Lots new at the Newport Boat Show

Steve Brustein of Portland, ME with a 30 pound Block Island striped bass he caught Saturday on No Fluke Charters.

Fluke still holding inshore: Angler Jack Leyden of North Kingstown with two fluke to 22” he managed to catch while fishing in the Newport Bridge area after storms last week.

 Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle and Capt. Jack Sprengle of East Coast Charters with the 120 pound bluefin tuna they caught Friday in Cape Cod Bay.

Lots new at the Newport Boat Show

The Newport International Boat Show held this weekend was a great success.  I attended Sunday under threatening skies and the in-the-water show docks were crowded with attendees. Over 600 exhibitors were at the show with an assortment of boats and a wide variety of accessories, equipment, electronics, gear and services for boaters. I visited the People’s Choice Award Winning manufacturer and checked out a few other exhibits that impressed me. 

The Nordic Tug 40 foot Flybridge won the People’s Choice award at the show.  Its big sister the Nordic 44 Tug took second place in the People’s Choice.  The Nordic Tugs on display at the show were getting a lot of attention when I toured them. I ran into three different Nordic Tug owners who were just stopping by to say hello to the Nordic team.  One owner said, “You know what makes the Nordic a desirable boat… it’s the fit and finish, just look at this woodwork.”  Paul Tortora, sales representative for Wilde Yacht Sales that represents Nordic, said, “Nordic gives you the economy of a displacement hull (2.5 gallons/hour), yet it can comfortably cruise into the mid to upper teens.”  The Nordic 40 features a new wider swim platform with a large stern entry door and new this year a second side door at the stern. The Nordic Tug 40 brochure price was $729,950. Visit www.wildeyachts.com   for details.

The Parker 2510 walk around with a cuddy cabin is a fishing machine.  This stable fishing platform has been upgraded with some finer touches such as colored hulls and fabrics.  Over the past couple of years they added a stern cockpit door and live well.  Tom Grimes, sales associate for Don’s Marine in Tiverton that represents Parker in this market said, “Parker was always a great fishing boat appealing to fishermen.  They now have added some touches like hull colors and fabric colors that appeal to women and families.”  The 25 foot Parker on display a the show featured a Windlass Package, a  West Coast Bow Rail Package, a Sandy Tan Hull and two 200 horsepower engines.  The show special price on this 2016 2510 W/A was $132,366.  Visit www.donsmarineri.com  for details on this Parker and others.

Dockwa software application that can find you dockage or a mooring in Newport, Boston, the Cape and Islands, New York and a host of other destinations. Discover and stay in new harbors… just tap, book a slip or mooring. The app works from your telephone or the web.  The application can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google and it is totally free. So book in advance or make a last-minute reservation with Dockwa.  Visit www.dockwa.com  for details.

Zipwake dynamic trim control tabs.  These are not your conventional aluminum trim tabs but a system that incorporates a state of the art series of durable, fast-acting interceptors that eliminate the trim problems of planning and semi planning boats between 20 and 60 feet.  Zipwake sales associate Dan Schermerhorn of Pro Marine Distributing said, “The system eliminates boat pitch when passengers walk around the vessel automatically and the system automatically eliminates wave resistance which saves fuel and money.”  Prices for the system which includes a control panel, distribution unit and their state of the art interceptors that extend and retract as needed start at about $1,800 for vessels 18 to 20 feet.  To get a feel for how this system works, visit www.zipwake.com.

Fisheries Council reviews policy document

The Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council (RIMFC), which makes commercial and recreational fishing regulation recommendations, met last week largely to review and approve a new policy and procedures document for the Council.  The document formalized new Department of Environmental Management (DEM) policy pertaining to how it solicits public input on fisheries regulations at newly formed public workshops.

The workshops take the place of specie advisory panels that use to meet multiple nights rather than at one workshop meeting.  The workshops are part of the Department’s “lean initiative” that identified ways to save time and money while enhancing public participation at input meetings.

Although most specie advisory panels were eliminated, two remain intact; the Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) that coordinates recommendations from commercial fisheries sectors and the Shellfish Advisory Panel (SAP) which provides recommendations to the Council on all shellfish-related matters.

The RIMFC also welcomed two new councilpersons to their first meeting;  Michael Roderick, an executive at Town Dock, Narragansett and Travis Barao of East Providence, a recreational fisherman and a member of the RI Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) board of directors.

For information on RIMFC meeting material and minutes from past meetings, visit www.dem.ri.gov .

