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Delaware’s state fish -- the weakfish -- is in trouble and the reason isn’t what you’d expect.

Anglers aren’t out there reeling in fish by the dozens. In fact, state and regional managers have ratcheted back so much on recreational catch limits that you can keep one, 13-inch fish a day -- if you can find one. Commercial guys aren’t catching them either. Last year, the total commercial landings in Delaware totaled about 50 pounds, said John Clark, the state fisheries environmental program manager.

Instead, fisheries managers believe natural mortality may be the reason adult weakfish populations -- once the bread and butter of both commercial and recreational anglers in Delaware Bay -- aren’t recovering and the numbers are falling even lower.

Read the full story at The News Journal >>

Read more about population decline >>

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