Representing Over 6,500 Recreational Anglers
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6 Arnold Road, Coventry, RI 02816 www.RISAA.org 401-826-2121 SEPTEMBER, 2010 Representing Over 6,500 Recreational Anglers Candidates for Governor Poacher nabbed by RIDEM respond to RISAA questions Enforcement Public access, artificial reefs, LNG, repeat offender caught with illegal striped bass fishing piers and boat sales tax On August 12, officers of the RIDEM Division In an effort to help recreational of Law Enforcement Response Unit anglers make their personal apprehended and arrested Albert Reeves of decisions on who they will vote for Rehoboth, MA for the illegal possession of as the next Governor of Rhode striped bass. Island, RISAA has sent a survey to Officers had received information that all of the gubernatorial candidates. Reeves was allegedly illegally taking over limits All but one responded. of striped bass, and that he was hiding the All were sent questions on the illegal fish in a hidden compartment on his same five issues: boat, and then selling the fish to dealers in Massachusetts. • Artificial Reefs According to sources familiar with the case, Reeves was • Weavers Cove LNG Project stopped and his boat boarded after he landed in Galilee. When • Public access to the shoreline encountered, Reeves was in possession of a legal recreational • Jamestown bridge fishing pier catch in the boat's hatch. • No sales tax on boat sales Then, when questioned about any additional fish, Reeves Read the responses carefully. Not all of the insisted that he had no more fish and allowed the officers to candidates are committing favorably to these issues. search the boat. Officers then found a concealed switch which The questions and responses being on page 7 hydraulically opened a hidden compartment under the deck. There were ten additional striped bass in the compartment. Reeves was issued a citation to appear for arraignment on September 10, and his boat was taken to the Wickford branch of DEM Enforcement Divsion. NOT THE FIRST TIME RIDEM officers are familiar with Reeves. On July 8, 2003 he was arrested for the illegal possession of 22 striped bass which were found in a hidden compartment under the deck in front of the center console. Upon appearance in 4th Division Court later that month he pleaded NOLO and was fined $450.00. (See page 2 related info) New regulations for tautog announced Fall limits reduced and new "boat limit" instituted Read "The Watch" on page 15 to learn how we got here, and the actual new regulations are on page 32. R.I.S.A.A. / September, 2010 Time to take a stand... Big fines, confiscate the boat - teach those Sept 11 • 8:00 AM RISAA Kayak Committee Outing thieves a lesson Fishing at Watch Hill or Napatree The striped bass is the most prized fish bass population thrives. on the U.S. East Coast. While it can be But we have people who refuse to Sept 13 • 6:00 PM said that many enjoy fishing for fluke, follow the rules. There are thieves out RI Marine Fisheries Council meeting Corless Auditorium, URI Bay Campus tautog or tuna, everyone would agree that there who think only of themselves, and Narragansett stripers are number one! what they are doing is criminal. There are times when they are easy to Every time a thief takes a striper over Sept 14 • 6:30 PM catch, and times when they are elusive. what is allowed, he is not only stealing a RISAA Fly Fishing Committee meeting Striper hunters learn where to find them, fish from you and me, he is throwing off at River & Riptide Anglers, W.Greenwich times to catch them and which baits to use. that balance the scientists have set in Sept 16 • 6:30 PM Generally, knowledge brings success. place. Instead of one fish out and a new RISAA Artificial Reefs Committee After 13 years as RISAA president, I've one in, the thief has made it two fish out. at 6 Arnold Road, Coventry heard many times, from new and old But how bad can one fish be? members alike, "I've been fishing all my The professional thieves (see story on Sept 22 • 6:30 PM life and can't catch a striper." I have told page 1), aren't taking one fish over the limit, RISAA Board of Directors them to keep at it; attend the seminars to they are taking MANY, and they are doing Sept 27 • 7:00 PM improve their knowledge and they will it every day! Just one of those guys are RISAA Monthly Seminar - See page 23 catch that first bass. taking literally hundreds of illegal fish each But I hope that advice will continue to year. Sept 28 - 30 be true in the future. The hard core striper Now consider that there are many New England Fisheries Mgmt Council