P.O. Box 1465, Coventry, RI 02816 www.RISAA.org 401-826-2121 MAY, 2012 The Voice of Southern New England Fishermen Fish ladders: Important tools for river herring MRIP: The Science Behind restoration, but not all are successful Making Anglers’ Catch Count Observations at a We may never know exactly just how many fish anglers catch in a given year, but local fish ladder we can get a pretty good estimate. By gathering data such as how often anglers catch fish, what species and size of fish, by JOHN LEE and what happens to each fish after it is Author of The Dented Bucket caught, we can provide the most accurate, up-to-date information to fishery managers and decision makers. Things I’ve learned this spring: not all river herring use fish They use this catch data to make determinations about fishing ladders the way we’d like them to. Many of the fish swim right on regulations and the health of the fish populations. past, and don’t use them at all. In 2006, NOAA Fisheries began a major overhaul of the way The fish ladder at Wakefield, RI, on the west side of town we make these estimates. The result is the Marine Recreational near the Chevy dealership at (Main & High Streets) connects the Information Program, or MRIP, which is helping us do a better Atlantic Ocean and Point Judith Pond with the Saugatucket River. job of counting anglers’ catch and providing new ways to ensure Anadromous fish–fish that live at sea but spawn in freshwater– that their catch counts. (full story on page 31) use the ladder to gain access to spawning areas upriver. The Wakefield ladder (some people call them fishways) mostly sees alewives, a kind of river herring that act like miniature salmon except they don’t die after they spawn. High Street Main Street FISH DAM LADDER But this ladder doesn’t work very well at getting fish over the GULFdam.FLUKE It passesOF TACTICS MAINE some fish, COD(page but INnot 12) TROUBLE many. I don’t (page think it 27) has anything to do with this year’s drought, because the same thing happened last year, a year with plenty of springtime rain. The alewives seem to prefer another route. Instead of taking a right-hand turn after passing underneath Main Street–a turn which would put their little noses into the ladder’s entrance– they swim straight up the set of small falls, ending up in three pools at the foot of the dam. (to page 37) R.I.S.A.A. / May, 2012 Fishing Etiquette 101 We've all seen a just saw someone May 8 • Time TBA school bluefish catch a fish there. Fly Fishing Committee - fishing the busting on top of Other than fishing a worm hatch - Ninigret Pond the water with birds breachway, where diving and anglers etiquette dictates May 15 • 6:30 PM in boats hooking everyone takes a Board of Directors meeting up all around the turn, fishing spots are school. a first-come entity. May 16 • 4:00 PM approx. Unfortunately, all of us have also seen BOATING UNDERWAY RULES Kayak Committee - fishing the (and cursed at) the novice or inconsiderate • Never operate your boat over worm hatch, Potter Pond, South boater who races through the center of the someone's trolled lines Kingstown school, scattering the fish and ruining the • Watch your wake. Unless you want fishing for everyone else. Everyone knows to be called a jerk by dozens of anglers, May 21 • 7:00 PM that should never be done. It's an obvious don't fly through the middle of a "fluke RISAA Monthly Seminar violation of fishing etiquette, and unless fleet" that is drifting along. Even if there's you want a few barbed lures cast into your only one boat at anchor or adrift, either May 22 • 8:00 AM boat, you know better than to do the slow down or veer away as you zoom by. Kayak Committee - FW fishing at above. COMMON SENSE RULES Wachaug Pond, Charlestown But there are other "violations" that Some other things that are important, take place all the time, and should also be but might not be so obvious. June 9 • 10:00 AM noted - just in case you are guilty of an • I have always believed in sharing Kayak Meet & Greet. Everyone occasional breach of morals. knowledge. Every one of us learned how welcome. Beginners and to fish with the help of someone else. All interested members welcome. ANCHORING RULES of us has learned where the fishing spots Goddard Park Boat Ramp. • Don't anchor up right next to another could be found because we were shown angler who has arrived before you and is them (or was taught how to find them) by June 10 • Time TBA fishing in your spot. someone who believed in sharing. But, if Fly Fishing Committee - sight • Don't anchor