If RI went 2@33"; does anyone think that the NY based head boats would move their base of operations over to Point Judith/Snug Harbor; to become RI boats?
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If they do not become RI boats then when they get back to NY they stand a chance of getting busted for poaching. Ron

Now it is my understanding of the laws that if u are from out of state( not RI) and u go on charter in RI and if they do opt for the 2 fish limit, wouldnt it be illegal for those people to keep 2 fish and travel to their home state or thru a state that has a 1 fish law be breaking laws?
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Everybody fishing commercially in the canal could just say they were on a charter in RI and keep 2 fish everyday to pack and sell...::.
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Mike - It's a possession limit - so yes - but what are the odds of getting caught going back to Mass or Conn. Pretty slim. Hopefully compliance and enforcement concerns help change Rhodys current stance. Block Island waters will be an enforcement nightmare.

I am sure that already happens, block island comes to mind last year. If someone wants to cheat it is so easy any rules put in place are easy to skirt so I would imagine it will happen Mike.
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I'm pretty sure using that argument on an EPO will get you the maximum fine
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NY DEM is extremely aggressive down on the east end, despite the bubs crying dongan patent.

Most people I have talked to believe that Equivalency was never about the fish and provided a math exercise to disguise the weight of the argument on economics of the for hire industry. i believe the ASMFC in NY addressed that. Hope you guys get it right, then we can all march on NJ.

On another note, I can't help noticing that RI takes credit for being the most corrupt ( unofficially on the web ). I have lived in NJ for many years, and was raised and worked in NY and currently live there for as many. I will argue all day long that Albany and Trenton own the corruption title, even if Buddy made a RI return.:btu:

If you have a comm permit You also now have to clip the right pec fin off all bass over34" that you keep, on closed days.
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Did that pass Mike?
I know it was proposed, but I didn't think it was enacted.
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Just my 2 cents. If your fishing in the dark on nite or 2 before comm day, esp from shore, I have extreme doubt they will catch many. That whole clipping thing is really an honor thing at best Mke. I wish comm guys would be more respectful of the rules but I have seen way too much shadyness over the years to really have much hope that it will work.
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I think it did Jay
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From the most reputable source I know, Patrick.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y25...psrilttijn.png
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I have been fishing boston harbor for over 20 years on multiple boats and been boarded maybe 3x by the green cops. Everyone knows they work 9-5
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Thanks guys. I missed it going through.
Curb the stacking, spread out the catch, keep the price up.
Less impact on any one one body of fish.
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thefishing:read:freak made me blush

I think the most interesting (& sad) political aspect about the RI decision is that this is a straight up face off between RISAA & the RI Party & Charterboat Assn (aka Steve Medeiros vs Rick Belevance)

This is EXACTLY why I fight with all my might against split regs/split modes. Instead of having the two most powerful recreational leaders in RI working together in a world where recs are treated poorly to begin with; we have a nasty political war amongst our own. The big boat commercial and extreme environmental advocates are at home laughing their asses off at this. I pray that after this SB business is over the community gets back together as we need to be united on a myriad if other issues.

Has RI made a decision public?

this is odd to me as Medieros and the RISSA hierarchy appeared determined to adopt the position of Belevance and his association throughout the process...if the RISSA membership hadn't screamed at the top of their lungs, this would have been a done deal long ago.....ultimately, Belevance gave Medieros &Co the finger when they offered the compromise involving captain and mate fish and maybe that is where the rift lies but I assumed the haggling now was at the next level trying to not look incompetent, or perhaps less incompetent... after allowing neighboring states the opportunity to make them look completely incompetent, out of touch and corrupt?


I do agree that the momentum has to be carried into the other issues, primarily enforcement, which I think all sides can agree on and where there was always common ground throughout....in the open letter that I cited from a RI for hire he threatened to "drop many dimes"... if RI went 1@ all modes...I hope he was/is true to his word....enforcement needs to be directed by the eyes on the water and at the docks and ramps, if they were willing to help with data collection they could certainly help with enforcement on what they consider their workplace and private/shore recs need to do the same going forward or gains will be meaningless....the problem is that it is pervasive and essentially generally accepted as part of the culture, not just with bass but with most species.....this is from the most recent URI Alumni Magazine

Its funny how many people are heavily in favor of conservation, yet are friends with so many guys poaching.

That is so very true
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The lack of any news, updates, or discussion about RI is very unsettling..............
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Ding!
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Ding Ding Ding !

I don't think it's funny IMO

sad would have been a better adjective

I saw them out on the water a few times last year in the middle of the night, more often than I expected

I was not in the committee meetings or involved in any way with the internal process of how RISAA chose positions on either the 2014 ASMFC SB Addendum or the 2015 RI State Regs for SB. That being said I can say with confidence that things are frequently not as they appear.

One of the most difficult responsibilities an officer of any organization has to face, is to represent the positions of the organization as opposed to his or her own. Its a hard thing to do. Many times while representing MSBA, the New England Council's Recreational Advisory Panel and other groups on which I serve, I have had to propose, advocate for & defend positions on issues that I not only questioned, but in some cases were 100% the opposite of what I felt was the right thing to do.

RISAA is a complex organization with an individual membership, affiliated organizations etc etc. RISAA has boards and committees with specific responsibilities and has an internal process which I respect. My understanding is that the process of taking positions on both SB actions caused internal struggle and I for one appreciate leadership that allows an organization to work through the struggle in order to best represent its membership.

Simply put, Steve Medeiros and I do not always agree however on the subject of striped bass conservation I consider Steve an ally.

I understand this Patrick and I appreciate your knowledge and dedication, I agree that it is sad if the RI decision is now as you describe....I had some confidence that it was being made by others and not simply Bellevance vs. Medeiros

if the public comment period not been extended and had the RISSA letter not gone out at the last hour, again changing their official position, I don't think you would/could be considering Steve an "ally(in his capacity) on this issue" as they were supporting option #2(albeit with a caveat)....it would not be much of a heavyweight battle between these two right now deciding the fate of RI...perhaps a love fest

I'd like to think that the "delay" is a result of the outpouring of sentiment from the public to the various officials which I know to be significant, rather than a turf war between the RISSA president and the head of one of organizations it claims to represent, the late shift in RISSA position was clearly a result of members making their thoughts heard...these were the opposing forces throughout...without...this would likely be a done deal....where is Ms. Coit and the RIMFC in all of this? I thought they were running things?:eek:

Knowing some one (friend) and Participation are not one in the same .

But when environmental police board boats with fish before the start of the commercial day and all the do is take the fish thats the injustice

it should be an instant forfeiture of your commercial license for 5 years and a per fish fine .. there is no deterrent only incentive they just go out the next night the odds are in their favor never to see a environmental boat the rest of the season

We got boarded in cape cod bay a few years ago on a Saturday among a bunch of boats. Was a good bite going on too. After shooting the breeze with the two cops for a few minutes they got called off on an emergency.
Beyond pathetic to see all the nice bass floating by belly up a little while later from the cooler dumping.
Human nature I guess.
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Well now there's a big problem. The fishery becomes what it can be because there are no enforced rules.

Human nature is evidently corrupt first, then act concerned later. Sad.
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Without a doubt in my mind human nature is corrupt.
A deep rooted survival instinct, enjoy it while we can.
The rats and roaches will get another kick at the can when we destroy the place.
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"Paging rhode island DeM... Paging rhode island DEM... "





Well???????
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