An emergency regulation restricting recreational striped bass fishermen to only keep fish between 28 and 31 inches has been extended through October 2024, according to a release from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

The ASMFC’s striped bass board, a federal body that regulates the fishery on the east coast, first announced their emergency action in May, lowering the maximum size for a keeper bass from 35 to 31 inches.

The new rules were enacted to protect a strong class of breeding age fish and were originally set to expire this fall.

According to a release sent by the ASMFC, this extension allows the commission time to finalize a draft addendum for the 2024 striper regulations. That addendum, the release says, “will propose options for the ocean recreational fishery, including modifications to the slot limit with harvest season closures as a secondary non-preferred option.”

The striped bass board will review the draft addendum, and if it is approved, it will be released for public comment.