SB Regs - New But Not New
 

For those who were unable to sit in on today's ASMFC meeting, Option B (1 fish at 28" - 31" with all 2022 seasons - all modes) passed. This is what we were fishing on in 2023. The mode split failed with 7 in favor and 9 opposed.

what does "with all 2022 seasons - all modes" mean?

All modes means no mode split or all recreational anglers (for-hire and private) fish under same regs.

All 2022 seasons means no changes to seasons as set in 2022 in states where there are open/closed seasons like Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, etc.

Thanks for the update...

Toby - did they approve the "if you fillet a bass on the water you must keep the rack" reg? I brought this up at the RI hearing. Told them it might work for boat fishing but would be a PIA for surfcasters, most who don't carry coolers with them on casting sessions. If surfcasters need to carry their gear, fillets, and a bloody rack while on a casting session, then bring the rack back home it will be a mess. The optics of seeing surfcasters carrying racks with them is weird to say the least.

You have to keep the racks. The new regs. are fairly good.

So perhaps there will be less killing by responsible surfcaster.
One cannot seriously think that one of the 1000 Jamokes, who don't give a s hit anyway, are going to carry a rack.:smash:

The ones that will do it right will keep the rack the ones that won't will toss the rack, just like they've always done it.

As noted by Paul, this did pass so racks must be retained. Off the top of my head I am not sure exactly how long the rack must me retained, and when I was keeping the odd striped something like this would never have been an issue for me as I never filleted at the beach anyway. I would drag it around all night, throw it in a cooler in my truck, and deal with it the next day (which is a major reason why I stopped harvesting.)

There has been a lot of confusion on this rule. At the CT public hearing I attended, the for-hires thought it meant they had to actually fillet at the dock which led to concerns about patrons "hanging around drinking and causing a scene" (their words, not mine) as well as issues of disposing of multiple racks where marinas might have rules against such practices. This concern was heard but not addressed by the passing of the rule.

It was clarified that the requirement to do the physical filleting while at the dock was not accurate and that it only meant that if you had a filleted fish while still in the act of fishing or on a trip (at sea), then the rack had to be retained. It also did not mean the patrons of a for-hire had to keep the rack for their ride home. So with a surfcaster I would assume (again, not 100% certain) that they could carry the whole bass while still fishing as so many do, then only keep the rack for as long as they were at the water assuming they filleted while on site. I guess this would mean that if you catch a striper at 1 spot, and intend to fish a 2nd spot, if you fillet at spot 1 then you'd need to keep the rack as you travel to spot 2 as you're still in the act of fishing. If you wait until the night is done to fillet then by default you're retaining the rack.

Honestly with all the bigger issue involving Bass

Keeping the rack seems like a nonsense rule . That has zero chance of achieving anything meaningful.. kinda of like clipping the fin .

And again enforcement is always the issue . I know in Mass they have like no EPs when you look at the size of the state , and factor in days off vacation time .

Local PD won’t enforce CG will maybe if over the EEZ

Just close it no retention I’d say most for hired boats clients go to fish not fill the freezer . C&R only …. That’s my opinion :cheers:

Wayne, there are those of us who have been preaching Gamefish Status since 2006. No one listens.

RI Marine Fisheries division was a bit concerned about the rack rule at marinas and boat ramps. Apparently, the concerns are infrastructure related in those areas where racks cannot be disposed of off the docks or at the ramps. Smelly dumpsters ;) are coming. The few bass I do happen to keep will probably be filleted at the end of my session and the rack disposed in the surf. Hopefully I can drive home with only fillets in my possession. I'm sure most EPs will understand... but it only takes one that doesn't.

I know a few marinas by me have freezers on site for the racks and they get picked up by lobster fishermen. There was also a company a few years ago that I spoke with who was just getting started with a rack recycling program for marinas. They would repurpose the racks for fertilizer or something, I forget exactly, but this might be a good opportunity for someone to pursue.

I think the Division wanted more time to look at and arrange options like these.

you would hope the EP doesn't see you at your car after you have just thrown the rack into the water and starts to give you a tough time asking where the rack is.

Once winter holdover fishing middle of the day in my 16 foot tin boat I had a bored EP officer meet me at the boat ramp and with no other violations he could see or think of, he wrote me a ticket for no running lights. I argued they are clamp on when needed and look around why would I bring them. Pissed I mixed a business call to a Fall River court to get that stupid citation thrown out, where are they when really bad sh*t is happening. GAME FISH!

A person is smart, people are dumb….

Well said my friend!

While we quibble over 3" and rack retention the species rapidly dwindles away.
GAMEFISH NOW.

Well another way of looking at the for hire filet issue is simple; you should never let a guide filet your fish. Those guys do hundreds a year,
and they just zip through them, leaving you with only a little baggie full of filets. Whenever I chartered, I always took my fish home to filet, and carefully worked through them to get all the meat. SB are too tasty and keepers too hard to come by to waste them with fast, poorly done filets.
Which also BTW helps solve the dockside rack disposal issue.

Funny you mention that. I have worked the fillet station at many charity events from the Joe Cronin Jimmy fund tournament. To the wounded vets fishing contest in ptown. I pride myself on the ability to quickly fillet a fish with maximum flesh retention. I use scalpel sharp flexible boning knives mostly. I usually have 4 or 5 various styles at the table. What I’ve noticed is whenever some folks dive in to help the fish processing it’s seldom a clean look. A lot of sawing going on.

Yeah, but that would make you the exception. Typically there is a line of people waiting, and the mates just go zip zoop and there you are with a couple of tiny filets and a rack of bones with meat hanging off of them. Always better to take the fish home and do it right.

When I was a kid I worked in a fish market,,, if I left meat on the rack I’d catch hell….. :-)