Fish science at its best

 

Ed Lombardo with a 20” trout caught during the Hex Hatch (mayfly hatch) on Wood River Monday.

Mahi-mahi and eight other species are now included in the Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament.

Fish science at its best

Woods Hole and Sea Grant reach out to Falmouth youth

Last month, nearly 250 seventh graders from Falmouth Public Schools visited Woods Hole for an amazing day of ocean science.

Students enjoyed hands-on science activities at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and NOAA’s Northeast Science Center Woods Hole Lab.

At the Science Center lab, students dissected fish and learned about fish anatomy, toured the Aquarium, learned what fisheries observers do, tried on survival suits, and learned about at-sea safety.

The event was sponsored by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant, and the Science Center.

Fish science rallying for cod

Fish science in this Nation is the best there is. In the case of cod, NOAA Fisheries and its science-based approach to fisheries is rallying to rebuild cod which has been overfished for many years.

To make it clear, humans have overfished cod to near extinction, so science alone cannot bring back cod.  It will take a lot of regulation discipline too.

In 2021 scientists from around the world came together to study cod and documented five distinct fish populations.  An offshore Georges Bank and four inshore populations from New Jersy to the Canada.

Fish biologist and fishers documented the differences.  The five cod stocks look different in that their shape, size and color differ.  And, their genetic composition, spawning behavior and migration patterns are distinct.

Once the stocks were identified, it was now a matter of drilling down and garnering more data to give fish managers the data needed to put in rebuilding plans.

NOAA Fisheries teamed up with members of New England’s recreational for-hire (charter boat) fleet, the New England Aquarium, Pelagic Strategies, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to fill data gaps. The pilot study is called the Recreational Biological Sampling Program, or RecBio.

From November 2023–2024, twelve for-hire captains collected data from 3,000 fish recording length with a photo to verify measurement, kept or released, date/time caught and the precise location.

With support from The Nature Conservancy, Harbor Light Software tailored the existing AnglerCatch fishing app as a portal for captains to enter data using a smartphone or tablet.

NOAA Fisheries, said, “When a fisherman harvests a cod, the participating captain gives it a unique barcode to match the data submitted to the app. The captain freezes the fish’s head at the end of the trip. The science team then extracts the otoliths (ear bones that contain growth rings). Scientists count the rings of the otolith to estimate the age of the fish. This allows them to understand the demographics of cod caught recreationally.”

Congratulations to NOAA and hats off to two local charter captains for taking leadership roles on this research project: Mike Pierdinock, New England Council member, President of the Stellwagen Bank Charter Boat Association and RecBio participant; and Rick Bellavance, chair of the New England Fisheries Management Council, President of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association, RecBio co-founder and participant.

Still time to register for the Block Island Tournament

The expanded Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament is Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27. You need not attend the awards ceremony to enter and win.  Fish photos are taken up against a tournament ruler and entries are submitted electronically via the GotOne fishing smartphone app.

The Tournament now includes nine species with an expanded fishing area south of the Newport and Jamestown Bridges including the Rhode Island southern coastal beaches to about fifteen miles south of Block Island itself.

Register at BI Inshore Tourney | bi-fishworks (sandypointco.com).

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass, bluefish and bonito. Chad Katch of Sam’s Bait, Middletown, said, “The bass have moved out of our Bays and are now out in front from the mouth of the Sakonnet and off Newport.  Anglers are hooking up with top water lures in low light conditions and during the day eels, trolling tube & worm and umbrella rigs are working.  We also have a good bonito bite at Lands End, Middletown and at the mouth of the Sakonnet River using epoxy jigs.”  East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author, said, “Long distance caster Bob “Bull” MacKinnon hopes for more productive days on the Big Ditch with the realization that there have been schools of silversides at Mass Maritime, bunker near the Sagamore Bridge and mackerel in the east end.  Last week started with Canal Sportsman’s Club member “Adirondack Jim” Cromme successfully chunking into an after-dinner slack tide on a beautiful night. A 40-inch striped bass bit down on his cut mackerel and a nice size bluefish attacked the same bait.”  “The salt ponds are producing good numbers of school bass in South County, mostly feeding on sand eels. You can catch these fish on topwater lures, soft plastics, and Alabama rigs that mimic the bait schools. Bigger fish are taking eels at night,” said Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown.  Jeff Sullivan of Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren said, “The striped bass bite at Block Island is lights out at night. Last weekend we caught fish in the 40-pound class using eels.  And, out in front of Newport 30-pound fish were typical with a lot of large blue fish there too.”

Summer flounder (fluke). “The fluke bite is in both shallow and deep water.  Anglers who put their time in are catching keepers,” said Jeff Sullivan of Lucky Bait & Tackle. “The fluke bite has been good but it has moved out in font in 70 to 90 feet water,” said Chad Katch of Sam’s Bait.  Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, said, “Most of the fluke are coming from 37-47 feet locally, some larger ones have been caught in 15-20 feet of water. The Block Island bite continues to be good.”

Freshwater.  Ed Lombardo, expert fly tyer, fisher, and instructor, said, ”Fished the Wood River for the Hex Hatch Monday night and the hatch was very good. We got several nice Bown trout, which were very aggressive. We started fishing from 6:30 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. Now that these fish have been seeing these great large mayflies one can still fish for them during daylight. But the Hatch will start at dark.”

