Statements from our Conservation Partners

Ahead of the 14th Annual Schoolie Tournament (2025): Statements from our Conservation Partners

"The Cheeky Schoolie Tournament is more than just a celebration of fly-fishing for striped bass; it's a testament to the passion and unity of the striper angling community. Cheeky's honorable efforts to highlight anglers' critical role in Striper conversation have shifted the dynamic from a fun annual event to a vital community unification. Now more than ever, we must harness the passion of the striped bass community for meaningful conservation through sound management. While the outcome of the December 2024 meeting was incredibly disappointing, the ASMFC Striped Bass Board's actions in recent years have shown that our collective voice has been heard and is making a tangible difference. Conservation-minded anglers have proven that when united, we can challenge the status quo, disrupt complacency, and demand meaningful action for the resource we hold dear. Our efforts have not gone unnoticed and made some uncomfortable—but that discomfort signals progress in an outdated system doomed to repeat history. We've seen conservation victories outpace losses in recent years. This is a testament to the anglers who refuse to let managers dictate the future of stripers with anything other than sound science. ASGA looks forward to reuniting the Schoolie community in 2025. Together, we can ensure a brighter future for striped bass." - American Saltwater Guides Association

"Striped Bass are in trouble. The stock remains overfished, we have experienced six straight years of spawning failure in Chesapeake Bay (along with two in the Hudson River). Those failures mean there are insufficient juvenile fish in the pipeline as the 2015- and 2018-year classes enter the ocean slot limit for the recreational fishery. And yet the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) opted to make no changes to striped bass regulations during its meeting in December—a meeting called to address the crisis. It is hard to see how the ASMFC will succeed in meeting its 2029 deadline to rebuild the stock to healthy, sustainable levels. 

 
Amid such uncertainly you may wonder how we can support a striped bass fishing tournament? It is for that very reason! Having taken the time to consider this in every way possible, Stripers Forever believes that the benefits of the annual Cheeky Schoolie Tournament justify its continuation. The Cheeky tournament is all about conservation, education, and awareness. As a one-day, catch-photo-release, fly-fishing only tournament, the emphasis and proceeds has always been on doing what is right for the fishery. Working with the Cheeky team and our conservation partner, Keep Fish Wet, each participant is required to follow science-based best practices for handling and releasing fish to minimize the risk of mortality. The tournament takes place on Cape Cod in mid-May while water temperatures are still cold, removing one major risk factor and maximizing each fish’s chance for survival.
 
Bottom line: if any of the organizations involved in this great tournament believed it to be detrimental to the health and future of wild Atlantic striped bass, the tournament would not happen. Stripers Forever is committed to our mission of conserving wild striped bass, and we could not be successful without the support of North Point Brands and the Cheeky Schoolie Tournament. They are vital to our advocacy efforts and to furthering the cause of striped bass conservation." - Taylor Vavra, President, Stripers Forever

"Sustainable, resilient fisheries need a combination of top-down management and policy strategies AND bottom-up, grassroots conservation efforts. We need science-based management decisions AND fishers that take conservation actions outside of management regimes.  Recently, we have not been able to rely on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to do their part for the future of striped bass, so it’s time for us anglers to double down on taking matters into our own hands, literally.  

We need every angler to step up, take responsibility, and be an active participant in conservation to help turn the striper fishery around.  One way anglers can make a positive impact is by using science-based best practices every time they catch, handle, and release a striper.  Science has shown that even small changes in how an angler interacts with a striped bass can have positive outcomes once that fish swims away.

For the last 13 years, the Cheeky Schoolie Tournament has been instrumental in striped bass conservation.  Not only has the tournament donated significantly to nonprofits, but it has also provided thousands of anglers with the knowledge and tools to be better stewards, and shed light on the issues facing striped based through sponsor actions and media attention.  Jacque Cousteau said, ‘we only protect what we love’ and this tournament has helped so many anglers protect each striped bass the comes to hand.  Each fish matters and every drop count.“  - Sascha Clark Danylchuk, Executive Director, Keep Fish Wet