WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor
certain committee committees by a certain date.

WHEREAS, Since 1954, the Department of Natural Resources has been taking
samples of fish for the presence of juvenile rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay, and has used
these samples as a basis for the "Young of the Year Index"; and

WHEREAS, The Maryland "Young of the Year Index" is the most widely used index
to analyze the status of the abundance of rockfish or striped bass along the Atlantic Coast,
and has also been used for various management decisions, including imposing and
removing the current moratoriums on the taking, possession, transportation, and sale of
rockfish in Maryland; and

WHEREAS, It has been stated, however, that the sampling methods used in the
"Young of the Year Index" are too simplistic, too random, and not scientific enough
insufficient to be used as -a- the sole gauge to determine when to remove the moratoriums
current restrictions on the taking, possession, transportation, and sale of rockfish; and

WHEREAS, The Department uses 22 key sites for sampling (which have remained
the same since 1954 and are the basis for the "Young of the Year Index") along with as
many as 18 alternate sites for sampling (which are randomly selected each year by
watermen but are not used as part of the "Young of the Year Index"); and

WHEREAS, Many areas of the Chesapeake Bay do not lend themselves to the
current sampling methods since many areas are too shallow or are blocked by tree stumps
and other obstacles that can tangle or snag sampling nets; and

WHEREAS, More The best available modern and scientific procedures should be
used in conjunction with the current sampling methods for the "Young of the Year Index"
so that the data produced by all of these procedures and methods could approach provide
more accurate and statistically significant figures; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the
Secretary of Natural Resources is requested to use more modern and scientific procedures
examine all available sampling methods and associated costs of implementing additional
sampling methods to supplement the current sampling methods for the "Young of the Year
Index" for juvenile rockfish to obtain less random and more the best available statistically
significant figures that can be used as a gauge to remove the current moratoriums
restrictions on the taking, possession, transportation, and sale of rockfish; and be it further

RESOLVED, That on or before December 1, 1989, the Secretary of Natural
Resources is requested to report to the members of the House Environmental Matters
Committee and the Senate Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee on the
desirability and feasibility of implementing additional sampling techniques and on the
effectiveness of any changes made to the current sampling procedures used to determine
the "Young of the Year Index" for juvenile rockfish; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of
Legislative Reference to the Honorable Torrey C. Brown, M.D., Secretary of Natural
Resources, Tawes State Office Building, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401.

Signed May 19, 1989.

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