Bluefin tuna regulations change for the better

Capt. Dave Monti with bluefin tuna.  As of July 1, 2025 private vessels with an HMS Angling permit will be allowed to take one fish between 27” to < 73”.

Big catch: Greg Vespe of Tiverton with a striped bass he caught Saturday night fishing with
live eels off Newport in the Bay.

Good eating:  Marc Carvalho with a squeteague he caught off Warwick Light, he and Sherri Kanelos planned to bake and eat their catch whole.

Bluefin tuna regulations change for the better         

Bluefin tuna regulations changed for the better this week when NOAA announced Thursday new angling and charter/headboat Highly Migratory Species (HMS) limits.  Effect July 1, 2025 private vessels with an HMS Angling permit can retain one bluefin tuna measuring 27” to < 73” and charter/headboat permit holders are allowed two bluefin tuna measuring 27” to < 73”. 

This is good news as most bluefin caught in this area are over 47”, and the present regulation is for fish measuring 27” to < 47”.

In general, quotas close to being met necessitated more conservative regulations this year.  In January tuna fishing in North Carolina was not allowed to close due to an Administration rule making executive order.  The freeze allowed overfishing which in part has meant reduced quotas for New York and New England fishermen as the fish migrate north.

It is important to note that for the past three years, anglers have caught an abundance of bluefin tuna close to shore in Southern New England.  Many believe robust bait/forage profiles are here close to shore in great abundance due to warming water.  And the fish are here because the forage fish they eat are here. 

This climate change impact points to the need for enhanced stock assessments and climate research to keep tabs on fish stocks like tuna and other species particularly sensitive to overfishing due to stock shifts and enhanced fishing pressure.

Capt. Mike Pierdinock, avid bluefin tuna fisher, member of the New England Fishery Management Council and President of the Stellwagen Bank Charter Boat Association, said, “We have a unique situation this year.  Due to the closure delay in North Carolina the general category overfished their 37.7 mt quota.  By the time they closed the fishery on February 28 they had harvested 115 mt of bluefin tuna.  That’s a lot when you consider the entire fishery is 1,300 mt.  This combined with overfishing bluefin tuna in general in 2024, including the recreational fishing community for the first time since 2010, we are experiencing these reductions out of caution to prevent overfishing this year.”

Hats off to Rick Bellavance, President of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association and Chair of the New England Fishery Management Council as well as Mike Pierdinock for advocating for a larger bluefin size.

For information and updates visit the NMFS Permit Shop.

 

Catch and release best practices for striped bass

Striped bass fishing is good, so good for this time of year that we have to make sure we use catch and release best practices to help ensure the survival of the fish we release.  More striped bass die after capture and release than those legal-size fish we take home to eat.

Fishing at the Cape Cod Canal has been very good too with anglers catching fish to 41”. East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author, said, “On Wednesday “Bill on the Grill” Prodouz landed a 40-inch linesider that fell for a herring Mystic glider and then a 41-inch powerhouse with a Yo-Zuri bone hydro twitch bait.”

On my charter boat Tuesday the fish were on the bottom. Jason Mills of Cranston caught a 39” striped bass on a tube & worm on the channel pad at Poppasquash Point, Bristol when fishing with Richard Hellwig of Providence.  And, Steve Brustein of Warwick caught a 34” fish in the same place earlier in the week.  There were no signs of fish on the surface but they were there in the lower water column and on the bottom.   

The striped bass stock is overfished, with overfishing occurring, so we all need to be ready to safely catch and release these fish giving them the best chance of survival.

Striped bass regulations are one fish/person/day in a slot size of 28” to less than 31”.

Catch and release tips

Gaffs are not allowed and inline circle hooks must be used when fishing with bait for striped bass, tube and worm fishing is an exception.

Bring the fish to the boat quickly, extended fights deplete oxygen and reduce survival.

Avoid putting fish on deck and letting it flop around, keep it in the water as much as possible.

Wet your hands or gloves before handling the fish, dry hands remove the fish’s protective slime layer and leave it open to infection.

Handle fish carefully.  Do not put fingers into gill cavities or eye sockets.

Gently remove the hook to minimize damage.

Use lures with single hook, barbless hooks (I snap them off), or circle hooks.

Return fish to water quickly. Place gently in water in upright horizontal position.  Move it back and forth in the water to force water across its gills.  Once revived it will flip its tail when ready to be released.

 

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass/bluefish.  Tom Olson of Ponaug Marina, Warwick, said, “The striped bass and bluefish bite has been good for anglers they are catching fish trolling with tube & worm, umbrellas rigs or using live bait.”  Ed Lombardo fly fishing expert and guide, said, “Fishing slowed on Narrow River, Narragansett Tuesday. I fished and moved many times to the more productive spots up, down, and across the river until 12 noon.  Fished again at 1:00 p.m., now an incoming tide, and caught two small bass and one hickory shad.” Striper fishing in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay has been good.  Last week anglers on my charter boat hooked up with bass to 40” with reports of a 52” fish being caught by RISAA member Dave Sweet’s son at Anawan Cliffs, Narragansett. Lay off the big fish if you have other options as more striped bass are killed after being release than those we take home to eat (see above article on bass catch and release practices).   Sherri Kanelos of Warwick boated her largest fish ever Sunday, a 24” bluefish off Bear Point Prudence Island.

