[zacs]

Originally Posted by monkfish

It seems that boats fishing SW ledge or any BI waters and return to mainland are in violation! Isn't some of the water between the island and mainland federal waters? It's no different that boats leaving the south shore of the cape and fishing east of Nantucket which is some of the best bass water in the world. The CG was stopping boats coming back to Harwichport and Chatham for illegal possession of bass in Federal waters. Why there and not RI?

Call it a double standard but apparently the rhody lobby (maby risaa?) was able to get an exclusion of the fed waters between BI and the coast...

The text of the law, direct from NMFS:

EEZ closed to all striped bass possession or fishing. Atlantic Striped Bass may not be fished for, harvested, retained, or possessed in or from the EEZ. One exception - within Block Island Sound, possession of Atlantic striped bass is permitted, provided no fishing takes place from the vessel while in this EEZ area and the vessel is in continuous transit through the area. This area is north of a line connecting Montauk Light, Montauk Point, NY, and Block Island Southeast Light, Block Island, RI; and west of a line connecting Point Judith Light, Point Judith, RI, and Block Island Southeast Light, Block Island, RI.