Where’s the bite

Striped bass fishing improved greatly this week as the water cleared from the storm.  Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, said, “Anglers are catching striped bass from shore in the lower Providence River from Pawtuxet to Conimicut Point using eels and lures. Fishing is also good on the Cape. Customer Elijah Depaolo (13 years old) caught a 32 pound bass using live eels on the Cape Cod Cannel.” Jason Macedo of Lucky Bait, Warren caught a 47 pound striped bass last Friday at Block Island using eels at night.  Angler Eric Appolonia said, “My son Alex and his friends fished the Southwest Ledge of Block Island this past week and caught nine striped bass on one drift using eels.” I fished with Steve Brustein of Portland, ME Saturday at the Southwest Ledge where he managed to hook up with bass to 30 pounds trolling tube & worm.  Bill Sokolowski reports on the RISAA blog that, “We fished the Southwest Ledge Saturday night and once the sun set bass started to hit on each drift. Three of us caught a total of ten striped bass. The largest was 35 pounds. We each kept a small fish and released the balance. So much for no fish on a full moon. It couldn't have been a more beautiful night!”  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside said, “School size bass are being caught in the East Passage with a few keepers mixed in.”

Black sea bass and fluke.  The fluke bite has softened a great deal, however the black sea bass bite is still good.  Angler Mike Swain of Coventry fished off Narrgansett Saturday and boated six nice black sea bass and one summer found.  I fished south of the windmill area at Block Island Saturday as well as the Hooter buoy area off Pt. Judith and did not catch as may black sea bass as we have in the bass with only short fluke caught at this time.  Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait said, “Sea bass fishing for some customers is OK with fluke still being gh off Newport and at the mouth of the Sakonnet River.”

False Albacore. “ The albie bite from shore at Pier Five, actually anywhere from Narrow River to the West Wall has been outstanding from shore.  One customer caught 50 false albacore from Pier Five. Most people do not eat them but I have some customers that like eating them.  They prepare them using coconut milk.” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle.

Cod fishing has been good.  Angler Lary Norin reports catchingt cod to 30 pounds on Cox’s Ledge.  Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet said, “Our largest fish this week was in the 20’s with fish taken on both bait and jigs.  Hi hook this week went to an angler that boated seven nice cod fish.”

Bluefish large and small are being caught in the Bay with skipjacks growing in size.  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait said, “Some skipjacks are 6 to 10 inches long, and they are still very plentiful.”  Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait said, “Bluefish are all over the Bay, more plentiful than they have been most of the season.”

Tuna fishing for school bluefin is hot at the Cape.  Angler Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “I fished with Capt. Jack Sprengel of East Coast Charters, Warwick Friday on the Cape and landed a 120 pound bluefin using light tackle with a spinning reel and jig in 173 feet of water.”

Lots of comments at fisheries meeting… just the way it should be

Mike Bucko of Bucko Bait & Tackle makes his point at Monday’s fisheries meeting.

Lots of comments at fisheries meeting… just the way it should be

If one of the objectives of the Department of Environmental Management’s (DEM) new “Lean Initiative” meeting format is to encourage participation at fisheries meetings, Monday night’s meeting at the URI Bay Campus was a big success. 

Over 80 fishermen openly and freely expressed their points of view on primarily recreational fishing quotas, proposed regulation options and user group proposals.  I say user groups because in fisheries management a variety of groups compete for access to the same finite resource (see striped bass example below).

Monday’s meeting combined what normally takes place over four different evenings into one night.  Multiple meetings have hampered angler attendance in the past.  Traditionally participation at Advisory Panel meetings held over four different evenings are limited (three to six fishermen, fifteen or twenty if an important issue is being discussed).  Often times those that participate are industry leaders that can sway votes on important issues without getting perspectives from average fishermen because they are simply not in the room.

There was no doubt at the 4:30 p.m. workshop that different user groups including private anglers were in the room to listen to stock status, last year’s fish landings and proposed regulation options for summer flounder, black sea bass, tautog, scup, striped bass and others.  Anglers were able to ask fish managers and marine biologist questions, express their point of view and support or not support proposed regulation options as well as propose alternative options. 

The workshop was followed by an official public hearing at 7:00 p.m. Fishermen comments were recorded to pass along to the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council (RIMFC) for their March 2 meeting and then will be passed along  to DEM Director Janet Coit along with Council recommendations as part of the input she will receive for her decision making process.

Fishermen in the room did not agree on regulation options, however, the points of view of many were heard together in a public setting in a much more robust way than traditional Advisory Panel meetings.

