August 14, 2013 — Last week the Atlantic Menhaden advisory panel of the RI Marine Fisheries Council met to review new catch limits and management plan amendments that will go to public hearing this week. Both commercial and recreational fishing community representatives at the meeting expressed concern over the extremely low quota the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) assigned to RI. The quota, based on the historical catch of Atlantic Menhaden landed in RI, is so low that it effectively eliminates any fish being caught commercially and landed in RI (this includes fish sold to bait shops for striped bass fishing). For years out-of-state fishermen have caught fish in RI but landed them in other states. Millions of pounds of fish have been caught in RI, however, they have not counted toward our quota as they were landed in other States. The advisory panel urged DEM fish managers and ASMFC representatives to be very vocal about the low quota and demand more fish for RI.
Meeting participants suggested the quota be based on fish caught in RI waters as DEM has records of fish caught in the Bay as all commercial boats fishing in the Narragansett Bay Management Area for Atlantic Menhaden call in and out when fishing in RI and are required to report the amount of fish taken.
Mr. G. Goodwin of Seafreeze Ltd., Rhode Island (one of the largest producers of sea-frozen fish on the east coast), said, "Atlantic Menhaden were part of our plans and now we are completely shut out of the fishery. We planned on catching fish in federal waters and in other states and would then have the product brought back to RI for marketing. These plans are now impossible with this management plan."
The Marine Fisheries Divisions of DEM will solicit public comment on Atlantic Menhaden and a variety of other proposed commercial management plan regulation amendments this week. The meeting will take place Thursday, August 15, 2013, 6:00 p.m. at the University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, Corless Auditorium, South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI. Visit www.dem.ri.gov for details.
Commercial and recreational fishermen are urged to attend this meeting as it is one of the opportunities we have to express our point of view on fishing regulations in RI.