Maine Herring boats off of Narragansett

[Nebe]

This Bugs me big time. I am sure there are millions of river herring mixed with sea herring out there and from what I can tell they are catching tons of them... They've been here for about a week. THere are two big boats that scout around and when they find a school they converge on it and pair trawl.

[PRBuzz]

Looks like the same boats I saw out on SWC area on 11/30!

[iamskippy]

Complete bull.........

[goosefish]

No one likes herring pair trawlers. I've heard regular draggermen bash the big herring boats. One problem has to do with control. The entire New England and mid-Atlantic herring industry is controlled by a handful of people. I bet no more than six big catcher boats are in it. The small owner-operator herring boats can't compete because of market control.

It goes way beyond bycatch issues. There are a bunch of small Point Judith trawlers, with sea herring permits--that are tied to the dock right now because they can't "get into" the herring market.

[Nebe]

sad. I wonder how many cod and pollock are being scooped up in those schools???

[goosefish]

100% observer coverage would at least remove some of the mystery.

[scalywag]

At least they're not from Jersey...

[RIROCKHOUND]

Chris is lonely and the Maine guy's don't put out when they come ashore.

On a serious note, this is a real issues, I think HonestBycatch has been fighting this with some minor inroads, but it does go along with what goose said about the other fisheries not liking this fishery....

[Swimmer]

How close are they allowed? Looks like they are moored there. Nebe throw some glassware at them.

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

How close are they allowed? Looks like they are moored there. Nebe throw some glassware at them.

oh no.. that one that was in close was tr#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& up and down the shore

[pmueller]

Not much in the way of regulation. If they have the license, they can do it.
At least its not a northern european boat or some other country.
Couple of years ago had some in the Branford River from NY. Called the DEP and there was no law to keep out of the river system. This may have been berfore the ban on river herring.
This is a shame.

[robc22]

I don't see any pair trawling going on.........Those boats could be entering New Bedford harbour for all we see............

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by robc22

I don't see any pair trawling going on.........Those boats could be entering New Bedford harbour for all we see............

Ok bud. Whatever.
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[robc22]

Originally Posted by Nebe

Ok bud. Whatever.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Maybe you can post a couple of pics of comm. boats with fishing gear over the side and actually fishing!!!!!!!!!!OK bud.Whatever

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by robc22

I don't see any pair trawling going on.........Those boats could be entering New Bedford harbour for all we see............

Originally Posted by robc22

Maybe you can post a couple of pics of comm. boats with fishing gear over the side and actually fishing!!!!!!!!!!OK bud.Whatever

You must be the one kidding us. Well, fuel prices aren't that bad. They must be out on a pleasure cruise, no?

Can't wait for the day regulators do everyone a service shut these guys down.

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by robc22

Maybe you can post a couple of pics of comm. boats with fishing gear over the side and actually fishing!!!!!!!!!!OK bud.Whatever

You can't honestly think that these boats aren't fishing do you????

Good grief.
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[likwid]

Originally Posted by robc22

Maybe you can post a couple of pics of comm. boats with fishing gear over the side and actually fishing!!!!!!!!!!OK bud.Whatever

After a phone call to someone who works where the boats are kept, yes, they are infact fishing where nebeben posted.

Go away, please, thanks.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by robc22

I don't see any pair trawling going on.........Those boats could be entering New Bedford harbour for all we see............

Right. Those boats are expensive. good thing the limits justify the cost of owning the boats.

These are 200ft fishing machines. This is not ArcBait getting 100,000lbs of pogies (in a closely monitored fishery) this is 100% different and not a local fishery. How many of these herring are staying in the US?

[goosefish]

Definitely paired up. I took this shot yesterday. Both of these guys are from New Bedford.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by goosefish

Definitely paired up. I took this shot yesterday. Both of these guys are from New Bedford.

Yep, they sit on the west side of the plant on Fish Island all year till the Herring are here.

IIRC it all gets shipped offshore.

[big jay]

This is where you're river herring are going, period.

No amount of of conservation at the runs could possibly make up for the by-catch from these things.

