Fisheries Council recommends allowing more Atlantic menhaden fishing in Bay
The Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council voted Monday to recommend allowing commercial fishermen to harvest 50,000 pounds of Atlantic menhaden per vessel per week, despite the Bay possibly being closed to fishing because the population may be below Menhaden Management Area program threshold levels.
The 4-3 vote occurred despite a state Marine Fisheries Division staff recommendation for more study. When the Bay is open under the MMA program, 120,000 pounds/vessel/day are allowed to be harvested.
The MMA program uses ecosystem-based management approaches to ensure there are enough Atlantic menhaden left in the water to serve as food for striped bass, bluefish, tuna, dolphin, whales, osprey and other animals.
Greg Vespe, executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, said: “The Menhaden Management Area in Narragansett Bay has been working for several years now — why circumvent such a model program? When the biomass reaches 2 million pounds, the Bay opens to commercial fishing, and when it drops below the threshold of 1.5 million pounds, the Bay is shut down.”
The program uses aerial surveys to estimate the biomass of Atlantic menhaden in the Bay on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.
Terrence Gray, director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, makes the final ruling on all fishing regulations and is expected to do so this month, so they are in place for May. Visit www.dem.ri.gov for a final regulation posting.
Here are Council recommendations on popular species:
Black sea bass. Private anglers two fish/person/day May 22 through Aug. 26 and three fish/person/day Aug. 27 to Dec. 31. Party and charter boats would have a 16-inch minimum size with a season that starts later on June 18 to Aug. 31 with two fish/person/day and from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, a six fish/person/day limit. DEM related that keeping the party and charter boat sector at 16 inches will have minimum impact on the fishery as they take just 3% of recreational harvest. The 16-inch size will keep Rhode Island competitive with boats from New York and Connecticut.
Scup. A 10.5-inch minimum for boats, all shore fishing having a 9.5-inch minimum size. Private angler including shore fishing from May 1 to Dec. 31 with a 30 fish/person/day limit. The party/charter season would run May 1 to Aug. 31 with a 30 fish/person/day limit and a bonus season from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31 with a 40 fish/person/day, and from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 the limit goes back to 30 fish/person /day.
Bluefish. The regulation by the Council was status quo at three fish/person/day for private anglers, and five fish/angler/day for party and charter boats. No minimum sizes.
Tautog. The new "trophy fish" slot limit put in place last year in Rhode Island was so successful that Massachusetts will adopt nearly the same regulation for 2023. Maximum of 10 fish/vessel/day (does not apply to charter boats). Minimum size 16 inches, April 1 to May 31, three fish/person/day; June 1 to July 31, closed season during spawning in Rhode Island; Aug. 1 to Oct. 14, three fish/person/day; Oct. 15 to Dec. 31, five fish/person/day. Only one fish may be above 21 inches.
Striped bass. The Council is recommending a status quo regulation for 2023, a slot of one fish/person/day between 28 and 35 inches. Additional provisions recommended include removal of the right pectoral fin at time of harvest on fish 34 inches or greater, the use of circle hooks when fishing recreationally with bait, striped bass caught on any unapproved method must be returned to the water immediately without unnecessary injury, and new this year gaffs prohibited when fishing for striped bass recreationally.
Kids Fly Fishing Day
The Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife with Trout Unlimited, United Fly Tyers of Rhode Island, Rhody Fly Rodders and other volunteer organizations will host their annual Kids Fly Fishing Day at Addieville East Farm in Mapleville on Saturday, April 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This all-day event is open for children ages 10 and up and will teach them how to properly tie their own flies and knots and cast a fly rod. Participants will then have an opportunity to fish the stocked pond.
Lunch is provided, the program is free and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeFCLlSpb7mFSpdrxXFrL7oUGmGzg3DlQJ-pDjPJAfeCIKU1Q/viewform?usp=sf_link.
Fly fishing the cinder worm hatch; still some openings
The annual U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service/DEM free Cinder Worm Fly Tying classes will be held Tuesdays, May 2 and May 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Kettle Pond Visitor Center, Charlestown. The Fly Fishing portion of the program will take place May 20, 4 p.m. until dark, at Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, Charlestown.
The cinder worm hatch is a springtime ritual as thousands of cinder worms wiggle their way from the mud to the surface to mate. Striped bass feed on the worms. To register, contact Marisa Podbros at marisa_podbros@fws.gov or call (401) 213-4400.
Where’s the bite?
Freshwater. “The bait of choice for hatchery-raised trout that have been stocked in ponds has been Power Bait,” said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside. "The bait and other synthetic baits like it resemble what these fish eat in the hatchery. After a couple of weeks and the fish are acclimated, they start to eat natural baits in their new environment.” Vincent Castaldi of Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown, said: “Things were slow before opening day [Saturday] with some anglers, including myself, catching largemouth and pickerel.” For licenses and trout/salmon waterway stocking information in Rhode Island, visit www.dem.ri.gov/fishing, and in Massachusetts, www.mass.gov/service-details/trout-stocking-report .
The tautog spring season opened on April 1. Anglers fished last weekend but no reports of fish at this point.
Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business that focuses on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy and fisheries-related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net or visit www.noflukefishing.com.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI Fisheries Council recommends easing Atlantic menhaden limits in Bay
