Striper Wars: An American Fish Story [Paperback]

Dick Russell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 2006

When commercial overfishing sent striped bass

populations into free fall in the 1980s, Dick Russell

emerged as a key spokesman in a long-shot crusade

by dedicated fishermen to save them. Striper Wars is

Russell’s vibrant account of their thrilling, yet tenuous

victory, complete with heroes and villains. In one

of nature’s great comebacks, groundbreaking moratoriums

allowed the striper population to rebound

more than tenfold. Yet today, the striper faces new

threats, including a deadly bacterial disease. While

perils persist, Dick Russell’s inspiring account offers fundamental lessons

about the power of civic action and the necessity of a holistic

approach to conservation.

Editorial Reviews

Review

oA lot of other books tell you how to catch striped bass. This book alone explains why there are stripers in the water to begin with. This is the saga of the greatest, most hard-won fisheries mangement success story in the world. Read it, and every time your line comes tight, youAEll know who to thank. More importantly, youAEll know what else needs to be done.o --Carl Safina

About the Author

DICK RUSSELL, a longtime environmental journalist, is the author of The Man Who Knew Too Much (Carroll & Graf, 2003), Black Genius: And the American Experience (Carroll & Graf, 1999), and Eye of the Whale (Island Press, 2004). He divides his time between Los Angeles and Boston.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Island Press; 1 edition (February 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597260908
• ISBN-13: 978-1597260909
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,034,197 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Striper Wars - story of bringing the striped sea bass back from the brink, November 19, 2007

By 

Alan Holyoak (The Shadow of the Tetons) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Striper Wars: An American Fish Story (Paperback)

"Striper Wars" is extraordinary for two reasons. First of all, Russell does a great job of explaining the significance of Atlantic striped bass to recreational fishermen, commercial fishermen, and to the marine ecology of the Atlantic coast of North America. Second, Russell was not just a researcher who set out to tell the tale of a tasty fish, he was a significant player in the grassroots efforts that were eventually successful in helping to publicize the plight of the striped sea bass.

The book is sometimes not quite as tightly written as I would prefer, but the story is there, easy to follow, and adequately documented. I was astounded when I read that by the time federal legislative action was undertaken, that there was only one year class of stripers out there, and that if action had not been taken, that we may have witnessed the permanent demise of this notable fish.

"Striper Wars" will be of interest to legislators, sport and commercial fishermen (though the latter may not like the underlying theme), ecologists, and others who are interested in the state of the environment.

I read this book immediately after reading "The Most Important Fish in the Sea" by H. Bruce Franklin, and that is a powerful one-two combination.

I highly recommend both books!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stars & Stripes Forever, August 16, 2005

By 

Arthur Dipietro (Westhampton Beach, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Striper Wars: An American Fish Story (Hardcover)

Combine well honed invesigative skills with the passion borne of a life long love affair with the sport of pursuing, catching, releasing, nurturing and learning from the noble Linesider and you have a read, courtesy of Mr. Russell, that anyone who cares about the continued health of the Striped Bass, its habitat and the continued reclamation of our coastal waters will tear through then pick up and read once again. Bravo!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Game Fish or Not? Read it and You Decide!, March 23, 2006

By 

Montauk Dream'n (NE Coast) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Striper Wars: An American Fish Story (Hardcover)

Excellent, comprehensive history of the fight to save this magnificent fish. If your a die hard striper fisherman, you should read this book. Also speaks to the present challenges facing the striper.