Alexandria, VA - The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board has initiated development of Draft Addendum III with the goals of reducing striped bass fishing mortality (F) up to 40% and further protecting spawning stock when it is concentrated and vulnerable. The addendum was initiated in order to allow managers to promptly respond to the results of the stock assessment update in the fall if necessary. Provisions of the addendum, if passed, could be implemented prior to the start of the 2012 fishing year.

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Mycobacteriosis is an emerging infectious disease that affects well over 75% of the resident striped bass in Chesapeake Bay.  Signs of the disease include unsightly skin ulcers and pale gray nodular lesions in the internal organs, mainly the spleen. It is believed that once infected, striped bass ultimately die. 

The Christmas weekend storm has wreaked more havoc on Chappybeaches particularly the area between the old tire deflation lot andWasque Point. More than 20 feet of beach was lost at the site of theformer deflation lot and the ocean is now less than 150 feetfrom Jerry & Sue Wack's house. The road from what was thedeflation lot has all but disappeared with only the very lower portionremaining. Currently the only way to access the Chappy side ofNorton Point Beach is on foot from the bathing beach parking lot,and that may not even be possible at high tide. The Trustees haveremoved all of their signage from the lot and the Foster SilvaMemorial rock has been moved back to the Wasque guard house.The seaward end of the lot is being washed over almost daily and isfilling with seaweed and sand as well as debris from the remainingbluff which is only about 30 feet from the edge of the lot. WasquePoint itself has been reduced in size and there is absolutely no dunebetween Wasque and what was once Metcalf's Hole. Much of thesand has been pushed inland and there is very little left to the SwanPond. The entire area including much of East Beach is filled withdebris coming off of the bluffs. Accelerating the problem is thefact that the Katama side of Norton Point is continuing it's marcheastward and starting to parallel the Chappy side. This has createda 100 yard sluiceway which funnels the water out of EdgartownHarbor directly toward the southwest corner of Chappy which istaking the biggest hit.See aerial views directly below comparing the Water line from theSummer of 2008 to the current water line in December 2010. Click Here for the Full Story with Photos.

There is a new breach out on Cape Poge. It is between the windmill house and the Gut. The breach is located about 200 yards south of the windmill house and is approximately 100 feet wide and is about three feet deep at high tide. This makes it impassable even at low tide. Water is now flowing through the break between Edgartown Harbor and Cape Poge Bay.

See photos below taken by Peter Johnson.

In addition to Peter’s photos there is also an aerial view showing the Cape Poge breach. In the photos, the windmill house would be behind you and to the right as you head south towards the Gut. If you were able to keep driving through the breach you would eventually reach the Gut with the stairs and boat house in front of you. In the aerial view, the shot is taken as if you were flying north from the Gut back toward the windmill house which would then be on your left. The windmill house in the aerial view is after the break in the top right hand corner of the picture.