Striped bass over 34”
need to be clipped
It was about 8:00 p.m. Monday night at the URI Bay Campus when
the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council (RIMFC) finished weighing in on
eighteen different fishing regulations for the 2016 season. Their recommendations along with input from public
hearings and staff input from the Marine Fisheries Division will now be passed
along to Janet Coit, director of the Department of Environmental Management (DEM),
for final regulation decisions.
Regulation Highlights
Striped bass
regulations will likely be the same as last year, one fish/person/day with a
28” minimum size. However, this year
recreational anglers will have to remove the entire right pectoral fin of the fish
they catch and keep that are over 34”. The regulation was suggested to deter commercial
striped bass poaches from fishing in a recreational mode, stock piling fish and
then selling them at another time or in another jurisdiction. Licensed fish dealers may not offer for sale
any striped bass (minimum commercial size is 34”) where the entire right
pectoral fin has been removed. The aim
is to have similar laws in both RI and
MA.
Summer flounder regulations
remain the same as last year, 18” minimum size, 8 fish/person/day with a May 1
to December 31 season.
Recreational tautog
regulations also remain the same as last year, 16” minimum size, 3
fish/person/day form April 15 to May 31 and August 1 to October 14; 6
fish/person/day October 15 to December 15, a maximum ten fish/vessel limit that
does not apply to party and character boats.
Scup fishing
regulations remain at a 10” minimum from May 1 to December 31, 30 fish/person/day. Seven special shore areas remain in place
where the minimum size has been reduced to 9”. Visit www.dem.ri.gov for a list of areas where you
can catch 9” scup from shore. A special party and charter boat season from
September 1 to October 31 allows them to take 40 fish/person/day in this time
period.
Black sea bass (BSB). RI recreational anglers need to take a 23%
BSB reduction this year mandated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission. The Council approved as
their fists choice a 14” minimum size, with a split season, 3 fish/person/day
from July 22 to August 31 and five fish/person/day from September 1 to December
31. This recommendation was made
contingent upon New York State approving the same regulation so RI and NY boats
would not have a regulation conflict as they often fish the same fishing
grounds. If not approved by NY the
Council recommended a party and charter boat Letter of Authorization (LOA) option
that was 7 fish/person/day from September 1 to December 31 for charter and
party boats with a private angler limit of 3 fish/person/day form July 20 to December
31.
Fishing
the wash
Learn how to fish for striped bass in
the wash… the surf and waves on Tuesday, March 15, 6:30 p.m. at the Rhody Fly
Rodders seminar Riverside Sportsman’s Association, 19 Mohawk Drive, East
Providence, RI. Capt. Eric Thomas of Teezer77 Guiding Services
will explain how to fish for stripers in surf and breaking waves focusing on
how to stay safe as you maneuver your boat and present your fly or lure to have
the best chance to catch a striped bass. For information contact Peter Nilsen
at pdfish@fullchannel.net.
ASMFC
releases annual report
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission (ASMFC) released its 2015 Annual Report to the public last
month. The report can be found at http://www.asmfc.org/files/pub/ASMFC_AnnualReport_2015.pdf.
The Annual Report
describes the Commission’s activities and progress in carrying out its public
trust responsibilities for the marine fisheries under Commission stewardship.
This includes species commonly fished by recreational anglers in Rhode Island
such as summer flounder, striped bass, black sea bass, tautog, Atlantic
menhaden, scup and many others.
Included in the report are figures
displaying the historical trends in stock status or landings for each species
managed by the Commission. Also provided is a summary of the significant
management actions taken by Commissioners in 2015 to maintain and restore the
abundance of Commission managed species.
Herring run to Gorton’s Pond
At press time we were checking on the herring run from Greenwich
Bay and Apponaug Cove to Gorton’s Pond in Warwick. Herring make it their job to spawn in rivers
and ponds in late winter and early spring.
In fact herring have been in the Bay sometime now and they are heading
for the rivers, likely moving up them in the next week or two.
Conservationists, DEM, U.S. Fish and Wildlife have all focused on these
spawning runs throughout Rhode Island, building fish ladders, eliminating
obstacles and often times volunteers net and scoop herring over obstacles so
they survive to spawn and continue to come back year after year.
This week Richard Geldard of Warwick called to relate a herring
run that looks like it will fail unless State officials and contractors at an
Apponaug, Warwick road construction project take action.
Mr. Geldard said, “The new culvert built as part of the Apponaug
traffic pattern had low water flowing through it and the connection between it
and little Gordon’s Pond is not working.
Water is pooling and not flowing.
This low water flow will not support the annual herring run which should
start in the next several days.
Historically the herring would flow into Little Gorton’s Pond behind the
old Ericson’s Bait location on Greenwich Avenue, Warwick and then into Gorton’s
Pond. It would be a shame if this annual
herring run is hindered or stopped. We
could have a lot of dead herring on our hands.”
At press time we heard that plans for the project took the herring
run into consideration and understand DEM was looking into the water flow issue. Geldard said, “I understand Phil Edward of
DEM plans to visit the site and make an assessment. We hope there is good news about what steps
the state and contractors will take to correct the situation in time.”
Fly Tying at Longfellow's Wayside Inn
The Wayside Inn, 72 Wayside Inn Road, Sudbury, MA will host its
ninth annual Fly Tying Demonstration and Bamboo Rod Building on Sunday,
March 20th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event will feature
amateur and professional fly tyers.
Fred Kretchman from Kittery, ME is a professional bamboo rod
builder and sole appraiser for Lang Auction, for bamboo rods. He will show how
the art of building bamboo rods.
Mr. Tom Foley of Tom's Custom Framing will have an exhibit of
framed classic flies. Tom Foley and Joe Simone will demonstrate live aquatic
insects, an exhibit that is a big hit with children and families.
Flies hand-made by exhibitors will be available for purchase, with
all the proceeds benefiting the spring restocking of Josephine’s Pond. For
information contact Armand Courchaine at (508)-982-1931 or email ajflyfish@yahoo.com.
In 2006, Josephine's Pond, located on the grounds of Wayside Inn's
120 acre historic site, was dredged and is stocked with trout yearly. A group
of "The Friends of Josephine's Trout Pond", was established to
promote care and conservation of the pond, and to educate the public to the
thrill of recreational fly fishing.
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