DEM ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO RECREATIONAL FISHERIES REGULATIONS

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DEM ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO RECREATIONAL FISHERIES REGULATIONS FOR BLACK SEA BASS AND TAUTOG

DEM has filed regulations that extend the recreational season for black sea bass and modify the recreational possession limit for tautog.

For black sea bass, the season has been extended to October 11. The additional harvest opportunity emanates from action taken by the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in response to final 2009 harvest estimates for the coastwide recreational fishery. The estimates indicate that the 2009 harvest was less than previously projected, and thus require only a 21.4% coastwide reduction in recreational harvest for the 2010 recreational season, rather than the 44% reduction that had been previously projected. The fishery will close on October 12, and then reopen from November 1 - December 31.

For tautog, two changes have been made to the regulations governing recreational fishers. The regulations are intended to stem and reverse the deteriorating condition of the local tautog stock by reducing recreational fishing pressure, particularly during the fall season. The two changes are:
A new 10-fish per boat possession limit, regardless of the number of anglers or spearfishers aboard [effective immediately and continuing through December 15]; and
A decrease in the daily possession limit from eight fish per person to six fish per person, beginning October 16 and running through December 15. [The daily possession limit remains at three fish per person through October 15.]
The new boat limit will override the per-person limit whenever there are four or more licensed anglers or spearfishers aboard a boat through October 15, and whenever there are two or more licensed anglers or spearfishers aboard from October 16 through December 15. Anglers or spearfishers fishing or diving from shore are not subject to the new boat limit, but they are bound by the new possession limits.

Additionally, for tautog, the new regulations establish a split mode for the party and charter boat sector and, for that sector, establish a new one fish per person possession limit through October 15. The possession limit then increases to eight fish per person from October 16 through November 30 [status quo], and then returns to one fish per person from December 1 through December 15. A new mandatory logbook requirement has also been enacted for all party/charter vessels participating in the tautog fishery. The reporting requirement is intended to facilitate the collection of precise data from the party/charter boat sector, in support of the split mode management program.

Party/charter boats are not subject to the ten fish per vessel restriction that applies to the rest of the recreational fishery. However, DEM intends to propose a reduction in the per-person possession limit – from eight to six fish/person – for the party/charter boat sector for the 2011 fall fishery.

For a detailed analysis on the issues faced in the tautog fishery refer to the Division of Fish and Wildlife report on tautog stock status at:

http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/togrpt.pdf

For a full review of all of the issues considered by the Director in reaching his decision on these regulatory changes, see the decision memo at:

http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/dir072910.pdf

aqualung · Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 6:41 pm Post subject:

Looks like RI is getting in sync with the surrounding states, which kind of sucks in my opinion since there is no shortage of togs under the current regulations. Over regulation once again