If you missed the meeting, it is not too late to comment as DEM has extended the public comment period. Written comments concerning the proposed regulations may be submitted to Peter Duhamel, Division of Fish and Wildlife Marine Fisheries office, 3 Fort Wetherill Road, Jamestown, RI 02835 no later than 12:00 Noon on February 26, 2015.  Email all communications to peter.duhamel@dem.ri.gov  .

Meeting highlights

Striped bass took center stage with nearly an hour and half of discussion at the meetings.  Coastwide the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), which sets regulations for east coast migratory species, approved a one fish at 28” for all anglers with the caveat that states could come up with conservation equivalency options that achieved at least a 25% reduction in striped bass landings in 2015.  Striped bass fish stocks, particularly the spawning stock of egg bearing females is on the decline and all agree that something has to be done to reduce landings.

Conservation equivalency was the sticking point at the meeting; many anglers did not know or did not feel that a two fish solution was appropriate even if it reduced landings by 25%. 

Every user group has their perspective on fishing quotas and regulations, particularly striped bass.  Two options were proposed in the presentation Monday… one fish at a minimum size of 28” for all anglers, and then a second option that was one fish at 28” for private anglers and two fish at a minimum size of 32” for charter and party boats.

Some for hire party and charter boat operators at the meeting claimed they earn their living by taking people fishing so they advocated for two fish at 32” for their customers.  Many claim their customers fish once a year compared to private anglers and the impact on the fishery is minimal.  They also say charter boats contribute greatly to tourism and the economy and should be treated differently from private fishermen because it is a business not recreation.

Capt. Denny Dillon, representing the Rhode Island Party and Charter Boat Association said, “Each year our industry contributes about $25-million to Rhode Island’s economy in economic impact. We need the two fish to attract customers.”

Peter Jenkins of the Saltwater Edge, Newport said he was representing a group of ten bait and tackle shops and that he (and they) supported, “One fish at a 28” minimum size for both private recreational anglers and charter boats.”  Many bait and tackle customers practice catch and release, yet many also fish in tournaments and take larger, and larger, egg bearing fish.

Commercial fishermen at the meeting wanted one fish at 28” and did not want their commercial counterparts, the party and charter boats, to have the right to take two fish.

Michael Lanni said, “If commercial boats are taking a 25% reduction and private angles are bound to one fish at 28”, the charter and party boats should be limited to one fish too.”  Lanni continued to say he was not pleased with the new “Lean” meeting format because he did not get a chance to meet with others on the panel to decide how they felt about proposed options.

Steve Medeiros, president of the Rhode Saltwater Anglers Association said, “It was our understanding that the ASMFC has already approved a two fish at 32” conservation equivalency proposal for RI.”  Representatives on the commission from RI supported that proposal.  The feeling was that proposal was going to be approved anyway.  “So RISAA submitted a proposal option that included a two fish conservation equivalency option with the stipulation that the reduction be 31% (the same level of harvest reduction that private anglers would be bound to with one at 28”) and include the elimination of the captain and mate fish.” said Medeiros.  Historically captains and mates have been allowed to take two fish on each trip. “Adding the mate and captain’s fish to the proposal would at least save four egg bearing fish each trip.” said Medeiros.

Throughout the week and at Monday’s meeting, many charter captains spoke out for and against the two fish charter and party boat options.  One of the proposals that had many heads nodding at the public hearing was made by Capt. Charlie Donilon of Snappa Charters.  Capt. Donilon said, “Something has to be done, everyone knows what’s going on out there, we have less and less fish.  I recommend that charter boats take 1.5 fish per customer and give up the two fish for the mate and captain.”
This proposal would have a great impact on the fish. Now a charter boat with six passengers, a mate and captain can take sixteen fish (this would still be the case with the RIPCBA proposal).  However, Captain Donilon’s proposal would have that same vessel taking a maximum of nine fish, just one more than a private boat of eight fishermen and the fish are 32” rather than 28”.  So in terms of conservation it could surpass the reduction value of the coastwide solution of one at 28”.

Other species discussed at the meeting

Even though RI overfished its quota of summer flounder, most at the meeting supported the status quo option of an 18” minimum size at eight fish/angler/day with the same season length.

Tautog support fell to status quo (the same as last year), 16” minimum size with split seasons… three fish in the spring and late summer seasons with a six fish bag limit in the fall (with a ten fish boat limit which does not apply to charter boats).

Rhode Island needs to reduce its black sea bass landings by one third.  The solution that received the most support was one that started the season as early in June as possible with one or two fish and then increased the number of fish to five or seven in the fall.  Both 13” and 14” fish should be considered.
More to come on these regulation options as they are reviewed and voted on by the RIMFC on March 2.