Black sea bass, summer flounder (fluke), squeteague and scup.  Summer flounder fishing has been good in the lower Narragansett Bay with anglers catching keepers.  Tom Olson of Ponaug Bait & Tackle said, “We had two commercial rod & reel customers catch monster fluke in the East Passage around the Jamestown bridge, one fish they boated was over 30 inches.”  This weekend we caught multiple scup, fluke and squeteague in the Warwick Neck area.  Marc Carvalho of Warwick caught a 20” squeteague.  Most of the fluke were under 19 inches.

                                                                                                                                       

Freshwater.  The fresh water bite for largemouth, pike and trout remains very strong.  For ponds restocked with trout visit Freshwater Fishing | Mass.gov and in Rhode Island Fish & Wildlife | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

RI Fish for the Future… first cooperative of its type in the nation

Fluke fishing:  Lorna Russell of Providence with the fluke she caught off the Beavertail area of Jamestown.  Her son Liam (right) and friend Mathew look on.

Researcher even when off duty:  Jon Hare (center), Narragansett Laboratory Director and Oceanography Branch Chief for NOAA Fisheries Service, fished with Capt. Dave Monti on Angel Light, a RI Fish for the Future cooperative member this Saturday.  Jon lives in East Greenwich and by chance his wife booked the charter on the cooperative vessel for him, his son John (far right) and friend Elliot Emperor of Orleans, France.

RI Fish for the Future… first cooperative of its type in the nation

There is a new fishing cooperative in Rhode Island… the first of its type in the nation, it is called Rhode Island Fish for the Future and I am one of its founding members.  It is a charter captains’ summer founder (fluke) cooperative consisting of nine vessels.  The captains are voluntarily testing an innovative fishing approach to improve accountability and conservation of the summer flounder (fluke) population while increasing business flexibility and stability for the Rhode Island charter boat industry.

The cooperative is also testing innovative new software they developed that records catch in real time.  Each of the captains in the program has a computer tablet on board loaded with the software.  The software (called Fish Net) allows captains to record species type and fish length (the software converts length to approximate weight).  All of this is recorded in real time in the location that they catch/record the fish through a GPS capability.  It is hoped that software like this will provide a rich data source for fish mangers in the future as charter boats and recreational fishers are presently not required to report their catch the way that commercial fishermen do. 

The cooperative received a grant to develop the software and is operating under proposed guidelines as they fish off a Research Set Aside (RSA) fish allocation they purchased at a federal auction.

The mission of the pilot project includes reducing discards (and mortality rate… or the number of fish that die after release) and increased flexibility and predictability so charter captains can better serve customers.  Captains have been able to improve customer experience by allowing them to take more fish and smaller sizes than normally allowed.  This sounds great… more fish for customers, smaller sizes allowed, however, there is a catch.

Captains participating in the program agree to live within a rigid set of rules.  Rules such as counting all fish caught toward their quota or allowable catch for the season… even the ones too small to keep.  Their cumulative total of allowable catch is smaller than they would be able to take under normal recreational fishing regulations, however, the program gives them the flexibility to catch the fish and use them with customers when it is best from a business perspective.

For example they can fish for striped bass or tautog when they are in season and available and save the fluke fishing for when other species are not available.  Captain Joe Pagano of Stuff-It Charters (a program participant) said “The pilot program will allow my customers to keep more fish and plan their vacations ahead of time which will ultimately provide more stability for my business.”

Capt. Rick Bellavance of Priority Too Charters, one of the organizers of Rhode Island Fish for the Future said, “The catch cooperative program is the best option I've seen to date, one that with the appropriate implementation, will let our industry continue to thrive for years to come.”

For information about Rhode Island Fish for the Future visit www.rifishforthefutue.org. 

Where’s the bite

Striped bass fishing has been fair this past week at Block Island and in the Bay.  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait Tackle, East Providence said, “Sunday small bass in the 22” to 24” range were caught at Sabin Point.”  Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marine, South Kingstown said, “The Bass bite at Block Island has been with eels at night and customer are catching them during the day trolling umbrella rigs.”  Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick said, “Some nice bass were caught at the Newport Bridge this week with Atlantic Menhaden which have been plentiful in that area and around Gould Island.  Some customers have been doing well with bass in the Breton Reef, Newport area.”

Summer flounder (fluke) fishing has been spotty with warm water in Narragansett Bay and rough water off shore.  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait said, “I had a customer catch a small keeper sized fluke off Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Warwick and then he landed a nice squeteague.”  I fished in the Beavertail, Jamestown area with Jon Hare and his son John and friend Elliott this Saturday and landed about a dozen fish including six nice keeper fluke but they were hard to come by.  “Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait said, “Fluke are from Warwick Neck to the bridges and beyond but they were very spotty and hard to catch this week.  Some days anglers were hitting them and some days they were not.”  Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marine said, “Fluke fishing was slow this week for customers both at Block Island and along southern coastal shores.”

Black sea bass fishing has been OK with anglers catching them while fluke fishing.  Some nice sized black sea bass were taken off the wall at the Harbor of Refuge and off Narragansett Beach.

Scup fishing continues to be strong all over Narragansett Bay, off coastal shores and in the Newport and Jamestown bridge areas.  Angler Mike Swain of Coventry said, “I saw a number of boats at Warwick Light landing scup while fluke fishing this Sunday.”  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle said, “Scup fishing continues to be very strong with large scup common.  Anglers continue to experience a good scup bite at Colt Sate Park, Bristol.”