up down current from someone has done you the favor of taking fishing at Monomoy Island, MA someone else's chum slick, and don't put you fishing to his favorite "secret" spot that surprised look on your face when and specifically asks that you keep the June 13 • 4:00 PM obscenities come your way after doing so. secret, then honor that request. Kayak Committee Outing - FISHING SPOT RULES • If someone signals for help or Newport Harbor evening fishing • Whether fishing by boat or from shore assistance, respond immediately. The fish - no one owns any particular spot. That can wait. I'm not saying you should tow a June 15 • 8:00 AM underwater rock is not YOUR rock! The broken down vessel to shore, but the least Kayak Committee Outing - Meet Rhode Island Constitution says so. you should do is make sure there isn't an Colt State Park boat ramp • Boaters have the whole ocean to fish. emergency on board. That boat many have Shore anglers have only as far as they can lost power and can't radio for assistance. June 16 • RISSAA 14th Annual cast. While the above rules are true about You, too, may need help someday. TAKE-A-KID FISHING DAY owning a spot, boaters should have some • Don’t assume people want advice. courtesy and not fish so close to shore so Don’t get me wrong I’ve talked to June 25 • 7:00 PM as to prohibit the shore anglers' ability to hundreds of anglers about fishing, but if RISAA Monthly Seminar & fish. someone doesn’t ask, don’t tell. Some Quarterly Meeting • If another angler catches a bass, people really enjoy the challenge of fishing which usually swims to the surface, give and figuring out what lure to use. July 30 • 7:00 PM him room to fight the fish. If the fish swims • Never go fishing without at least one RISAA Monthly Seminar near your boat, consider pulling in your plastic bag in your tackle box or pocket. line. That fish might be the other guy's Use it to carry out your trash, and, if there's August 27 • 7:00 PM catch of a lifetime. room, fill the bag with any other trash you RISAA Monthly Seminar • Never jump into a spot because you observe. - 2 - R.I.S.A.A. / May, 2012 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 issues that affect recreational anglers. An informed membership encourages involvement and advocacy. The Legislative Committee will strive to advocate responsible fishery decision. The Chairman of the Committee is George Allen and Vice Chairman is Rich Hittinger. Membership is comprised of RISAA Board of Directors 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. Addressing the illegal striped bass harvest striped bass management board initiates addendum The Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board of the Atlantic knowingly buying illegal or untagged fish. States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has initiated an The investigation revealed that the current control measures addendum to address illegal striped bass harvest. The Board’s for regulating striped bass harvest could be improved. action is in response to recommendations of the Interstate (That’s a brilliant conclusion!) Watershed Task Force (IWTF). The IWTF and the ASMFC’s Law Enforcement Committee The IWTF conducted a multi-year, multi-jurisdictional (LEC) recommended increasing penalties for illegally harvested investigation on illegal striped bass fish and implementing a uniform harvest within the Chesapeake Bay tagging system among all states with which resulted in over $1.6 million commercial striped bass fisheries. dollars in fines levied against 19 In advance of the ASMFC individuals and 3 corporations for addendum to address the illegal harvest more than one million pounds of of striped bass, Maryland has reformed illegal striped bass harvested its commercial fishing management estimated to be worth up to 7 million rules, including the suspension or dollars. revocation of commercial licenses The covert investigation from violators and increased the determined that some Virginia Commercially caught Atlantic striped bass with penalty for commercially fishing commercial fishermen were illegally Virginia tags (ASMFC photo) without a license. The Potomac River harvesting fish during the Potomac Fish Commission has permanently River Fisheries Commission’s closed season, as well as illegally revoked the licenses of the violators identified from the harvesting oversized fish from Virginia waters during the investigation, while Virginia suspended the commercial licenses spawning season. Additionally, some Maryland commercial of the violators for two years.