Possible banning recreational herring fishing - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

CJ Johnson · 07-13-2005, 04:46 PM

Read this in the Boston Herald

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRe...rticleid=93598

JohnR · 07-13-2005, 06:24 PM

Hate to say it but it might be necessary. And if it happens, I think RI must at minimum not allow non-residents to take herring or more likely, close RI Runs as well. There is too much pressure on these fish - might just need to close it and catch the poachers instead

Sweetwater · 07-13-2005, 08:51 PM

I'm very suspicious when people get too excited about a 1-season drop in a population. This has been an odd year on many counts. See: Red tide, largest menheden in years, very large squid population, low herring population....etc.

Things run in cycles. Not every species has a successful recruitment class every year. Let's not panic. The marine ecology is extremely complex and not even the top marine biologists understand from year to year why certain species prosper and others decline.

The bottom line is to ALWAYS manage EVERY fishery (stock) carefully and practice good conservation methods on a consistent bases. But we shouldn't over-react or take extreme measures based on a single season.

JohnR · 07-13-2005, 09:10 PM

These fish counts are for returning to spawn fish but the drop within the year classes is huge too. It's a problem.

Thom · 07-14-2005, 04:30 AM

It is not a one year drop they are in trouble up and down the coast. ThomT

MakoMike · 07-14-2005, 06:27 AM

River herring and alewive populations have been dropping for years. They are no longer seen in NY, CT has completely shut down the fihing for them. IMHO RI should do the same while we still ahve some breeders lleft. According to the DEM guys I talked to this spring most of the fish in the runs were small first time spawners.