Offshore fishing had been pretty good this week at the Dump with blue fin tuna, mahi-mahi, and  yellow fin  being taken by a number of customers said Matt Conti of Snug Harbor.

More to a vote than meets the eye

Cod fishing good: With high winds and seas, charter and party boats have had difficulty getting out fishing for cod.  This catch of cod was landed by angler Frank Gionfrido and anglers on the Lady K out of Snug Harbor.

More to a vote than meets the eye

I spoke with Bob Ballou, assistant to the director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and Rick Bellavance, president of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association about the December 14, 2012 Atlantic Slates Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) deliberations and votes on Amendment 2 concerning the management of Atlantic Menhaden coastwide.  Ballou and Bellavance along with Bill McElroy, treasure of the RI Lobstermen’s Association, represented Rhode Island at the ASMFC meeting.

Captain Bellavance said, “The Rhode Island delegation has one vote… so the three of us deliberate, come to a consensus and then cast our vote.”  Bellavance continued, “There were diverse opinions and proposals on the issue… industry processors of Atlantic Menhaden (primarily Omega Protein that catch 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.”  Throughout the course of the meeting many voters were taken, some Bellavance said to facilitate discussion on the issue to ensure all points of view at the table were heard.

Many in the recreational fishing community in Rhode Island were disappointed at the 20% reduction approved by the ASMFC.  The Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) was advocating for a 30% reduction and Don Smith an ASMFC Atlantic Menhaden panel member and RISAA member said, “At the Baltimore meeting, we were advocating for a 25% reduction and could not understand why the Rhode Island delegation was settling for less."

Robert Ballou of DEM took the time last week to outline in detail what happened at the ASMFC meeting and its impact on the Rhode Island Atlantic Menhaden fishery.  Here is what he had to say.

“The meeting was noteworthy for a number of reasons:    

                                         

1    1.  It  resulted in the adoption of a first-ever coastwide quota (total allowable catch, or TAC) for menhaden, reflecting the ASMFC’s commitment to end overfishing and achieve long-term protection and sustainability for this ecologically important species, and the people who depend on it.

2       2. It resulted in a new coastwide quota set at 80% of the average coastwide landings of menhaden over the three-year period 2008-2011 – i.e., 80% of 470 million pounds = 376 million pounds.

3    3. It resulted in a state-based allocation program, which allocates the new coastwide quota according to the average percentage of each state’s landings over the three-year period 2008-2011.

1. Virginia will be allocated 85.3% of the coastwide quota (317 million pounds)
2. NJ will receive 11.2% of the coastwide quota (42 million pounds)
3. The other 13 states will receive shares ranging from 0% (NH, SC, and GA) to 1.37% (MD)
4. RI will receive 0.02% (about 75,000 pounds)

4. It involved a multi-faceted management program proposal, and an unprecedented level of public involvement:
1. In September, the ASMFC approved for public comment a 143-page Draft Amendment, which addressed a range of issues, including new biological reference points, stock rebuilding and fishing mortality reduction schedules, the establishment of a TAC, the process for allocating the TAC, reporting requirements, and various other provisions
2. The Draft Amendment was subject to 13 public hearings in 10 states, including one in RI; over 500 people attended the hearings;
3. The Board received a total of 128,333 written comments on the Draft Amendment
4. Several hundred people attended last Friday’s Board meeting in Baltimore

5. At the day-long Board meeting, the Board decided upon the various issues via a series of 40 separate votes.

6. The upshots of the ASMFC’s final approval of Amendment 2 to the ASMFC’s Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Menhaden, as it relates to Rhode Island’s interests, are:

1. Menhaden migrate in and out of RI waters on a regular basis, and are an important component of the RI marine ecosystem. The adoption of new coastwide measures aimed at increasing protection of menhaden, with particular recognition of the important role they play as forage fish, is consistent with RI’s long-standing interests vis-à-vis sound conservation of marine fishery resources.
2. RI’s landings over the past ten years have generally ranged from about 5,000 pounds to about 100,000 pounds. In 2008 -- a banner year, and an anomaly – 269,000 pounds were landed. RI’s average annual landings over the past three years have been about 87,000 pounds. The vast majority of RI’s landings are taken by a handful of fish trap operators operating in RI waters in the lower Bay and along the southern coast.
3. RI has had a very progressive state-waters menhaden protection program in place for a number of years. The program, which primarily guards against localized depletion, involves a number of components, the most significant being that mobile gear (namely, purse-seine) operations in the Bay are only allowed to target menhaden when they occur in the Bay in relatively large numbers, exceeding a 2 million pound biomass threshold, or floor. This RI program is not affected by the new ASMFC action, and is slated to remain in place in 2013 and thereafter. {Note: In recent years, there has been just a single purse-seine vessel that has fished for menhaden in Narragansett Bay, with all landings taking place in Fall River, MA.}
4. RI will need to adopt new state regulations for 2013 to manage its new 75,000 pound state allocation. While this will likely involve the imposition of constraints on the fish trap operators, the constraints will likely be modest, since the State’s allocation is only slightly less than average annual landings over the past few years. Moreover, the adoption by ASMFC of a 6,000 pound menhaden bycatch allowance for non-directed fisheries, not to be counted against the state quotas, will provide considerable flexibility to the fish-trap operators, and will help to minimize discard mortality.
5. The ASMFC’s new menhaden plan includes an “episodic event set aside” totaling 1% of the new coastwide quota (i.e., about 3.76 million pounds), which is available to nine states, including RI, that have relatively low allocations (less than 2% of bait landings, averaged over the past three years). While it remains to be seen how this set-aside will be managed, it is evident that RI will be able to tap into it, to some degree, if/when large numbers of menhaden show up in RI waters.”

