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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 34 Number 9
May 2007
RI council recommends trap-transfer changes
NARRAGANSETT, RI – The Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council made a number of recommendations to the state Department of Environmental Management after hearing advisory panel reports on lobster trap transferability and tautog, striped bass, and weakfish commercial management plans during its April 16 meeting.
Trap allocation for lobstermen fishing in Area 2 has proven to be a contentious issue. However, during an April 9 public hearing, the council stressed that proposed regulations would be developed to allow lobstermen flexibility to increase their trap allocations.
After hearing concerns from both the Division of Fish and Wildlife (F&W) and its lobster advisory panel, the council voted to recommend a change in the trap-transfer unit number and to extend the available time for trap transfer sales.
The state’s proposed Area 2 transferability plan required individuals who received an initial allocation of more than 100 traps to transfer their traps in 50-trap units. But because of hardships lobstermen would face by having to transfer such a large number, the council recommended reducing the trap-transfer unit to 10 traps or more.
The council also advised extending the time to make these trap transfers. The proposed trap transfer time period was Jan. 1-Sept. 30 with all transfers effective May 1. According to the recommendation, all trap transfer sales made by Nov. 30 will go into effect May 1.
Finally, the council recommended that lobstermen who are left with fewer than 50 traps after making transfers be allowed to continue fishing their remaining traps.
While all plan changes have to be in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) interstate lobster plan, council Chairman Mark Gibson said, “The intent is to be as seamless and consistent as possible with the Massachusetts plan, as they fish the same area.”
Tautog
The council signed off on 2007 recommendations for a number of fisheries.
It recommended that the tautog commercial regulations stay the same with a 16" minimum size and the state’s quota divided equally among three subperiods. The only recommended change was a two-week extension of the last subperiod, which would leave the fishery open through the end of the year, rather than closing Dec. 15, as long as quota is available.
So the recommended commercial tautog quota subperiods are: April 15-May 31; July 15-Aug. 29; and Oct. 15-Dec. 31. The maximum number of fish per boat during all of these subperiods is 10.
Striped bass
The council recommended several changes to the state’s commercial striped bass fishery regulations, including the following.
Season – The season would start on June 1, nine days earlier than last year, and run through Dec. 31.
Minimum size – The commercial minimum size for general category fishermen would be 34".
Subperiods – The commercial quota would be divided between two subperiods with 75% going to the June 1-Aug. 31 subperiod and 25% going to the Sept. 1-Dec. 31 subperiod.
Bag limits – The bag limit would be five fish per vessel per day June 1-Dec. 31. This compares to last year’s four fish “per license holder per calendar day” for the summer subperiod and three fish for the fall subperiod.
Days off – The fishery would be closed on Fridays and Saturdays during both the summer and fall subperiods, making any possession or commercial sale of striped bass illegal during those days.
The council also recommended amending the floating fish trap striped bass plan to limit trappers to taking 39% of the striped bass quota, 1% lower than last year. The minimum size for the floating fish trap fishery is proposed to be 26", which is down from 28". The 1% decrease is the conservation equivalency for the decrease in minimum size.
As well, any uncaught fish trap quota would be added to the overall general category quota starting Oct. 1.
Weakfish
For the commercial weakfish fishery, the council generally recommended no change to existing regulations, which include a 16" minimum size and quota subperiods – June 1-June 30 and Aug. 7-Nov. 8.
There are no catch limits during those subperiods. However, the council recommended that the weakfish possession limit be reduced from 300 pounds to 150 pounds during the off-season.
This decrease in possession limit is required by ASMFC.
Aquaculture issues
The council also recommended that the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), which handles aquaculture issues, work towards developing a comprehensive report on the growth of aquaculture in Rhode Island.
Two applications for aquaculture lease expansion came up before the council – one in Winnapaug Pond and one in Great Salt Pond. However, the council voted not to offer recommendations on either existing lease applications or future applications until the CRMC has drawn up its aquaculture report.
Dave Alves of CRMC said that his council recognizes the need for such a plan but also realizes that such research takes time. It could be a year or more before a report can be produced, he said.
Mason Beutel
Lorelei Stevens
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