guys, and even the weekend anglers, have poachers out there doing the same thing Viking Hotel, Newport, RI been reporting a new scarcity of bass. This every day and it turns out that thousands can't be happening. Or can it? of stripers are "stolen" every year. Oct 4 • 6:00 PM Ask anyone over the age of 40, if they What does that do for the one-out, one- R.I. Marine Fisheries Council meeting fished in the 70s and 80s, what happened in theory for a healthy striper population? Oct 12 • 6:30 PM to stripers. That's when the striped bass This needs to stop! RISAA Fly Fishing Committee meeting disappeared. Everyone found out that the One of the problems is that the at River & Riptide Anglers, W.Greenwich endless supply of stripers really wasn't legislature and the courts don't realize the endless. seriousness and extent of this crime. Look Oct 16 • RISAA Event It's history now, but a moratorium, new at the Reeves case. In 2003, he was caught Dinner With The Hypnotist science and stricter regulations brought with 22 striped bass in a hidden stripers back, and we've all enjoyed great compartment on his boat. He received a Oct 18 • 6:30 PM fishing for a number of years. $450 fine. What a shame! RISAA Education Committee at 6 Arnold Road, Coventry But lately, those who witnessed the Was that a deterrent to prevent him decline of bass back then, are spreading from doing it again? Of course not. That Oct 19 • 6:30 PM the word that it's happening again. The $450 is called "the cost of doing business." RISAA Board of Directors meeting bass are slowly disappearing, and it's most I hope that this time the court will agree apparent in the absence of smaller fish. and impose the maximum fines. But can Oct 25 • 7:00 PM Even the biologists are noticing this. you believe that there is no law allowing RISAA Monthly Seminar - See page 24 Is it time for tighter regulations to fix the court to keep a boat for striped bass Robert Thompson: NOAA Weather the problem? Perhaps, in the near future, violations? That's what we really need! Capt. Ray Stachelek: Napatree Point it will be necessary. But for now, we follow It is time we go to the General Oct 27 • 6:30 PM the regulations that have been put into Assembly to change the R.I. fisheries laws RISAA Legislative Committee meeting place that are supposed to maintain the to allow for stricter penalties, or those guys held at 6 Arnold Road, Coventry striped bass population at a "sustainable" who haven't yet caught a striper may never level. That means when people catch fish get the chance. Nov 30 • 6:00 PM and take them home, enough new fish take The RISAA Board of Directors has RIMFC Menhaden Advisory Panel their place, and if everything and everyone decided that it's time to take action. URI Coastal Institute, Narragansett lives by the rules, in theory, the striped (to page 39) - 2 - R.I.S.A.A. / September, 2010 The purpose of the Membership Committee is to contact new The Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association is a member members, welcome them to the Association and answer any organization of the International Game Fish Association questions they may have about RISAA and its activities. Did you know?* Welcome to the new members who joined last month IGFA RECORDS (most recent records is 2009) male: Stan Nabozny with 41 records, Robert Anika, Jr. Stryker Blue female: Dotty Ballantyne with 25 records. Coventry, RI Greene, RI Top five most popular IGFA record species in 2009; Timothy Bernett Dick Henry Pacific barracuda, 31 records Sayre, PA Nashua, NH Blacktip shark, 22 records Redtail catfish, 16 records Ben Blue Dean Lenling Almaco jack, 13 records Greene, RI Westport, MA Doublespotted queenfish and Golden trevally, 12 records (tied) Alan Blott J.T. Robertson Average weight of IGFArecords in 2009: 28 lbs. (12.7 kg) Coventry, RI Cumberland, RI For saltwater species: 31.5 lbs. (14.3 kg) For freshwater species: 22 lbs. (9.9 kg) Dallas Blue Capt. Ray Stachelek Greene, RI East Greenwich, RI Top five record producing countries in 2009: United States, 174 records Remingon Blue Brazil, 62 records Greene, RI Costa Rica, 51 records There are no strangers in the Rhode Island Thailand, 38 records Saltwater Anglers Association Japan, 35 records Only friends you haven't met yet. Record category breakdown in 2009: Saltwater vs. freshwater, 363 vs 203 records Line class, 252 records Share the Wealth! Fly rod, 129 records All tackle, 99 records BRING A FRIEND TO Junior Angler, 86 records THE NEXT MEETING. *Published in the IGFA International Angler RISAA members can bring a guest to the monthly seminars, at no charge, during 2010.