Here is a link to the ASMFC website that summaries meeting deliberations:  http://www.asmfc.org/press_releases/meetingWkSummaries/2012/dec14_2012AtlMenhadenBoardPR_Motions.pdf .

Striped bass meeting

A meeting of the Striped Bass Advisory Panel of the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council will be held Tuesday, January 08, 6:00 p.m. at the URI, Graduate School of Oceanography, Coastal Institute Building, Large Conference Room, South Ferry Road, Narragansett, Rhode Island. Agenda items include a striped bass stock status, the 2012 RI fishery, a review of ASMFC Addendum III to Amendment 6 for the management plan as well as fish trap and commercial seasons and quota allocations.  At this meeting, members of the Advisory Panel can submit new proposals for the 2013 fishing season. For more information, please contact Nicole Travisono at (401) 423-1940.

Where’s the bite

Cod fishing is good.  Angler Frank Gionfrido recently fished for cod on the Lady Kay out of Snug Harbor (www.ladykcharters.com).  Gionfrido said, “In no time at all we arrived on the fishing grounds south of Block Island… We caught cod non-stop for the next three hours with an occasional Sea Bass (all released) and dog fish. Daphine was high hooked with a 21 pounder followed by Capt. Steve with a 14 pounder and my biggest was 11. All tallied we kept 29 cod (and) released four shorts…”. At press time the Francis Fleet and Seven B’s party boats have not been able to get out due to high winds and rough seas. Visit them at www.francesfleet.com  and www.sevenbs.com  for information, schedules and reports.

More to a vote than meets the eye

More to a vote than meets the eye

I spoke with Bob Ballou, assistant to the director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and Rick Bellavance, president of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association about the December 14, 2012 Atlantic Slates Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) deliberations and votes on Amendment 2 concerning the management of Atlantic Menhaden coastwide.  Ballou and Bellavance along with Bill McElroy, treasure of the RI Lobstermen’s Association, represented Rhode Island at the ASMFC meeting.

Captain Bellavance said, “The Rhode Island delegation has one vote… so the three of us deliberate, come to a consensus and then cast our vote.”  Bellavance continued, “There were diverse opinions and proposals on the issue… industry processors of Atlantic Menhaden (primarily Omega Protein that catch 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.”  Throughout the course of the meeting many voters were taken, some Bellavance said to facilitate discussion on the issue to ensure all points of view at the table were heard.

Many in the recreational fishing community in Rhode Island were disappointed at the 20% reduction approved by the ASMFC.  Don Smith, representing the Rhode Island Salt Water Association said, “We were advocating for a 30% reduction and could not understand why the Rhode Island delegation was settling for less."

Robert Ballou of DEM took the time last week to outline in detail what happened at the ASMFC meeting and its impact on the Rhode Island Atlantic Menhaden fishery.  Here is what he had to say.

“The meeting was noteworthy for a number of reasons:   

                                          

1.       It resulted in the adoption of a first-ever coastwide quota (total allowable catch, or TAC) for menhaden, reflecting the ASMFC’s commitment to end overfishing and achieve long-term protection and sustainability for this ecologically important species, and the people who depend on it.

2.       It resulted in a new coastwide quota set at 80% of the average coastwide landings of menhaden over the three-year period 2008-2011 – i.e., 80% of 470 million pounds = 376 million pounds.

3.       It resulted in a state-based allocation program, which allocates the new coastwide quota according to the average percentage of each state’s landings over the three-year period 2008-2011.

1. Virginia will be allocated 85.3% of the coastwide quota (317 million pounds)
2. NJ will receive 11.2% of the coastwide quota (42 million pounds)
3. The other 13 states will receive shares ranging from 0% (NH, SC, and GA) to 1.37% (MD)
4. RI will receive 0.02% (about 75,000 pounds)

4. It involved a multi-faceted management program proposal, and an unprecedented level of public involvement:
1. In September, the ASMFC approved for public comment a 143-page Draft Amendment, which addressed a range of issues, including new biological reference points, stock rebuilding and fishing mortality reduction schedules, the establishment of a TAC, the process for allocating the TAC, reporting requirements, and various other provisions
2. The Draft Amendment was subject to 13 public hearings in 10 states, including one in RI; over 500 people attended the hearings;
3. The Board received a total of 128,333 written comments on the Draft Amendment
4. Several hundred people attended last Friday’s Board meeting in Baltimore

5. At the day-long Board meeting, the Board decided upon the various issues via a series of 40 separate votes.

6. The upshots of the ASMFC’s final approval of Amendment 2 to the ASMFC’s Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Menhaden, as it relates to Rhode Island’s interests, are:

