Rhode Island in Leadership Role on Key Menhaden Decisions For
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www.RISAA.org SEPTEMBER, 2017 • Issue 225 401-826-2121 Representing Over 7,500 Recreational Anglers by Rhode Island In Leadership Role on Key Capt. Richard Menhaden Decisions For Atlantic Coast Hittinger On August 17, a meeting was held at RIDEM Baykeeper from Save The Bay, Benson Chiles and Bev headquarters in Providence to discuss local Landstreet from the Menhaden Conservation Project and menhaden issues and the upcoming proposed Meg Kerr from Audubon of RI. The above national groups asked to participate because changes at the Atlantic States Marine Rhode Island is currently in a unique Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) level. position at the ASMFC with Robert In attendance was RIDEM Director Ballou as chairman of the Atlantic Janet Coit, Larry Mouradjian, Associate Menhaden Management Board and Jason Director, Robert Ballou, Assistant to the McNamee as chairman of the Director, and Jason McNamee, Chief of Menhaden Technical Committee. Marine Resources. Because of these leadership roles, Rhode Island has Also, representing recreational anglers was RISAA an opportunity to make a positive difference in menhaden President Steve Medeiros and 1st Vice President Richard management now and in the future! (to page 8) Hittinger. In addition was Mike Jarbeau, Narragansett Reich appointed to RISAA Board of Directors On August 27, Richard A. Reich of Narragansett, RI was appointed to fill the position of Sergeant-At-Arms. The vacancy occurred when Michael Lawing, a police officer, had to give up the Sergeant-At-Arms position because of a change in work hours. Per RISAA By-Laws, when a vacancy occurs in the middle of the year, the President shall nominate a Member to serve the remainder of the term, with the consent of the Board. President Steve Medeiros nominated Reich who was Richard Reich unanimously approved. Reich - known as "Richie" to friends - is a 16-year RISAA member. In addition to volunteering for RISAA events such as the Fishing Show, Youth Fishing Camp and Take-A-Kid Fishing Day, he is currently chairman of the Surfcasters Committee. He will serve until December 31 when the 2018 Officers and Directors take over. R.I.S.A.A. / September, 2017 Cranston’s “No Fishing” amended When last month’s issue was sent to stamps on it. the printer, I was pretty upset about the That’s a big difference in mailing cost, Sep 2 • 4:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee Cranston City Council proposing an but it also goes with some special rules fishing at Bristol Narrows ordinance that would prohibit fishing at we have to follow. Sep 9 • 6:00 PM Kayak Committee the public access at the end of Ocean fishing at Ft. Adams, Newport Avenue near the RI Yacht Club. PLEASE KEEP ME FROM Thanks to Cranston City Councilman STANDING IN LINE! Sep 19 • 6:30 Board of Directors Steve Stycos who first called me to alert One requirement is that our mailing list us about the proposed ordinance we were has to be verified EVERY MONTH. Every Sep 20 • 6:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee able to quickly join with other groups to month I send all of the newsletter pages fishing at Weekapaug Breachway protest the proposal. For several days we and current mail list to the printing were in a whirlwind effort sending letters, company. They in turn, have to run the Sep 23 • 8:00 AM Kayak Committee fishing at Fogland Beach, Tiverton making calls and emails to try to stop it mail list through special software that from happening. checks addresses. Sep 25 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly And within a week, when the Also, if you note on the mailing side Seminar newsletter was mailed to members’ homes, of your next issue, you’ll see the line the ordinance had been amended to “CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED.” This Sep 28 • 5:00 PM Fly FishingCommittee ALLOW FISHING. It was a win for is mandatory for the nonprofit rate. fishing at Narrow River recreational fishing and public access. This is NOT my favorite thing. The post office continually notifies us Oct 2 • 6:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee DAMAGED NEWSLETTER when we have a wrong address, usually fishing at Weekapaug Breachway When my personal copy of our August because someone moved, is temporarily Oct 4 • 600 PM ASMFC Public Hearing newsletter arrived in the mail, it was away or just a wrong address. on Menhaden Draft Amendment 3 contained in a “WE CARE” plastic bag. I Approximately 3 times a week, when I Corless Auditorium, URI Bay Campus, guess it got smashed as it went through pick up the RISAA mail at the post office, Narragansett the post office machinery. there will be pink slip in the box telling me It was the I have to go to the front desk. I don’t like