Mr. Colvin reported that there had been a lot of communication within the State Legislature about the current legislative logjam on renewing DEC’s regulatory authority for striped bass. He expressed hope that a resolution to this issue was only a week or two away. Councilor McBride read a letter from a Montauk charterboat captain expressing concern about losing the two-fish bag limit allowed to permitted charter & partyboat captains. Mr. Colvin explained that all the measures in place to allow that program were based on the lost authority to regulate possession. Captain McBride asked if, in the worst case scenario, there might not be some method of allowing the two fish limit to avoid disaster for the families of party and charter boat participants. Mr. Wise said that, at the Council’s direction, he had been communicating with legislators on the importance of resolving this issue; he encouraged councilors to contact their state legislators individually to voice their continuing concern.

Mr. Colvin said that he believed things were now moving in good faith towards compromise on all sides.