1. Menhaden migrate in and out of RI waters on a regular basis, and are an important component of the RI marine ecosystem. The adoption of new coastwide measures aimed at increasing protection of menhaden, with particular recognition of the important role they play as forage fish, is consistent with RI’s long-standing interests vis-à-vis sound conservation of marine fishery resources.
2. RI’s landings over the past ten years have generally ranged from about 5,000 pounds to about 100,000 pounds. In 2008 -- a banner year, and an anomaly – 269,000 pounds were landed. RI’s average annual landings over the past three years have been about 87,000 pounds. The vast majority of RI’s landings are taken by a handful of fish trap operators operating in RI waters in the lower Bay and along the southern coast.
3. RI has had a very progressive state-waters menhaden protection program in place for a number of years. The program, which primarily guards against localized depletion, involves a number of components, the most significant being that mobile gear (namely, purse-seine) operations in the Bay are only allowed to target menhaden when they occur in the Bay in relatively large numbers, exceeding a 2 million pound biomass threshold, or floor. This RI program is not affected by the new ASMFC action, and is slated to remain in place in 2013 and thereafter. {Note: In recent years, there has been just a single purse-seine vessel that has fished for menhaden in Narragansett Bay, with all landings taking place in Fall River, MA.}
4. RI will need to adopt new state regulations for 2013 to manage its new 75,000 pound state allocation. While this will likely involve the imposition of constraints on the fish trap operators, the constraints will likely be modest, since the State’s allocation is only slightly less than average annual landings over the past few years. Moreover, the adoption by ASMFC of a 6,000 pound menhaden bycatch allowance for non-directed fisheries, not to be counted against the state quotas, will provide considerable flexibility to the fish-trap operators, and will help to minimize discard mortality.
5. The ASMFC’s new menhaden plan includes an “episodic event set aside” totaling 1% of the new coastwide quota (i.e., about 3.76 million pounds), which is available to nine states, including RI, that have relatively low allocations (less than 2% of bait landings, averaged over the past three years). While it remains to be seen how this set-aside will be managed, it is evident that RI will be able to tap into it, to some degree, if/when large numbers of menhaden show up in RI waters.”

Here is a link to the ASMFC website that summaries meeting deliberations:  http://www.asmfc.org/press_releases/meetingWkSummaries/2012/dec14_2012AtlMenhadenBoardPR_Motions.pdf .

Fall fishing is great

Family tautog fishing:  Greg Vespe of Tiverton, RI took his family tautog fishing with Capt. BJ Silvia after hurricane Sandy. (From left to right) Shawn Hayes Costello (Tiverton, RI), Ric Vespe (Little Marsh, Pa), Greg Vespe, and Colleen Hayes Costello (Tiverton, RI). 

Tautog fishing is great: Chris Benn, mate on the Seven B’s party boat out of Point Judith, fillets my tautog catch Sunday.  Some customers limited out, many anglers took home two to four fish and the largest fish that day was about nine pounds.

Big bass migrating: Angler Kurt Rivard of Warren, RI landed this 35 pound striped bass last week drifting and eel in 30 feet of water near the Mount Hope Bridge.

Fall fishing is great

So you think it is all over. You think fishing is done for the season… hurricane Sandy and the nor’easter must have shut it down. Well… you are wrong… fresh and saltwater fishing is great.  Anglers are catching bass and trout in ponds and rivers stocked by the Department of Environmental Management (visit www.dem.ri.gov for locations) and saltwater fishing is outstanding.  

Captain Rick Bellavance, president of the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boast Association said, “This is the best time of year to fish.”  Anglers are catching tautog, cod, scup and striped bass.  Black sea bass can still be caught recreationally in state waters (if you do not have a federal license).  Since Sandy came though many anglers are limiting out with tautog (six fish per angler) and they are catching migrating striped bass too.

Angler Kurt Rivard of Warren, RI landed a 35 pound striped bass last week drifting and eel in 30 feet of water near the Mount Hope Bridge. “The fish pulled 200 yards of line out before it got tired and turned” said Kurt’s fishing partner Corey Smith.

Five days after the hurricane, angler Greg Vespe fished for tautog. “I took my family out with Capt. BJ Silvia… we really clobbered them  (tautog) on the near shore and mid shore humps off of Newport…lots of five and six pounders, five seven pounders and a nine pounder was tops for the day. Picked up at least 40 legal sized tog.” said Vespe.

For anglers who may have put their boats away for the winter (and many did prior to the hurricane) there are a host of charter and party boats still fishing.  Visit the RI Charter & Party Boat Association web site at www.rifishing.com for a list of boats, fishing times, rates and boat web sites for details.  The smaller boats take two to six anglers and the larger party boats can take over a hundred anglers fishing.

The Snappa from Point Judith is a custom 46’ fishing vessel.  Captain Charlie Donilon, who has been fishing for tautog since Sandy,  said, “We (have been) fishing south of Newport in the deeper water between 50 and 100 ft. The largest fish weighed (about) 14 lbs. Approximately 1/3 of the fish are throwbacks.”  The Snappa has a heated cabin and will provide all bait and tackle. Your cost for an 8 1/2 hr. day of fishing is $130. A private group of six passengers can charter the boat for as little as $700. Additional passengers add $100/person. Visit www.snappacharters.com or call Capt. Donilon at 401-782-4040.

