Construction of New Rocky Point Fishing Pier Set to Start
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
www.RISAA.org MAY, 2019 • Issue 244 401-826-2121 Representing Over 7,500 Recreational Anglers Construction of New Rocky Point Fishing Pier Set to Start Will provide much needed saltwater fishing public access The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and Warwick Mayor Joseph J. Solomon announce that construction of a new timber fishing pier will begin soon at the iconic Rocky Point State Park in Warwick. Financed by RI Capital Plan and Green Economy Bond funding, the $1.8 million project is expected to be completed by December and will provide anglers of all abilities with access to one of the state’s prime fishing areas. "This is great news," said RISAA President Steve Medeiros. "We have been pushing for this fishing pier for several years. With the public's access to the shore dwindling every year, it's needed more than ever." RISAA Board Member Doug MacPherson said, "Shore fishing opportunities in the upper half of Narragansett Bay has always been lacking. This pier will provide a place for Rendering of 280-foot long T-shaped pier with shade structure, benches shore anglers to fish in an area that is known for good fishing." and railings. Railing heights will vary to allow people of all ages to see (to page 27) and access the water. INSIDE THIS ISSUE • Advocating for striped bass (p.2) • Are we viewing striped bass mortality the right way? (p.5) • Win a charter trip at May meeting (p.7) • Fisheries management terms (p11) • Member news (p.12) • Fluke Special Tournament (p.17) • May 20 Meeting: Fluke Fishing Panel Seminar (p.20) • Sign up for • Youth Fishing Camp (p.24) • Adult/Jr Party Boat Trip (p.32) • Party Boat Fluke Trip (p.33) • Party Boat Tautog Trip (p.35) • Take-A-KidAND MUCH Fishing MORE! Day (p.40) R.I.S.A.A. / May, 2019 Advocating for striped bass May 4 • 10:00 AM Kayak Committee By now you probably know that this only had a 50% chance of being Annual Meet & Greet, Goddard Park striped bass are in trouble. At the successful. Atlantic States Marine Fisheries So now we know, it wasn’t enough, May 7 • 6:30 PM Fly Fishing Committee Commission’s (ASMFC) February and it’s time to try again. fishg the worm hatch, Charlestown meeting, the Atlantic Striped Bass You can bet there will be those who Technical Committee informed the make money off striped bass who will May 11 • 9:00 AM Kayak Committee fishing the worm hatch, Charlestown states’ commissioners that the Female fight against any reductions. Spawning Stock Biomass in 2017 was There will also be those who are May 14 • 6:30 PM Fly Fishing Committee 68,476 metric tons which was below the opposed to every regulation that comes fishing the worm hatch, Charlestown threshold of 91,436 metric tons. This along and think ALL fish belong to meant that the stock was overfished. them personally. They are called May 14 • 6:30 Board of Directors In addition the fishing mortality “poachers!” (number of dead fish) in 2017 was 0.307 As this issue goes to the printer, May 18 • 5:00 PM Kayak Committee which was above the threshold of 0.240 the ASMFC will be meeting (April 29- fishing the worm hatch, Potter Pond which meant the stock experiencing May 2) in Virginia. May 18 • 4:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee overfishing. Both of these indicated a I hope they will all put politics aside. fishing the worm hatch, Potter Pond problem requiring action. I’m sure the battle lines are already in Also, that report also noted that place - recreational vs commercial vs May 18 RISAA Party Boat Squid Trip unless harvest was reduced, “the party/charter boats vs north and south. probability of female (spawning stock They must move forward with the May 20 • 7:00 PM RISAA Seminar biomass) being below the (spawning process of establishing stricter stock biomass) threshold in 2023 was regulations to bring the striper May 24 • 4:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee very high, equal or close to 100%.” population back to where it belongs. fishing at Potter Pond This may be hard to understand to I hope our Rhode Island May 25 • 6:00 PM Surfcasters Comm- anyone unfamiliar with fisheries commissioners will do the right thing ittee fishing at Calf Psture Point, NK. management, but in plain words, it and advocate for immediate action on means that continuing the way we are, striped bass. May 25 • 6:00 AM Kayak Committee there will not be enough female breeders Recreational fishermen want an fishing Passeonkquis Cove, Cranston to keep the stock supplied and healthy “abundance” of fish. We keep hearing in the immediate future and it will likely that word. It’s the opportunity to go June 7-9 Annual Surf Fishing Club continue to decline. fishing, believing that there are plenty Challenge So, all of us that appreciate the of fish available, and that you have a opportunity to fish for striped bass can reasonable chance of catching one. June 10 • 11:00 AM Fly Fishing Committee fishing off Goddard Park say that something needs to be done, That’s what really counts for us. If and it needs to be done now before it’s we get skunked and don’t catch fish to June 12 • 6:00 PM Kayak Committee too late. take home, we will still go back and try fishing off Newport/Ft. Adams But management at the ASMFC again - as long as that abundance of works slowly, and with a lot of politics fish exists. June 13 • 6:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee at play. But it’s on all of us to assure that fishing off Kings Park, Newport The 2013 Atlantic Striped Bass abundance happens. This can only be Assessment showed that the stock was done when fisheries managers put the in trouble. It too almost two years of fish first, and politics second. The Official Newsletter of the hearings and battles between those of We may not like the resulting Rhode Island us (RISAA) who favored going from two stricter regulations, but without them Saltwater Anglers Association fish to one fish to those who refused to there will be no fish for the future. Published Monthly give up a fish to help restore striped We all have to do our part. Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers bass. Finally in 2015 the coastwide We are all “stewards” of the Association, Inc. regulations of one fish at 28” went into fisheries resources. I hope you agree. P.O. Box 1465 effect. At the time, it was noted that Steve Coventry, RI 02816 - 2 - R.I.S.A.A. / May, 2019 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. Be careful what you wish for I can only guess how many times, through the years of Other Changes each new year’s hearings, how often it was said that MFRSS In 2015, a new survey was introduced to estimate the overall n was a terrible program and needed to be improved. Well numbers of fishing trips/effort in any given period. One of the apparently, we were not alone. In 2004 the National Oceanic more significant findings was that the random dialing of coastal and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) “requested the homes was no longer effective, partly as a result of the National Research Council (NRC) to conduct a review of all the diminishing number of homes with land line phone service which surveys operated or financed by NOAA Fisheries in use in the could no longer be reached by the survey. Additionally, it was United States and it’s territories”. The final report was released concluded that people receiving a random call were not very in 2006. accurate as far as remembering details of recent fishing trips. The NRC made specific recommendations for improvements This has to the way NOAA Fisheries was collecting data and compiling resulted in the recreational fishing statistics. The Marine Recreational creation and Information Program (MRIP), which is responsible for collecting implementation the data, began working on implementing the suggestions from of a mail survey. the NRC study. Many of the improvements to the survey The research methods have been guided by the original NRC review. conclusion was “Specific initiatives that have been implemented based on that this survey the NRC recommendations include the creation of the National gets better Massachusetts Marine Fisheries APAIS Saltwater Anglers Registry, the Re-Estimation of Recreational information Surveyors Catch Estimates (dating back to 2004) and the overhaul of the within the time frame required. In creating the mailing list for Angler Intercept Survey design to remove potential sources the survey, information from the National Recreational Fishing of bias”. Registrations are matched up to the U.S. Postal household Other issues that are being database in order to include virtually every relevant household addressed include how to most in the country. effectively account for the “for-hire Major Changes Possible for sector” (charter and party boats) and Recreational Fisherman the best survey methods for the shore Another area of concern in the NRC review was that there and private boat recreational fishery.