August 9, 2012 (BOSTON) A mandatory commercial tagging program has been approved for striped bass fishing along the Atlantic coast.
            
The Atlantic states marine fisheries commission says it was developed following an investigation of illegal fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.            

The new program includes increasing penalties for illegally caught fish and improvements over previous tagging programs.             States from Maine to Florida participate in the commission, which said all except Massachusetts and North Carolina must adopt the new program for the 2013 commercial fishing season.
            
The two remaining states must implement their programs by the following year.