Surf Casting and Fish Potting

[DZ]

Need some input from Rhody surf casters: Here is the issue - Surf Fishermen have always had to occasionally deal with buoys from lobster pots. Some locations were worse than others but generally lobsterman and surf fishermen have lived in harmony. The number of lobstermen in RI has dropped from 420 in 1999 to 279 today because of a downturn in the lobster fishery. So one would assume that the amount of lobster pots set would also be down.
But…. in the past few years there has been an explosion in the number of "Fish Pots". They are pots which are set to catch finfish (scup/sea bass). Lobster Pots are generally set in strings with a buoy on each end of a pot string. Fish Pots are generally set in singles with a pot buoy for every pot. Fish potting has become very popular and in some areas (like Newport) fish pots are set very close to the beach in shallow (5-15 feet) water. The number of buoys in some of these areas make surf fishing all but impossible because they are set only 15 – 20 feet apart. No big deal unless you don't mind loosing $20 plugs. To make a long story short – our surf fishing areas, which are already limited, are now being taken over by a conflicting use.
I've contacted some of our recreational members on the RI Marine Fisheries Council and asked them to look into the popularity of "Fish Potting" and how it effect's other fisheries, particularly surf fishing.
What I need now are comments on any other areas in RI where this may be a problem. We need to document them for when/if RIMFC has a hearing on this problem.
Thanks for any help.

[snake slinger]

this is a problem in gansett as well.;

[Pt.JudeJoe]

Dennis -I know you ,Crafty ,and I spoke about this on the way home from the Too Cold to Fish Night party ...about how they are a nuisance where you were talking about. Another spot in Newport that has way too many buoys in the casting zone is the back side of Ft. Adams .I t is a nice stretch of family friendly,and productive fishing area ,but when all those buoys are there it shuts most of it down. You may be able to squeeze a cast in ,but if you get the fish you are looking for and he runs left or right...forgeddaboudit ,

[NIB]

Wow,thats brutal.all that prime fishin structure fenced off with fish pots.We got some beach ropes an some pots here an there but nothin like that.

[Nebe]

There is some lobsterman or phishpotter out there who has a nice collection of my neddlefish. Not to give away where i fish, but there is one place in particular that I would love to do some "defensive" snorkeling... I know I dont own the water, but last summer was out of hand.

[Peter Lajoie]

I know a couple people that do that, the hill can get pretty bad in the spring as some you know lost a couple to those freakin things and many darters.....