Oct 7 • 8:00 AM Kayak Committee first time my getting those slips. It means standing in fishing at Camp Cronin newsletter line, pink slip in hand, in which I’ll receive Oct 10 • 6:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee was ever an address-change postcard telling me one fishing at Narrow River damaged like of our members changed his address and that though, didn’t tell us. And then I pay 58 or 67 Oct 24 • 6:30 PM RISAA Board of but it caused cents per address-change postcard. Directors me to wonder In the winter and spring months I’ll get if this was 10-15 of these at a time, all reporting Oct 30 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly happening “temporarily away”... and paying 58 cents Seminar to a lot of for each. other So, IF YOU MOVE or IF YOU GO Nov 27 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly Seminar members? SOUTH FOR THE WINTER, please let me If this is happening to you all the time, know. Dec 18 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly please let me know. If it’s only occasional Even if you fill out a card at the post Seminar and Annual Meeting - or only once like mine - then it’s worth office saying to hold your mail, or fill out a the small inconvenience to get a 52-page forwarding address card, because we are The Official Newsletter of the publication at a small cost. nonprofit, I will still get the notice - every Rhode Island Our newsletters are shipped at a special month that you are gone! I would rather Saltwater Anglers Association “Nonprofit Bulk Rate”. This is great and change your address in our database to Published Monthly the average issue only costs us 28 cents your temporary address and then change Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers to mail. We have several members who it back when you return. It would save me Association, Inc. pay extra to have their issues sent by 1st from standing in the darn post office line P.O. Box 1465 class mail, so I know it costs $1.61 to put all the time. Thanks. Coventry, RI 02816 - 2 - R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2017 The RISAA Legislative Committee’s mission is to provide, in partnership with the Affiliated Clubs, a forum for improving the knowledge and understanding of fishery-related and government issues that affect recreational anglers. An informed membership encourages involvement and advocacy. The Legislative Committee will strive to advocate responsible fishery decision. The Committee is comprised of RISAA Members and delegates from the Affiliated Clubs. The Committee meets two or three times a year, depending on the number of fishery and/or legislative issues that develop. The fish are losing their voice It’s August, nine months into a forty-eight month fisheries through the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric presidency and the fish are losing their voice. With all that is Administration (NOAA). The Magnusson Stevens Act (MSA), going on in our country it seems odd to talk about the plight of the fishing law of our nation, gives fisheries management control the fish. However, it is important to note that by ignoring climate to eight regional fisheries councils, with NOAA coordinating, change and abusing resources such as fish the people in our supervising and implementing. nation will feel the impact well after the present administration In some cases (like in the Northeast) a coastwide commission is gone. has been put in place. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries The fish are losing their voice because in past Commission (ASMFC) provides east coast management for administrations (republican or democrat) it has been a matter of migratory species that travel form one council’s geographic rebuilding fisheries and allowing them to grow to Maximum management area to another. So with some species (like striped Sustainable Yield levels. However, bass, summer flounder, black sea bass that is not case now. and others on the east coast) it makes The administration and its sense to manage fish coastwide. appointees have engaged an Congressmen and senators in agenda that focuses on whatever states that have long recognized the in the short term is economically major economic impact of fishing in expedient while battering our their local economy have advocated natural resources and environment with the administration and Secretary in the process. People and the fish Ross to allow more fish to be taken, are and will continue to be hurt by for example New Jersey with summer this agenda and that is a tragedy. flounder (fluke) and the Gulf of Mexico Maximum Sustainable Yield states with red snapper. They want to (MSY) is the largest average catch take more fish above research-based that can be captured from a stock recommended harvest limits. Local under existing environmental interest groups including some conditions.