Forage fish top of agenda for anglers... Mate school big hit

Aidan Olf of Portsmouth, RI learns how to jig at Capt. Charlie Donilon’s mate school Saturday.

 

It’s all part of the job. Capt. Charlie Donilon tells students in mate school that it is their job to inform customers about Port of Galilee history.

Carlin O’Hare of Cranston, RI with 40 pound tarpon he caught in Puerto Riccio last week.  “Tarpon are great fighters and very hard to hook and land.” said Dan O’Hare (his Dad).


Mate school wraps up

Capt. Charlie Donilon of Snappa Charters, Pt. Judith wrapped up his first mate school last Saturday with a practicum in the field aboard Snappa Charters.

Mate School teaches students who want to be mates on charter and party boats. For information on future ‘Mate School” sessions contact Capt. Donilon at 401.487.9044 or snappacharters@cox.net.

 

Forage fish top agenda for recreational anglers

“Do you want more bait in the ocean for big fish like striped bass, blue fish and tuna?  How about more food for whales and seabirds?  We need to protect our forage fish so they can fulfill their important role.” said Save the Sound, a Connecticut based conservation group, dedicated to protecting Long Island Sound and the rivers and waterways that flow into the Sound.

In an email campaign last week Save the Sound was rallying support for Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan of the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) setting new fishery parameters that would allow the species to flourish as a forage fish. The NEFMC manages Atlantic herring, cod and a host of other species in our region.

 

Steve Medeiros, president of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) said that Amendment 8 was “A well thought out amendment that could be an important step for the Council toward a more ecosystem-based approach to managing our fisheries. The inclusion of forage fish’s role as bait for other species of fish and ocean wildlife is critical to the future of New England’s marine ecosystem.”

 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), their regional fisheries councils and fish mangers in general are realizing the value of forage fish.  The fish eaten as forage by species recreational anglers target have greater value being left in the water recreationally than they do being harvested commercially for processing.

 

According to NOAA, although recreational fishing accounts for only 2% of the landings nationwide it has a far reaching and sustainable impact on our society.  Recreational fishing represents over $70-billion in economic output and 454,500 jobs compared to less than $26-billion in economic output and 305,000 jobs for commercial fishing nationwide.

 

With this economic impact it is vitally important that the nation, New England and Rhode Island manage the recreational resource to abundance so recreational fishing can continue to thrive in a highly sustainable way and continue to serve as a primary economic engine of growth.

 

Anglers are also gearing up for the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board meeting on May 5^th of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).  The Commission regulates Atlantic menhaden, striped bass, summer flounder and a variety of other species in our region.

 

A 20% reduction in harvest of Atlantic menhaden was put in place in 2012.  At that time Rick Bellavance, a Rhode Island ASMFC representative and president of the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association said, “There were diverse opinions and proposals on the issue… industry processors of Atlantic Menhaden (primarily Omega Protein that land 80% of all Atlantic Menhaden) were advocating for a 10% reduction and on the other extreme some environmental groups were advocating for a 50% reduction.  We came to a consensus at 20% and ultimately cast our vote in favor of this reduction percentage.” 

A recent stock assessment by the ASMFC shows that Atlantic menhaden fish stocks are rebuilding and because of this fish processors are asking for their catch limits to be increased.

 

Conservation groups and fishing associations up and down the east coast are objecting, claiming that Atlantic menhaden (or pogies as we call them in Narrgansett Bay) have far greater value as a forage fish for striped bass (and other fish) than they do for commercial processors and therefore the ASMFC should manage them as a forage fish using ecosystem based fisheries strategies.

 

Medeiros of the RISAA said, “The 2015 Southern New England Recreational Fishing Symposium was held on March 24, 2015 in Warwick, RI. It brought together NOAA, state fisheries and government officials, marine scientists and fishermen to examine ways of increasing fish abundance through ecosystem based management. The number one driver of change selected by participants was an increase in forage fish management.”

 

Robert Ballou from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is co-chair of the ASMFC’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board and Jamie McNamee, marine biologist with DEM, is chair of the Board’s technical committee.  ON Thursday, April 30^th, 5:00 p.m. the Rhode Island ASMFC representatives will  hold an input meeting to discuss agenda items for the upcoming May 4-7 ASMFC meeting in Alexandria , VA including Atlantic menhaden.   The meeting will take place in the small conference room in the Coastal Institute Building at the URI Bay Campus, Narragansett.  For the ASMFC’s meeting agenda, visit http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-spring-meeting.

Free fresh water fishing this weekend

The Department of Environmental Management announces that Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 are free fishing days in Rhode Island. During those two days, all Rhode Islanders and visitors can fish in freshwaters without a fishing license or trout conservation stamp. The free fishing weekend does not apply to saltwater fishing or saltwater licenses.

For the sixth year, DEM fish hatcheries are offering anglers the chance to catch a coveted golden rainbow trout. Over the past several years DEM’s hatchery staff have been raising and stocking a strain of rainbow trout that is gold in color. This year, the hatcheries will be stocking them at six ponds throughout the state for the free fishing weekend.  Ponds receiving the golden trout include Peck Pond, Burrillville; Silver Spring Lake, North Kingstown; Barber Pond, South Kingstown; Browning Mill Pond, Exeter; Upper Melville, Portsmouth; and Lake Tiogue, Coventry.

Lucky anglers who catch a golden trout during the free fishing weekend and throughout the season will be given a free golden trout pin. Take a picture of your catch and send it to Kimberly Sullivan of DEM’s Aquatic Resource Education program at Kimberly.Sullivan@dem.ri.gov.

Where’s the bite

Fresh water fishing is where the action was this week.  Capt. Ron Mouchon of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown, said, “Trout, bass, and pickerel are all biting in local ponds and lakes.  We are selling a lot of shiners, worms and the bait of choice for trout is yellow PowerBait.  Bass to six pounds are being caught at Meadow Brook Pond (Richmond) and Worden’s Pond (South Kingstown).  Angler Aiden Olf of Portsmouth said, “The bass bite is very good on the small ponds as the water has warmed.  Move to a larger ponds and the bite is off as the water is to cold.  They take longer to warm up.” Angler John Migliori of Middletown caught a 5.2 pound largemouth bass using a Schadeycreek Chartreuse Dynamite Lure last week in an Aquidneck Island Pond. Mike Cardinal of Cardinal Bait & tackle, Westerly said “The trout bite has been good at Carolina Pond and the Wood River.” Visit www.dem.ri.gov for a list of ponds, lakes and rivers stocked with trout by DEM.

Tautog fishing is not good.  “Anglers targeting tautog have had little luck. The water is too cold.” said Michael Cardinal of Cardinal’s Bait.  “Customers have been catching tautog but they have been small. Now that the dandelions are up and things are warming up hopefully we will start to have a better tautog bite.” said Frank Mello of Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren.

Striped bass have arrived at the West Wall of the Harbor of Refuge, however, many anglers have not been fishing.  “Who wants to be hit with cold and freezing spray” said Capt. Ron Mouchon of Breachway Bait & Tackle.  Customers have caught some small striped bass at the Charlestown Breachway and in the Pawcatuck River, Westerly.” said Mike Cardinal. “We heard reports of one or two small school striped bass being caught in the Warren and Warrick areas.  One customer called last week and said they saw a small school of striped bass working squid near the T wharf at Prudence Island last week.” said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside.