is bordered by a cement wall that it makes it hard to release stripers without causing them injury or death.
Patrick Keliher, the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, said, “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.”
According to Keliher, closing this section is also aligned with current laws aimed at protecting the population of striped bass. “We recently implemented a change to the slot limit for striped bass based on an emergency action by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission that intended to protect the stock," he added.
Per the DMR, the action was taken because the striped bass is being overfished. The website states that the harvesting of the stored bass nearly doubled in 2022 compared to 2021.
Keliher said the Maine Department of Marine Resources is partnering with the non-profit organization “Keep Fish Wet” to create educational materials for fishermen.