Striped bass under attack, anglers need to take a stand

Spring bass a hoot: Steve Brustein with a 25” spring striped bass caught on an Al Gag’s soft plastic white lure in five feet of water near the Godard Park boat ramp, Warwick.

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Program, part of the Stars & Stripers initiative, will take place Saturday, June 8 at Allen Harbor, North Kingstown. Donations of all types are welcome.

Striped bass under attack… anglers need to take a stand

Striped bass are under attack.  The recent stock assessment indicates they are overfished and are subject to overfishing. Think of the striped bass in the water as bank account, we are not only earning less than we are spending (overfishing), but the account is overdrawn (overfished).

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), that regulates striped bass coastwide, recommended an Addendum that aims to reduce harvest by 17 percent to lower mortality and bolster Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB), females in the water that can spawn.

Yet some government officials are advocating to take more fish for short term economic gain, rather than rebuilding the stock growing it to abundance so there are more fish in the water for all to catch, eat and/or release.

Additionally, some special interest groups want to move an Amendment (different than the Addendum mentioned above) forward that would move the goal post. So rather than fishing within the scientifically arrived at target to insure a sustainable fisher, they aim to lower the bar on ‘ecological reference points’… the amount of spawning stock biomass that is required to be left in the water.

In a May 21, 2019 press release Rep. Lee Zeldin (R) from New York District 1 (which includes the Montauk, NY area) said, “New York fishermen faced a major blow due to ASMFC’s decision to cut the Atlantic Striped Bass fishery by up to 17% next year and maintain the current ban on striped bass fishing in the Block Island Sound Transit Zone. Rather than rooting these decisions in local stock assessments,… the ASMFC used flawed data that measures the Atlantic Striped Bass stock based on the entire eastern seaboard,”

First, the recommendation to reduce the striped bass catch limit was based on a stock assessment that was peer-reviewed by respected fisheries scientists, not a U.S. Representative that wants to take more fish to satisfy constituent fishermen in his District.  Striped bass migrate and they tend to spawn in the same places so it is important to have a coastwide assessment and not just use local ‘alternate data’.

In regard to fishing in the Block Island EEZ, Representative Zeldin said he would like to use “Alternative data that shows the Striped Bass stock is in a better place outside the 3-mile limit”.  We should all be concerned about ‘Alternative data’ developed locally as it often comes to a conclusion that is in line with the local political situation.  In this case taking more fish, for short term economic gains of special interest groups in the Congressman’s District. 

Don’t get me wrong, an abundance of data is a good thing (local and national).  However, when Congressman Zeldin uses the term ‘alternate data’ it raises a red flag as it sounds like the term ‘alternative facts’ we often hear today.

Taking more fish for short term economic gain rather than long term stock rebuilding of striped bass is wrong. Sacrificing environmental concerns for economic gain is characteristic of Rep. Zeldin.  Whether you like to bird watch, be outside in open spaces, or fish… beware of Rep. Zeldin’s environmental record.  His lifetime score (voting record) on environmental legislation has earned him a score of 10 percent (out of 100) which is the lowest score of any NY Congressman from the League of Conservation Voters (http://scorecard.lcv.org/moc/lee-zeldin).  By comparison twelve of the fifteen congressmen from New York have lifetime scores of 89 percent or better.

The fish in the ocean belong to all the people of the United States of American and not a select few.  We need to grow fish to abundance for all the people.

The ASMFC’s next meeting in August will consider Addendum options that will go out for public comment.  The goal is to have an approved Addendum in place for 2020 regulations.  Anglers need to comment on the Addendum when it is put out for public comment after the August meeting and oppose an Amendment that would move the goal post on Spawning Stock Biomass.

For a four part article series on the history of striped bass, regulations and recommendations visit www.saltwaterguidesassociation.org  for Rep. Zeldin’s May 21 press release and a more detailed rebuttal to his claims visit www.oneanglersvoyage.blogspot.com . 

Project Healing Waters Supports Veterans

On Saturday, June 8 disabled veterans, local volunteers, businesses, and civic organizations will gather at the Allen Harbor Marina in North Kingstown for the second annual Narragansett Bay ‘Stars & Stripers’ fishing event. 

