Recreational fishermen in Virginia may lose the chance to haul in trophy-sized rockfish—those at least 36 inches long—this spring if the Virginia Marine Resources Commission approves a proposed moratorium on the popular catch.

The emergency measure restricting fishing of rockfish (also known as striped bass) will be considered by the commission when it meets on Tuesday at its headquarters in Fort Monroe. If enacted, the measure would go into place the following Monday, April 29, applying specifically to trophy-sized rockfish in the spring season.

According to an April 1 VMRC notice, overfishing, an unsustainable population, and low reporting rates for trophy-sized rockfish catches are listed as reasons for the consideration of the spring ban.

“The number of striped bass harvested recreationally by Virginia fisheries has declined markedly since 2010 when 368,000 striped bass were harvested from all tidal Virginia waters,” the document stated. “In 2018, p...