Are the herring boats working off soco now? I am seeing a huge boat but can't make out what it is or what kind of gear they have .

It could be. The area is open for herring fishing. I haven't heard of many herring being around yet. The mid-water trawl madness won't begin until the big schools have arrived.

I recall seeing an announcement a few weeks back that the current time frame/zone quota was filled?

DZ

That's what I also heard DZ but then I recently heard this--that the federal fishery service added quota from Area 2 and put it into Area 3, which is the area for RI Sound, BI Sound, etc. The boats can begin whenever the herring show up.

I'm not sure what is going on.

sound like a typical federal cluster fu ck :smash:

So the herring boats can collect as much as they can within the highly scientifically calculated harvest number made up by some government agency in charge of screwing up the fisheries industry, and yet even though we shore anglers have not been able to touch a herring since before Obama took office (the 1st time), we still can't touch them because their numbers are still too low.

When you have one particular industry that can decimate a species at will (yeah, that legit by-catch crap sounds real official) it makes you wonder if the agencies in charge really do have their own special agenda.

If the powers that be were truly concerned about the herring populations, they would be banning the harvest by ALL MEANS, not just the shore anglers that try to harvest the stragglers that made it through the fishing boat gauntlet.

Seven though we shore anglers have not been able to touch a herring since before Obama took office (the 1st time), we still can't touch them because their numbers are still too low.
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While I don't disagree with the sentiment, they are targeting a different species...

While I don't disagree with the sentiment, they are targeting a different species...

Very true, but I thought I read that many times the alewifes are amongst the sea herring schools and you end up netting them too which really sucks when you see people spend time to fix up herring runs and seeing to poor returns.

Very true, but I thought I read that many times the alewifes are amongst the sea herring schools and you end up netting them too which really sucks when you see people spend time to fix up herring runs and seeing to poor returns.

X2
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Imagine the bait you would have if they were left alone for a decade.

Observers have noted that some hauls have had 30% river herring along with the sea herring. (What is wrong with this picture)

IMO they need to close off all bait fishing for the foreseeable future, all of it and spend money restoring all the runs in all the states. (I am serious)

I am thinking of running for fishing Czar in my next life.

I am thinking of running for fishing Czar in my next life.

You'll do a lot of running 50% of the fishermen are never happy with the regs. :D:D:D:D

That is why I have to do it in my next life. :) I have lost all energy in this one. I just want to sleep eat and fish in a boat now. I wake up at 3:30 am and like to eat dinner at 4:00pm go to bed by 9:00pm. I also am feeling the urge to move to boca raton for some reason.:biglaugh:

These #^&#^&#^&#^&ing boats need to go! This fishery supports fertilizer, hair and nail product and animal feed. There's got to be a synthetic by now!

I know they're fisherman with families too but foresters have figured out a way to "maintain" and there seems to be a balance emerging between loggers and tree huggers. I guess I'm a bait hugger....

I guess I'm a bait hugger....

Awesome... Almost showered my phone with my cappuccino right there...
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That is why I have to do it in my next life. :) I have lost all energy in this one. I just want to sleep eat and fish in a boat now. I wake up at 3:30 am and like to eat dinner at 4:00pm go to bed by 9:00pm. I also am feeling the urge to move to boca raton for some reason.:biglaugh:

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Since these netters don't take the time to sort through all their catch to see if they have been pulling in river or sea herring, they are given a "token" percentage that they are ALLOWED to harvest.

Boy, it sure would be nifty if we shore anglers were allowed to keep a "token" amount of off-limit/protected species as allowable by-catch!!

What I find rather insulting is that the herring numbers are not rebounding, and yet the powers that be still place blame on the anglers WHO HAVEN"T BEEN ABLE TO USE THEM FOR YEARS!!!

Whoever these fools are, they need to get their heads our of whoever's arse they are stuck up and start doing the RIGHT thing!!!

Let's see, the anglers have been forced to endure restrictions, limits and a new license and what do we get in return??? A waste of time, energy and our money! Be honest, do you think things have gotten better over the past 5 years??? I think we as anglers have done more through our own "best practices" than these useless organizations and committees have.

OK, I'll step off the soapbox and let someone else give a rant.....

Just to stir the pot a little, but I was looking at a Herring catch map last year where they listed the percentage of by-catch river herring to sea herring.

Block Island sound had the highest consistent River Herring by-catch across the northeast coast.

Sure makes sense to fill the quota in an area where you have a higher probability of catching a protected species. :smash:

They are def out. Saw tandem trolling about 3 mile south of Brenton reef. Monday.
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Pair trawlers out of Fish Island (NB)

Retreiver (blue, lower freeboard) has been back for a couple months now.

Pair trawling in RI waters is now illegal. No?
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Pair trawling in RI waters is now illegal. No?
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True, so at least they won't be in the bay itself this winter.
Unfortunately, its legal in federal waters, so 3 miles south of the reef they are legal (even if it seems absurd).
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You can pair trawl in Rhode Island state waters the only new legislation is that a one guy on board needs a Rhode Island multi-species license. These boats are all out of state vessels. Believe me a lot of the Point Judith herring fishermen are not too happy about this little loop hole.

Again I think. I'm not on the sea herring advisor committee so I don't know all the different rule. But I'm pretty sure you'll be seeing the mid-water boats working inside of Whale Rock this year.