www.RISAA.org APRIL, 2019 • Issue 243 401-826-2121 Representing Over 7,500 Recreational Anglers RI Recreational Saltwater Fishing Licenses Annual Report Released Shows number of licenses sold, fees collected, 2018 expenditures, and 2019 proposed expenditures to improve fishing opportunities During 2018 The Rhode Island Rhode Island issued Recreational Saltwater 50,795 recreational License Program, which was enacted into law in 2010, has saltwater fishing an “Accountability and licenses Oversight” section which resulting in $330,444 gross mandates that, on an annual revenue and $233,934 in basis, RIDEM shall provide a net revenue. report detailing the number of licenses issued, total revenue Of those, 12,198 were and expenditures made and purchased by non-RI plans to allocate and use the residents. fee revenue during the next year. (to page 25) 2019 Saltwater Fishing Show Sets Another New Attendance Record At the end of each day of the three-day show we were told the count showed an increase in attendance, and this unofficial count put the attendance to 15,500. Everyone on the Show Committee was pleased that we beat the 2018 record attendance of 15,400. But then, days later, when the official count came in, we learned that the actual attendance was 15,600! While the public has proven they love this show, there is no shortage of exhibitors who also want to be part of it, and every year there is a waiting list of exhibitors wanting to be part of the show, since all spaces always are sold. RISAA has already contracted with the Rhode Island Convention CenterAND for the MUCH next show: MORE! March 27-29, 2020! R.I.S.A.A. / April, 2019 Welcome to RISAA! Apr 8 • 6:30 PM Kayak Committee As you can see on page 4, a lot of efforts. Spring Meeting, Gregg’s, N. Kingstown new members joined RISAA during Many members tell me they can’t March, many of whom signed up during attend seminars, but want to get our Apr 15 • 6:30 PM Fly Fishing Committee the Fishing Show. monthly news magazine. Spring Meeting, Gregg’s N. Kingstown If your name is on that page, let me Since half of our members don’t own welcome you to the best saltwater a boat, we provide party boat fishing Apr 16-18 N.E. Fisheries Mgt Council, Mystic, CT fishing club on the East Coast! We do trips at a discounted fee. RISAA rents a lot for our members! the boat for the trip and charge only a Apr 23 • 6:30 PM Board of Directors FISHERIES MANAGEMENT nominal fee to members, at much less We represent recreational fishing at than the real cost (to ensure they show Apr 27 • 9:00 AM Fly Fishing Committee the state, regional and national levels. up. These trips fill up quickly! fishing at 100 Acre Cove, Barrington Two of our members, Travis Barao SUPPORT FOR YOUTH and David Monti are recreational We consider RISAA to be a Apr 29 • 7:00 PM RISAA Seminar representatives on the RI Marine “family” organization and Junior Fisheries Council. Members are always welcome at Apr 29-May 2 ASMFC Spring Meeting, Arlington, VA We have RISAA members that serve meetings. We even hold an annual on committees at the New England Adult/Junior Party Boat Fishing Trip May 4 • 10:00 AM Kayak Committee Fisheries Management Council and the to let kids spend a few hours on the Annual Meet & Greet, Goddard Park Atlantic States Marine Fisheries water fishing on a “big boat.” Commission. By the way, if you have a child or May 7 • 6:30 PM Fly Fishing Committee Our Legislative Committee, chaired grandchild that is a sometimes fishing fishg the worm hatch, Charlestown by Doug MacPherson brings together buddy, you can sign him/her up as a RISAA members and the delegates of Junior Member at no charge. May 11 • 9:00 AM Kayak Committee all of our affiliated clubs and watches For the past 20 years RISAA has fishing the worm hatch, Charlestown for legislation that could effect sponsored Take-A-Kid Fishing Day May 14 • 6:30 PM Fly Fishing Committee recreational fishing, boating and our where expose nonmember children to a fishing the worm hatch, Charlestown marine waters. few hours on Narragansett Bay EDUCATION exposing them to the joy of fishing. May 18 • 5:00 PM Kayak Committee We provide great educational And this is followed by our 3-day fishing the worm hatch, Potter Pond seminars every month. Most are on how Youth Fishing Camp where a different to improve your fishing skills, but we group of 50 children learn fishing. May 18 RISAA Party Boat Squid Trip also strive to educate members on the NOT A MEMBER YET? importance of fisheries management, or If you’re reading this and not a May 20 • 7:00 PM RISAA Seminar the marine environment or important member yet, why not join and be part June 22 Take-A-Kid Fishing Day issues of the day which could effect of this great organization! future fishing. You can sign up online via our web June 24 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly But attending monthly seminars site, www.risaa.org or give me a call at Seminar isn’t a requirement of membership. In the RISAA office and you can sign up fact, if every member attended a seminar, by phone (401-826-2121). June 25-27 Youth Fishing Camp at Rocky we would need to rent the Convention Point Park, Warwick Center to hold meetings! SHOW VOLUNTEERS THANKS! Many, MANY members live out of I’ve run out of space here, but I want The Official Newsletter of the Rhode Island, and we have members in to express my thanks to all of you who Rhode Island nearly every state in the U.S, including volunteered to help at the Fishing Show Saltwater Anglers Association Alaska and Hawaii! Those are members last month. Whether you worked one Published Monthly who travel to RI during the summer or shift, or one day, or multiple days, your Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers used to live here and want to keep in efforts contributed to the successful Association, Inc. touch. Still others send in their dues show! P.O. Box 1465 with a note saying they support our THANK YOU! Coventry, RI 02816 - 2 - R.I.S.A.A. / April, 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. Where did our fluke go? On March 11 there was a public hearing for both recreational also noted that the number of recruitments has been below tic and commercial fishing proposals to be submitted to the Rhode average over the last 7 years and that both commercial and den Island Marine Fisheries Council (RIMFC) for final approval to recreational landings have decreased each year over the last be held on April 1. As I have previously published, the five years. anticipated recreational proposal for the upcoming season for So how the heck did we get here? summer flounder is status quo with no changes. I will quote directly from the ASMFC news release: HOWEVER..... “A key attribute of the assessment is the incorporation of The imposition of a coastwide status quo for recreational REVISED recreational catch data. In July of 2018, MRIP revised summer flounder was a bit puzzling due to the major imbalance the previous recreational catch estimates with a calibrated 1982- in the actual number of fish we will be allowed to catch while 2017 time series that corresponds to the new MRIP survey the commercial allowed catch was increased by 70 percent. methods. For comparison with the previous estimates, the That number was published in an ASMFC news release on revised estimates of 2017 recreational landings and discards are March 11. The news over three times the release refers to a new previous estimates. Stock Assessment The revised Workshop, just recreational catch completed, updating estimates increased the the estimates of the 1982-2017 total annual biomass for summer catch by an average of flounder. 29 percent, ranging Commercial limits from 11 percent for summer flounder increase in 1989 to a 46 in Rhode Island, as percent increase in well as other 2017. The increase in proposed changes in estimated removals the current resulted in an commercial increased population regulations, will be estimate compared to finalized at the previous council meeting assessments”. (RIMFC). So even though we So, back to the did get a 70% increase stock assessment to in quota, we are now try to figure out why being held accountable recreational fishing is seeing no increase in quota. for overfishing according to the new MRIP calibrations and we The assessment report conclusion was that the stock was get no additional catch allowance. And that 70 percent increase “not overfished and overfishing is not occurring.” is also based upon the assumption that we must have caught There are several red flags also mentioned in the assessment more fish because the population is larger, or we couldn’t have that would seem to lead to questions about the conclusion that caught them. overfishing is not occurring.