Over a dozen disabled veterans and their families from Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing programs in New England will be hosted for the day on the Bay by professional guides and local experts to fish for striped bass and bluefish.  Thanks to local businesses and civic organizations a special shore lunch will be provided for all at this invitation-only event.

Donations of all types are welcome to make the day more memorable for veterans and their families.  To make a donation contact Keith Tanner, event coordinator, at keithtanner@sbcglobal.net or 203.521.2457.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater.  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside said, “I sold a ton of shiners this week to anglers targeting largemouth and everyone was catching a quantity of fish.  Echo Lake in Bristol County was particularly good for anglers.”  Capt. Tom Pelletier of Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown said, “DEM restocked some of the area ponds so the trout bite is very, very good.”

Summer flounder (fluke) fishing picked up a bit this week as the water warmed along the coastal shore, in the Bay and offshore.  Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet said, “The fluke fishing is really starting to pick up. Saturday was picture perfect conditions and fluking was red hot. We had the best day of the year so far with over 60 keepers. We had five fish around eight pounds. Water temperatures have really risen with the warm week.”  Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box, Warwick said, “The fluke bite in the middle to upper Bay has really not started yet.”  Don Smith, expert angler and longtime RI Saltwater Anglers member, said, “We have been doing good with fluke on the south side of Block Island in about 70 feet of water.  Last week and this week we caught fish to 8.5 and 10 pounds.  There is a lot of bait around… sand ells and mackerel but no bass feeding under them.  We did start to catch dog fish when we moved to the East Grounds.”

Striped bass and bluefish fishing continues to get stronger with school striped bass and larger fish.  Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box said, “We weighted in a 30 pound bass this weekend caught on an umbrella rig in the Bay.”  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside said, “The striped bass bite was good this week with a 42” fish caught in the upper Providence River and several keepers caught from shore at Colt State Park mixed in with school bass.  Anglers are catching as many school bass as they want in the Lavin’s Marina area in Barrington.”  Capt. Pelletier of Quaker Lane said, “Keeper striped bass being caught mixed in with school bass.  And it was nice to hear this weekend the bluefish arrived in force in the mid and upper-Narragansett Bay areas in Greenwich Bay as well as in the east passage north of Prudence Island.”

Tautog fishing season ends May 31 and reopens again August 1. 

Striper fishing down on all counts

Large striped bass like this one caught by Mike Swain were not as prevalent last year.  Striped bass are on the decline according to a new survey by Stripers Forever.

Striper fishing down on all counts

Striped bass fishing is down.  Striper fishermen, fishing guides and charter captains will tell you that for the past three to four years the amount of fish caught each year has been less and less.  And, the fish have been getting smaller.

The results of Striper Forever’s 2018 annual survey on striped bass fishing was released February 9, 2019 and it was no surprise when it showed most anglers responding to the survey said their striped bass fishing was down.  Out of the 450 survey responders, 72 percent said the number of striped bass they catch per hour has declined from 2017 to 2018, while 71 percent said the size of the striped bass they caught was ‘smaller’ or ‘much smaller’ than previous years.

These survey results support angler claims of fish volume and sizes declining for the past couple of years. This was also the case when in 2018 the Massachusetts commercial striped bass fishery was unable to catch its full quota of large striped bass even after the state’s Division of Marine Fisheries added open days to the season in an effort to help meet the quota.

Capt. Rick Bellavance, president of the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association, said, “Striper fishing in 2018 was hit or miss.  Often times we would miss the bite out at the southwest ledge area of Block Island by a few minutes.  The fish were also notably smaller this year, just as the scientists have been predicting.”

A major striped bass stock reassessment of the wild Atlantic striped bass population has prompted the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) that manages striped bass, to admit that the spawning stock of large fish has shrunk sufficiently to require a warning that the stock is being overfished, and that overfishing is occurring. 

