Anglers Will Face Cuts in Summer Flounder for Next 3 Years
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www.RISAA.org SEPTEMBER, 2015 • Issue 201 401-826-2121 Representing Over 7,500 Recreational Anglers Anglers will face cuts in summer flounder for next 3 years The Mid-Atlantic What does this mean? In 2015 we shared Fishery Management part of a 7.38 million pound recreational Council and the Atlantic coastal quota. This chart shows the States Marine Fisheries “phased in” reduction over three years: Commission met jointly in Summer Flounder (fluke) New York on August 12 to quota establish specifications for Rec Harvest Limit the summer flounder, scup, Year black sea bass, and (millions of pounds) bluefish fisheries. 2015 7.38 The resulting news for summer flounder 2016 5.42 won’t be pleasing to anglers as it looks like 2017 5.28 there will be mandatory reductions in 2016, 2018 5.26 2017 and 2018. The initial recommendation of a 43 This move is triggered by low recruitment percent reduction at least was softened by from during the 2010-2013 year classes, thus the final vote in favor of a 29 percent cut in indicating that overfishing occurred in 2014. the summer flounder quota for both the (to page 5) commercial and recreational sectors starting in 2016. Southern New England’s Worst Year in History for River Herring Raises Concerns at Sea by PETER BAKER Fisheries officials and watershed conservation groups have tallied the spring migratory runs of river herring, and in parts of southern New England, 2015 likely will go down as a particularly terrible year for these critically important forage fish. Reports from across Connecticut and Rhode Island show the number of migrating fish declining dramatically compared with recent years, leading one prominent biologist to call this year “the worst in history” in his state. Consider a few examples from Rhode Island. Last year, more than 102,000 river herring passed through Gilbert Stuart Brook in North Kingstown. This year, that number dropped to about 11,000. (to page 38) R.I.S.A.A. / September, 2015 Sept 9 • 6:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee Sea bass & Providence Harbor fishing at Narrow River 2016 REGULATION CHANGES Then they started asking questions.... Sept 22 • 6:30 Board of Directors If you’ve read the report in this issue for thirty minutes. It seems they all were meeting about the recreational fishing regulations actually in favor of recreational fishing. to take place between 2016-2018, you’ll They asked what I thought about a Sept 25 • 6:00 PM Fly Fishing note that black sea bass (BSB) will remain fishing pier being build at Fox Point or India Committee fishing at Weekapaug the same for all states. On the surface Point park. I said definitely yes, and said I Breachway that’s fine. Everyone agrees there are tons think it was one of the piers on the long- of sea bass out there. range plan by past DEM Director Mike Sept 26 • 8:00 AM Kayak Committee BUT..... It was ridiculous that Rhode Sullivan who was an advocate for fishing fishing at Sakonnet Island anglers were stuck with a one-fish piers. Sept 28 • 7:00 PM. RISAA Seminar BSB bag limit for July and August this year. Eugenia Marks (Director of RI Since the feds have now said BSB are not Audubon) was one of the commissioners Sept 29-Oct 1 • New England Marine overfished and the quota for each state and she told the other commissioners that Fisheries Council Meeting, Plymouth, will not change for the next two years, does she remembered Sullivan’s pier plan, and MA that mean Rhode Island will be stuck with they should try to get a copy of it. They all one-fish again? This just can’t happen. liked the idea. Sept 30 • 6:00 PM ASMFC Public There had to be something wrong with They asked me I was aware of conflict Hearing on Tautog PID, Corless Audit- RI’s catch numbers last year. between recreational boats and commercial orium, URI Bay Campus, Narragansett We really need to follow this! shipping using the Port of Providence. I Oct 6 • 5:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee told them there was no conflict that I ever fishing at Goddard Park, Warwick PROVIDENCE HARBOR FISHING heard of. Guys in small boats are going to On July 28 I was invited to make a get out of the way of a 200 foot ship coming Oct 12 • 7:00 AM Fly Fishing Committee presentation to the Providence Harbor in. They all nodded in agreement. fishing at Narrow River Commission at Providence City Hall on the I was asked to name some of the good importance of recreational fishing in the places to fish from shore. I had made a list Oct 16-25 RISAA Fall Tautog Special ahead of time with locations on both the Tournament Providence River and Harbor. This is because they are working on Providence and East Providence sides of the River. Oct 20 • 6:30 Board of Directors the Providence Harbor Special Area Meeting Management Plan (SAMP) and recreational Finally I was asked what I considered fishing use needs to be included in the plan. to be the most important thing that I wanted Oct 26 • 7:00 PM. RISAA Seminar The Providence Harbor SAMP covers them to know. Easy, I said, public access, everything from Fields Point north to the stressing that it's important to obtain areas Oct 22 • 6:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee main harbor, Seekonk River and along the river that would provide access event Woonasquatucket River. to the shore WITH PARKING. Successful meeting. Oct 26 • 7:00 PM RISAA Seminar I was supposed to speak for a maximum of 10 minutes (including questions). I tried CIRCLE HOOKS Nov 30 • 7:00 PM. RISAA Seminar to quickly get in everything I thought they should know, like how there is an active My comments here last month about Dec 28 • 7:00 PM. RISAA Seminar and fishery there all year. I explaining spring fishing for fluke with circle hooks, brought Annual Meeting river herring and menhaden migrations several emails. One said it didn’t work, but bringing in striped bass and bluefish, the three others said it did work. addition of scup in the summer, and even Capt. Steve Tombs said, “Have been The Official Newsletter of the told about the holdover stripers in the using circle hooks for fluke for 10 years Rhode Island winter. now and only thing different is that we Saltwater Anglers Association I also explained that the Providence don’t have as many gut hooked fish. You Published Monthly waterfront was important to shore don’t want to set the hook like you do Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers sustenance fishermen, and how many traditionally - lifting the rod tip slowly until Association, Inc. people fished there to bring food home for you see it load is all you need to do. Dead P.O. Box 1465 the family. sticking works fine.” Coventry, RI 02816 - 2 - R.I.S.A.A. / September, 2015 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. Stock assessments; Tautog public hearings; Ocean Habitats STOCK ASSESSMENTS IMPORTANT FOR fish stocks and guide the setting of harvest regulations that FISH AND FISHERMEN prevent overfishing and attain optimum yield. Why was the striped bass limit cut to one fish? Why are Stock assessments provide estimates of a stock’s abundance you allowed to take 9" scup from select shore areas and the (spawning biomass or reproductive output) and fishing mortality minimum is 10" from a boat and other shore rate relative to the targets and limits set for these quantities. areas? And, why were we restricted to one The relative size of fish populations and fishing mortality black sea bass all summer? for federally managed fish stocks with the most recent available The answer to these and similar questions information is in the Species Information System (SIS) Database, lies, in part, with the National Oceanic and which is the central repository for regional and national fish Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) stock information. ability to manage and prioritize fish stock The key factors that go into assessment decisions include assessments for recreational and commercial fisheries so fish the status of the stock, the importance to recreational and managers can make decisions based on the best available commercial fisheries, available assessment information and the scientific information. species ecosystem importance. Last month, NOAA released a final version of a new stock For information on stock assessments in our area (the assessment prioritization system. NOAA manages over 500 Northeast Region) visit www.nefsc.noaa.gov/saw . fish species nationally, but only has the resources to conduct Details of the final assessment system report can be found about 200 fish stock assessments a year with its partners. In at www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/stock-assessment/stock-assessment- our area NOAA partners with the New England Fishery prioritization . Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. ASMFC RELEASED TAUTOG DOCUMENT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Tautog Management Board is seeking public comment on the Public Information Document (PID) for Draft Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Tautog.