The RIMFC will be holding a public hearing on March 14th on various proposals to fisheries regulations. One proposed reg may affect those fishing with herring as bait.

7.19 River Herring – No person shall harvest or possess more than twelve (12) live alewives (alosa pseudoharengus) or live blueback herring (alosa aestivalis) either singularly or in aggregate in any calendar day in the marine waters of the
state. No person shall possess more than twelve (12) live alewives or live blueback herring either singularly or in aggregate in any one collecting device in any calendar day in the marine waters of the state. RIMF REGULATIONS [Penalty– Part 3.3 (RIGL 30-3-3)

Check the following link for other proposals.
http://www.state.ri.us/dem/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/prp0305.pdf

I still say ban ALL posession of herring like they did in CT, and figure out why the #'s are down. More mis-management of a species. :hs:

TLap, I am glad they are doing something. Too bad they seem to be so far behind CT.

If the CTDEP efforts are going to do anything, we chould start to see the results soon. It takes four years for this years spawn to return to the rivers. I think 4 years ago the DEP had closed the tribs to the CT?

I disagree with these regs. Appropriate measures were just taken last year to reduce the blatant poaching by moving the demarcation points and reducing the take at several over pressured runs. While I agree with a marine water possesion max of 24 (currently no minimum) and a 24 inland / 12 for specific runs. I think 12 is too restrictive.. I also think taking of herring should not begin until at least April 15 - give a lot of herring a chance to spawn before being taken - not while swimming up to spawn...

At the run near me, there were more guys rom CT than from RI half th time i was down there..
I agree with JohnR though.. get them after they do their stuff...

we went from

take what you want anytime

to 24

to 12

to 6

runs closed for seven years.

12 fish are more then enough to go fishing with.

We need enforcement. People take way too many. I see guys who hog the middle of the run for hours filling a bucket and emptying into a bigger holding tank on the truck. They probably take 10 dozen but only ever have 10 in the sammall bucket in the river with them.


I would also think that a 24 fish possesion limit , period would help a lot. No loading up and storing them . If people had to catch 12 every time they went fishing , they would use way less. Now they pig out when the catching is easy and store them in pens.

Anyway , like Capesams said , do it now or eventually it will get closed all together.


Stop the Pogie boats from entering the Bay too while we at it!!

Need more folks actually monitor the runs. There are A TON of folks double and triple dippin, and then there are the folks that raid the runs in the wee hours of the morning... Rissaa had a few folks stake out a few runs with some minor success.. but there has to be a more official presence at the runs... further restrictions will just affect those that have been playing by the rules the whole time, the poaching and double and triple dipping will continue... I agree that 12 are sufficient no reason to hoard them. I dont think I've taken my limit in the past 3 yrs on any given day, I usually get bored sitting there with the net...Thats just me, as long as you're within your legal limits man do your thing...

Timing the legal taking of the fish with their departure from the runs would also be helpful, as they have already spawned.. I wanna :yak6: When I hear "They're feisty'er when they havent had a chance to do their thing..." <- that mentality amazes me...

Why dont they charge a minimal fee ($10) on top of the freshwater liscence, like a trout stamp , i guess. Then use the extra money to help with fish ladder upkeap and construction, and better policing of the runs with more staffing. Id be more then happy to pay $10 for a herring stamp, $10 for plenty of baIt wouldnt bother me. The poaching is really bad late nights, many taking more then the limit and coming back multiple times. I only saw 1 conservation officer during the run last year:eek:

we had 12 /day last year (down from 25 the year prior to that)
It ain't so bad. BUT I agree with JohnR on this one...Lets take them on the way OUT..it seems such a shame to take them after they made it all the way back to their spawning grounds.

A lot of people here take them FOR the row and bait. But to me they should be left alone on the way up and only taken on the way out.

The problem is not the doz fish taken by you and me....it is the goons offshore taking everything that swims.:af: Look at the numbers of herring taken by the comm crowd....they have had some very good years.

IMO its the problem is them not us. That said, any poaching should be delt with with a severe punishment IMO. The pain is not enough. 10K min. fine. + community service (serious), that is what I would like to see.

People do it in broad daylite. There's never any DEM people around the runs when I am there. maybe this year if the change the rules a little?

At the run near me, there were more guys rom CT than from RI half th time i was down there..


Eben......shoot them and make us all happy;)

If anyone is interested in my thoughts on the proposed regs. I just included them in my weekly column. You can read it online RI on Noreast (http://www.noreast.com/regionreports.cfm?Article_ID=2724)

Don't wish to sound cliche but:

"Save a herring,fish a plug!"

Originally posted by MakoMike
If anyone is interested in my thoughts on the proposed regs. I just included them in my weekly column. You can read it online RI on Noreast (http://www.noreast.com/regionreports.cfm?Article_ID=2724)


This post is not working for me. I cannot find noreast.com. Is this a problem on my end, noreast.com end, or with the posting?

-IWK

The link in the posting should be good, but the site is down right now (10:31AM on 3/9/05) It should be working later on today, try again later please.

The site is back up and the link is working.

Tell me, really, what difference does it really make anyway? The State of RI dosen't enforce it anyway. Just look whats happened in the past. You find people breaking the law, you call DEM or the Police, and no one shows up until two or three days later!!!!!