Stripers Forever blames the ASMFC management plan that focuses too much of the fishing effort on large, older fish that are vital to the breeding population.  Over the last 10 years a reduced striped bass breeding population has resulted in highly variable production, including two good year classes, two average and six below average, including a record low spawn in 2016. The average striped bass year class sizes in Chesapeake Bay during the decade of the 1990s were roughly twice as large as those that have occurred in the last 15 years.

In their February 9 press release, Stripers Forever said, “We believe that a slot limit that allows a harvest only within a restrictive upper and lower size range along with a complete end to all commercial fishing for wild striped bass is the best management solution for the fishery… (And) 79 percent of Stripers Forever members support the sale of a game fish stamp with the proceeds to be used for buying out the remaining commercial fishing activities.”

A complete recap of all the survey information is available at this LINK on the Stripers Forever website.  For more additional information e-mail stripers@stripersforever.org. 

New York State approves bill to ban Atlantic menhaden seining

Last week the New York State Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill that would ban the harvesting of Atlantic menhaden, also called pogies or bunker, using purse seine nets up to three miles from shore.  The bill restricts large-scale industrial boats from encircling schools of menhaden with nets that haul tons of fish for the production of fish oil and protein meal.

Atlantic menhaden have been cited by many as an important forage fish for striped bass, bluefish, tuna as well as osprey and other fish and birds.  They are harvested locally by fishermen who cast nests in Narragansett, Mt. Hope and Buzzard’s Bay to catch the fish for use as bait.

However, the law New York passed does allow for large scale fishing at the State’s discretion to avoid fish kills due to depleted oxygen levels in estuaries.

Fishermen still at odds with Vineyard Wind

At deadline fishermen in Rhode Island are still at odds with Vineyard Wind, developer of the 84 turbine wind farm 14 miles off Massachusetts. The wind farm area is often fished by Rhode Island fishermen who initially had concerns about the spacing of the turbines. Fishermen wanted to make sure enough room was left between them for fishing and safe navigation. They are now planned for approximately one mile apart. 

Additionally, Vineyard Wind announced in December, 2018 its support for fishery transit lanes that are sited directly through the middle of the lease area.  The aim is to accommodate fishermen based in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Long Island area who need to transit the length of the wind areas to reach fishing grounds south and east of Cape Cod.  Vineyard Wind has pledged to continue to work with fishermen to determine how best to utilize this flexibility, taking into account both fishing within the turbine area and transiting though the area.

Commercial squid fishermen from Rhode Island are concerned about the wind farm changing the migration pattern of squid on rich fishing grounds in and around the wind farm. Recreational fishermen are also concerned about the impact the wind farm could have particularly during construction redirecting fish and bait/forage (like squid) and their migration patterns. 

In a research protocol recommendation to Vineyard Wind, Bay State Wind and Deepwater Wind/Orsted the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) requested that a research protocol be developed for all wind farms that includes fish and habitat research before, during and after construction of wind farms that utilizes in part rod and reel surveys as well as research targeting impacts on pelagic species such as mahi, tuna and sharks. The recommendation related that RISAA supports renewable energy efforts like wind farms, however, they want to make sure that as utility scale wind farms are build i.e. the eighty-four turbine Vineyard Wind farm vs the five turbine piolet project off Block Island, that there are no adverse effects on habitat or fish.

At press time the Rhode Island Fishermen’s Advisory Board (FAB) weighing in on Vineyard Wind plans were negotiating with the developer.  FAB member Capt. Rick Bellavance, president of the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association said, “I am concerned about the Vineyard Wind project setting the table for projects to come.  Right now Vineyard Wind has no intention to do rod & reel studies, or study pelagic fish we target.  We are concerned that once they start driving piles that fishing will stop, just like it did at Block Island when Deepwater Wind was constructing the Block Island Wind Farm project.  We are also concerned about a change in squid migration patterns.”

Squid serve as a great food source for a variety of species including summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, striped bass, blue fish and a host of others.  Capt. Bellavance said, “These pylons are over 30 feet in diameter compared to the smaller pylons used at Block Island.  Wind farm pile driving will continue for ten years.  What this will do to fish migration patterns is not known.  Will it drive them away for good?”

Vineyard Wind and the Fishermen’s Advisory Board hope to reach a mitigation agreement soon.