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Here is an update to the felt sole ban. The Newport County Salt Water Fishing Club and RISAA sent letters (see attachment 1) to RI DEM asking that steps be taken to rescind the felt sole ban in Marine Waters of RI.
Both organizations received the following response from DEM (see attachment 2). Note that in the last paragraph in the DEM response letter that the enforcement division states they will "minimize enforcement actions taken" and that workshops and a public hearing will be held in the spring so that the felt sole ban in marine waters can be discussed and proposed changes suggested.
What this means is that everyone will get a chance to address this ban. When the workshops are held we're going to need everyone's help to either come to the workshops, send letters, and/or email blitz our concerns to DEM. I'll personally notify this website when/where these meetings will be held.
Background: Apparently this felt sole ban has been proposed for the last three years by members of two RI chapters of Trout Unlimited and the Federated RI Sportsman's Club at FRESHWATER PUBLIC HEARINGS (see attachment 3) and NO notice was given to the Marine Division of DEM so that the RI Marine Fisheries Council could address this regulation. Basically there was "a lack of communication" within DEM (in other words "someone screwed up"). I've tried to contact the Narragansett Chapter of Trout Unlimited asking them if there intent was just to ban felt in RI freshwaters and the expansion to marine waters was an "unintended consequence". To date I have not received a response.
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