September, 13, 2010
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (right) on the charter boat Priority Too talks about challenges facing the charter fishing industry with Rick Bellavance (left), president of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association.
Last week I had the opportunity to ride along on Priority Too Charters out of Galilee with U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on board. The Senator was trying to obtain firsthand knowledge about challenges facing the charter and party boat industry and possible solutions. Issues discussed on the trip were varied, but one thing was clear… the Senator is an advocate for our oceans, Narragansett Bay and fishermen and is determined to make the most informed decisions as he possibly can.
Captain Rick Bellavance, president of the Rhode Island Party and Charter Boat Association (RIPCBA), said one of the issues facing the charter and party boat industry is how it is classified by the State of Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM). The Department regulates recreational fishing and commercial fishing in Rhode Island, however, the charter and party industry is different than both. Captain Bellavance said, “We take people recreational fishing but we are commercial in nature in that we have to plan our business to catch species that are available at any given time.” For example you cannot catch summer flounder in the winter.
Another example of this is tautog fishing, a species targeted by anglers in the spring and fall and one that had a mid-season regulation change this year. The new recreational fishing regulation reduced the bag limit to six fish in the fall per angler per day, but the new regulation added a ten fish per boat limit. So if five anglers were fishing on a vessel they could catch just ten fish or two fish per person. This regulation would have put an end to charter boat fishing in the fall for tautog. No one is going to pay the charter fee (usually around $500 to $600 for a half day for six people) for the right to catch two tautog. The compromise was to treat the charter industry differently. They now can take eight fish per day per person in the fall (likely to go to six next year) but agreed to a one fish per person limit in other parts of the season. This will allow charter boats to fish for other species when they are available and focus on their tautog limit when other species are not biting. The compromise respected the need for a limit reduction in that charter boats can only take one fish per person per day throughout the year with an enhanced limit in the fall. This will reduce the total number of fish taken, yet preserve the fall fishing season for the industry.
Captain Bellavance said, “… managing the charter and party industry along with the private angler is very difficult. I believe our needs are different and we should be managed in a way that allows us the best economic potential while also being accountable and conservation minded.”
The RI Saltwater Angler Association’s economic impact study reported recreation fishing has a $160-million impact on the state with 50% of this coming from out of state anglers. Recreational fishing and charter fishing have a big economic impact on the state so it is to our advantage to enhance both while respecting the environment and conservation.
Artificial reef committee meeting
Any RI Saltwater Angler Association member interested in establishing artificial reefs is welcome to join the artificial reef committee and attend a meeting Thursday, September 16 at 6:30 p.m. Send an e-mail to Richard Hittinger, chairman, at rhittinger@allianceenvironmentalgroup.com .
Coast Guard to considers discontinuing Block Island North Light
The Coast Guard is considering discontinuing Block Island North Light. Interested mariners are encouraged to comment on this proposal in writing, either in person or through organizations. All comments will be considered and are request by September 28, 2010. E-mails can be sent to mark.e.ferreira@uscg.mil and faxes to 617.223.8291.
Summer Flounder Advisory Panel Meeting
DEM will hold a Summer Flounder Advisory Panel meeting Tuesday, September 21, 6:00 p.m. at the URI Narragansett Bay Campus, OSEC room 115, South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI. For more information contact Jason McNamee at 401.423.1943.
Where’s the bite
Striped bass fishing remains good around Block Island with nice fish being taken on the Southwest side. Captain John Sheriff reports landing bass in the 30 lb. range in 35 to 54 feet of water drifting eels this weekend. Angler Keith Turner reports a school bass bite at Black Point, Narragansett in the early morning using a 1 oz. Kastmaster (seven school bass up to 22” were caught and released) early in the a.m. Striped bass fishing was good Friday on Block Island as well. Fish between 25 to 40 lbs were taken by the charter boat Priority Too.
Bluefish bite continues to improve in the Bay and off Block Island. I spotted pods of fish surfacing near Coddington Cove, anglers off Block Island are catching big blues using tube & worm and parachute jigs. Captain Robb Roach of Kettlebottom Outfitters, Jamestown, reported a good fly fishing trip this Sunday for blues off the north end of Prudence and Patience Islands and then off Narragansett Beach.
Off-shore tuna fishing was not good last week. Captain Rick Bellavance said, “The Tuna fishing can't get any worse. I am hopeful as the tide slows down towards the end of the month, things will improve.” Shark fishing remains good with blue sharks and makos being taken.
Bottom fishing for scup and sea bass is very good around Block Island. Reports of keeper sea bass being caught near the Newport Bridge on the Jamestown side this Saturday and just north of the bridge. Anglers Rich and Gisele Golembeski caught a 26” fluke and a 2.9 lb scup, the largest they have ever seen off Block Island this weekend. Tautog fishing is encouraging. I did some test fishing for tautog at Coddington Cove and caught a nice 21” tautog. Divers working the area related they saw many large tautog in the area, this is a good sign, hope things heat up in the next three to four weeks.
False Albacore bite is good. Reports of fish being taken off Pont Judith and along southern coastal beaches. Rich and Gisele Golembeski each caught fish using a silver needle eel and a green Deadly Dick.
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