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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 33 Number 12
August 2006
RI council endorses lobster v-notch revision
WAKEFIELD, RI – In a move designed to afford maximum protection to Lobster Conservation Management Area 2 lobsters, the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council (RIMFC) recommended at its July 10 meeting that the director of the state’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM) work with the state of Massachusetts to further define the term v-notch.
The council also recommended that such a definition be implemented by Rhode Island as soon as possible, which means DEM might take emergency action to make the new definition official later this summer.
According to Najih Lazar of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife (F&W), current regulations prohibit possession of a lobster with any “distinctive” v-notch.
The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries is considering proposing a specific measurement, perhaps 1/8", to more clearly define what constitutes a v-notch than the current “zero tolerance” approach.
The effort to further define the v-notch came as Rhode Island lobstermen waited for a final decision on a proposed effort control plan, which would meet the requirements of Addendum VII to Amendment 3 of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) interstate lobster management plan.
Addendum VII mandates the establishment of a multistate program to cap effort in Area 2.
The RIMFC endorsed the proposed plan in June. As of mid-July, DEM Director Michael Sullivan was still studying the proposal. Massachusetts has already approved and is in the process of implementing a plan similar to the RIMFC-endorsed plan.
Mark Gibson, F&W’s deputy chief for marine fisheries, noted that an enhanced v-notch definition would have added conservation benefits, protecting lobsters v-notched under the North Cape program for longer than a single molt. That added protection is considered especially important in light of the completion of the North Cape v-notching program.
The industry and state managers are also facing pressure to take additional conservation steps under Addendum VIII to ASMFC’s interstate lobster plan.
“Just when we saw light at the end of the tunnel on Addendum VII, we’ve got new considerations with Addendum VIII,” said Gibson.
Approved by ASMFC’s lobster management board in May, Addendum VIII sets new fishing mortality and abundance targets. Under these targets, the Southern New England lobster stock is overfished and overfishing is occurring.
Summer flounder
In other business, the RIMFC discussed the possible closure of the Summer I summer flounder season, which Gibson said likely would be closed by the DEM director, possibly as early as July 13, until Aug. 1 unless the council recommended otherwise at the July 10 meeting.
The council chose not to act, with some members voicing their reluctance to pull quota away from subsequent seasons.
According to National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Regional Office statistics, 72% of the state’s 2006 quota for fluke had been landed as of July 12.
Said council member Ken Ketcham, “I’m concerned that if we pull fish from Summer II, we’ll impact mortality. It would be better to just shut it down for a few weeks.”
The council did discuss the importance of long-term considerations for the fluke fishery.
“As soon as we begin planning the 2007 (summer flounder seasons), we should meet as soon as possible,” said council member Dave Preble. “At this point, I think we need to start fresh.”
Council members Steve Parente and Ketchum acknowledged that the fishery has been changing.
Said Parente, “What’s different between this year and last year? Less fish and too many gillnets.”
Added Ketchum, “I saw big boats fishing on the beach – big boats that would be on Georges Bank – that I’ve never seen before.”
Joshua Allen
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