The Seven B’s is 80 feet and is licensed to take up to 120 people fishing.  They are tautog fishing now until December 15 at which time they generally switch to cod fishing. My brother-in-law and I fished with Captain Russ Benn this weekend, at first, the fishing was spotty but Captain Benn was determined to find fish and when he did all rods were bent.  The crew was fantastic. Some anglers limited out and others caught two to four keepers.  I did not speak to any unhappy customers.  We fished out in front a mile or two off shore from Newport to the Sakonnet River.  Seven B’s is now fishing Wednesday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Adults $85 and children $45.  Visit them at www.sevenbs.com or call 401.789.9250.

The Francis Fleet vessels are owned by Captain Frank Blount.  He and his family have been running the business since 1978. They are running both tautog and cod fishing trips now.  Visit them at www.francesfleet.com  or call them at 800.662.2824.

Windmill mitigation workshop for recreational and commercial fishers
The second wind mitigation workshop for recreational and commercial fishers will be held November 16, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the URI Bay Campus, South Ferry Road,  Narragansett, RI. For more informationcall 978-465-0492.  RSVP to Elizabeth Castle at ecastle@ene.com .

Fly Tyers to hold annual Christmas Banquet

The United Fly Tyers of RI (UFTRI) will hold their annual Christmas banquet December 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus hall on Sandy Lane in Warwick, RI.  The event will feature a meal, a guest speaker and raffle.  UFTRI is an educational organization, dedicated to teaching fresh and salt water fly tying. Yearly membership dues are $30 (September of current year through May of next year). Tying vises and materials are available for use by guests (anyone attending for the first time), as well as any paid member. Visit  www.uftri.org  for details and information.

Rhody Fly Rodders to meet November 20th

The Rhody Fly Rodders will hold their monthly meeting Tuesday, November 20, 6:30 p.m. at the Riverside Sportsmen Association, East Providence, RI.  The presenter will be Alan Caolo. He will 
be presenting a slide program, “Sight-Fishing for Striped Bass”, a comprehensive overview on an exciting style of fishing for taking stripers in the clear shallows, including strategy, stealth, presentation and flies. The presentation will include information for everyone from beginners to seasoned anglers.  Monthly Bucket Raffles with some great items will be held and as usual, the coffee pot is always on, along with a few tasty snacks.  For information call Peter Nilsen, board member, at 401.245.7172 or e-mail him at pdfish@fullchannel.net .  Directions: From Providence take Rt.195 to Exit 7. Bear right on the ramp & follow Rt. 114 South (Wampanoag Trail) for two miles. Look for WPRO Studios on left, and then take first U-turn back to Rt.114 North. Continue North and look for the Riverside Sportsmen’s Club sign on right side.

Where’s the bite

Striped bass fishing has been good.  Reports of school bass all along the southern shore.  Angler David Sweet reports, “Made our way up to Narragansett Beach and fished just north of the Coast Guard House in about 5-10 ft. of water for 15 + schoolies. Tagged 15… “. Large striped bass being taken in the lower
Bay and along southern Coastal shores.  Neil Hayes of Quaker Lane Outfitters, North Kingstown, RI  weighed in a 58.45 pound bass that Nick Gibbs caught while fishing at night off the Narragansett shore last week.  Nick was using a black bomber lure.  

Tautog fishing remains strong in the lower Bay and off coastal shores with a slower bite mid Bay and North.   I fished on the Seven B’s Sunday…  some anglers caught two to four fish, some limited out  and the top fish was about nine pounds.  Anglers experiencing a strong bite at Kettlebottom off Jamestown,  Newport in the Brenton Reef area, off Point Judith Light and off Narragansett on rock clusters.

Cod fishing is starting to pick up.  This past Sunday Captain Letourneau of On The Rocks Charters reported limiting out on Cod.  Captain Letourneau said, “Started out front in Newport with a 24" cod and never looked back…” The Francis Fleet repots an improved cod bite compared to this past week with the top fish Sunday weighing in at about 10 pounds.

Proposed panel format designed to enhance fishermen input

Captain John Sheriff with the 43 pound bass he caught on the Southwest Ledge of Block Island fishing at night with eels.

Suzanne Sustello with a nice black sea bass she caught off the center wall at the Harbor of Refuge when fishing with her husband Rick last week.

Bob Brodeur with the 24” fluke that Larry Ruddy caught on his boat Popcorn2 when fishing under the Newport Bridge last Thursday.

Angler Ed Mardo with two of the doormat fluke he caught this weekend when fishing the south side of Block Island.

Proposed panel format designed to enhance input

In a move to enhance fishermen participation the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council (RIMFC) is exploring full-day meetings to consider annual amendments to species-specific management plans. These annual amendments traditionally address such things as catch limits, season length, size limits, etc. for both commercial and recreational fishing. Historically, Advisory Panel meetings have been held on separate nights i.e. striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), tautog.  With the single night approach fishermen have to attend several evening or afternoon meetings to provide regulation input on the variety of species they fish.

