Striped bass season doubled for 2017

The striped bass seasonwill be more than double in length this year, increasing to 200 days for tidal waters from 95 last year.

The season in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence region, which includes the Maritime provinces, will last from April 15 until Oct. 31 for tidal waters, the Department of Fisheries announced Friday.

A shorter recreational season for inland waters will run from May 1 to Sept. 15.

The season will be closed on the northwestMiramichiRiver for three weeks starting in mid-May during the bass spawning period.

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At the bookends ofthe season, before June 14 and after Sept. 1., there will be a bag limit of one fish.In the intervening period, the limit will be increased to two.

Fish must also be between 50 and 65 centimetres in length to be harvested, and only barbless hooks can be used to catch bass in tidal waters.