And when you here about the miles of dead stripers each year off chatham - these are your culprits, not the regular day-draggers.

[JohnR]

Honest Bycatch official website

[Redsoxticket]

^^^It appears that the posted pic has a net in the water as seen from my mobile phone screen but could be something else

[BasicPatrick]

Do you guys think we could get a coalition of clubs/organizations to join together and make a sustained two year effort to ban Pair Trawling or Mid water trawling as a whole?

I know there are enviro orgs that would jump on board for a fight like this.

The issue is could we sustain the pressure to do it or would the obviou starting momentum die after an "internet minute".

I'm seriously asking for opinions.

[JackK]

While it's a noble effort, I seriously doubt it would ever be banned outright... Too much $$ involved, and there are some big players who are in that game.

Pushing for 100% coverage, and a ban on certain practices like tripping bags at sea... That's a more realistic target, and one that would solve much of the bycatch issues... Or at least provide hard data, rather than anecdotal evidence.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

Do you guys think we could get a coalition of clubs/organizations to join together and make a sustained two year effort to ban Pair Trawling or Mid water trawling as a whole?

I know there are enviro orgs that would jump on board for a fight like this.

The issue is could we sustain the pressure to do it or would the obviou starting momentum die after an "internet minute".

I'm seriously asking for opinions.

I would hope so but I don't know if it can be done. I'm not sure the different groups cans stop bitching together enough to get on the same page.

Oh, everyone has a same page for others to get on and if everybody would just do that, everything would be just fine.

I don't know if we can get Clupea Forever on the same page as the Lobstahmen.

But I would love to see it happen.

Of course, some people are either in denial or just want to see others silk undies wad up.

[Jackbass]

It is difficult to maintain momentum from anglers honestly. I think with the proper leadership and continued motivation to act anything is possible. You can't expect people to maintain intensity and be involved in every aspect of a management issue. However with direction and the appropriate people writing the letters many will at least follow through with public commentary etc. As you and I both know many of the meetings are poorly attended but many people will comment via E-mail or snail mail if the letters are written for them.

That being said a conglomerate of organizations working together to support the issue would speak volumes to the managers

I can whole heartedly say my club would get involved. I am certain the MSBA would get involved and is involved. I know guys from various Jersey clubs that may or may not get I involved. I could also find out if this is something the NYCRF would get behind.

I will send out some feelers and see how it works out.

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

Do you guys think we could get a coalition of clubs/organizations to join together and make a sustained two year effort to ban Pair Trawling or Mid water trawling as a whole?

I know there are enviro orgs that would jump on board for a fight like this.

The issue is could we sustain the pressure to do it or would the obviou starting momentum die after an "internet minute".

I'm seriously asking for opinions.

Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[stripermaineiac]

Pat most people just want to bitch. damn few will pick up a pen or phone nd fewer still will go into a politicians office to make a point. Ron

[stripermaineiac]

Every day I go to work I have to go by a set of rules and laws so that what I do doesn't adversely affect those around me and the rest of the public. I've worked on a gill netter and a trawler when I was young an dumb.The name of the game is to catch as many sellable fish as possible. What isn't sellable just goes back in dead unless you run across a foreign vessel that will give you a few bucks for what you can't take to shore.That is called by-catch. It can be controled but isn't because it will cost them profit.Most net boats kill a n amount of by-catch that at times rivals what they bring home to sell. There is where the problem lies.You can bitch ,rant and rave all you want about the comercials rights an so on but they do it ,it;s not controled and will continue to do it till what they;re fishing for is depleted so far that it's no longer worth fishing for then they'll go on to another species and do it again.Waste is waste. Wheather we catch a large striper and release it or take it home is only a very small part of the problem. BY-CATCH . If it isn't fixed soon there won't be much to worry about catching.At least those boats are out there in the day. Oh that's right no one else is on the water now to watch what they do with the by-catch. Ron

[Redsoxticket]

Set up a special forum with password and have someone other then you hand pick those that will fight the cause and not each other.
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