Robert Ballou, acting chief of the Division of Fish & Wildlife of the Department of Environment Management (DEM) and chairman of the RIMFC, introduced the proposal at July’s RIMFC meeting. “Now I would like to continue the discussion regarding streamlining the Advisory Panel process.”  Consolidating the meetings was recommended by Councilman Rick Bellavance of North Kingstown (a charter boat operator and captain).  Captain Bellavance said, “Holding meetings together on one or two days or evenings will enhance participation from fishermen who cannot make multiple meetings and allow greater council participant at a variety of species meetings.” Bellavance continued to say that fishermen have too many meetings to go to.  Consequently they often have to miss meetings to fish or prepare their vessels for fishing

The draft proposal calls for a full-day (and/or night) meeting in September and a meeting in February that will likely be one and a half or two days.  The fall meeting would address commercial summer flounder, scup, black sea bass as well as herring.  The winter meeting could address commercial tautog, striped bass, menhaden, bluefish and weakfish; federally managed species such as monkfish, dogfish, skates, cod, winter flounder; lobster;  and recreational summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, tautog, striped bass and winter flounder.

Advisory panels and committees that would remain in effect, meeting throughout the year as needed, would include the Industry Advisory Committee (IAC), enforcement, floating fish trap and shellfish possibly both wild harvest regulations as well as aquaculture lease proposals.

The proposal received wide support at the meeting.  DEM and the RIMFC hope to enact the new meeting structure this year keeping advisory panel and committee membership as it presently exists.

Fluke exemption certificate

The summer flounder (fluke) exemption certificate program was also discussed at the RIMFC meetng.  The Council voted to not eliminate the certificate and then asked DEM to develop an alternative proposal that addressed key fishermen concerns if the certificate was eliminated  i.e. too much pressure on inshore fish in the summer, possible early season closures due to overfishing but yet address the inequality of the present certificate program.

 The fluke advisory panel had voted unanimously (8 to 0) to “recommend not eliminating or modifying the summer flounder exemption certificate program.”  The program allowed vessels to apply for a “RI Summer Flounder Exemption Certificate” prior to 1/1/97.  173 permits were issued with approximately 148 (56 are non-resident permits) active today.  The permits allow fishermen “to possess, land, sell” more than two hundred (200) pounds of summer flounder in any calendar day in Rhode Island as catch limits permit. 

The Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance sponsored a proposal to eliminate the permit relating that the proposal was about creating equity amongst Rhode Island fishermen. However, some at the summer flounder advisory panel meeting and the following RIMFC meeting voiced opposition to eliminating the certificate program relating the “too much inshore pressure” and “overfishing” arguments.  Those voicing opposition to eliminating the certificate included the Rhode Island Commercial Rod and Reel Association as well and the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA).

Where’s the bite

Striped bass fishing has been good at Block Island at night.  Captain John Sheriff reports landing bass to 43 pounds on the Southwest Ledge Friday night.  Captain Sheriff said, “We caught a 34, 25 and a few 20 pound class fish as well…Bass caught with live eels with no weight in 45 feet of water.” Steve McKenna, a noted local shore angler and fishing author said the shore bass bite has slowed a great deal off Narragansett and other areas he fishes.  Steve said, “I caught over one hundred fish in April but since May I have caught about seventy fish… I have been shore bass fishing for 39 years and places where I would catch five and seven fish a night are now yielding two to no fish.” Angler Dave Morton reports that Saturday night, “…we decided to hit the car docks at Quonset where we came across schools of stripers chasing squid and small bunker type bait, by the end of the night my friend’s brother landed his first Rhode Island striper at 25 inches! In total the three of us landed 30 stripers from 12 to 28 inches all stuffed with squid.” John Littlefield from Archie’s Bait & Tackle, East Providence said, “The striped bass bite has slowed a great deal in the upper Bay and River.”

Squeteague (weakfish or saltwater trout as they are often referred to) are being caught in Narragansett Bay in larger numbers.  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, East Providence, said, “Two days in a row customers have reported catching squeteague.  One caught four off Warwick Light when fluke fishing and a second caught two off Barrington Beach.”  Ed Bison caught a 25” weakfish in 60’ of water when fluke fishing Saturday. The legal size for squeteague is 16” with a possession limit of one fish per angler per day with no closed season.

Fluke (or summer flounder) fishing slowed a bit this week with anglers working harder for the keeper fish. Craig Castro of Erickson Brothers Bait & Tackle, Warwick, said, “Customers fishing in the RISAA fluke tournament experienced a very slow bite catching one and two fish this weekend.”  I fished this week off Newport and caught three fluke in the 21” range in a two hour period.  Thursday, Larry Ruddy caught a nice 24” fluke under the Newport Bridge when fishing on Bob Brodeau’s boat Popcorn2.  Angler Dave Sweet fished at Austin Hollow Saturday and caught three keepers in the afternoon with a slow bite most of the day. Anglers fishing the mouth of the Sakonnet River also experience a slower fluke bite this week.  Angler Steve McGonagle said there was a “Slow pick of nice sized fluke along with big BSB and even a couple of fat tautog on the outgoing, at the mouth of the Sakonnet River in 70-75 feet of water. Point Judith head boats were there along with 30 or so other boats. Not nonstop action but you could work for a nice pick of fish.”  Angler Rick Sustello who fished at the three mile limit off Point Judith Saturday said, “We had non-stop action with fluke and BSB for over two hours before it slowed down. We had over a dozen keeper size fluke, but kept only 6 fluke… we also caught about the same number of BSB with the largest at 4...”

Scup fishing remains good all over Narragansett Bay with fish as large 18” being caught.  Hot spots include Colt State Park, Ohio Ledge, the Rocky Point area and wharfs in Warren and Barrington.