Barao Appointed to Fisheries Council

52 Pages·2016·16.93 MB·English

www.RISAA.org JULY, 2016 • Issue 211 401-826-2121
Representing Over 7,500 Recreational Anglers
SUNSHINE AND HAPPY FACES
Annual Take-A-Kid Fishing Day Another Success
Thanks to the efforts of 153 RISAA volunteers, the annual Sporting souvenir RISAA caps and t-shirts, 119 kids from
Take-A-Kid Fishing Day is "in the books" as another perfect 15 organizations got to spend a few hours on the water aboard
day. For the 19th year in a row, there was no rain on Saturday, 54 member boats, learning about the bay, boating and fishing.
June 25. Then everyone was treated to a huge cookout.
See pages 27-30 for details.
Barao Appointed to
Fisheries Council
Travis E. Barao of Riverside, RI
has been appointed as one of the
three recreational fishing
representatives to the Rhode Island
Marine Fisheries Council. He is
replacing Richard Hittinger who
reached the two-term limit.
Travis is RISAA Life Member
and has served on the RISAA Board
for three years.
He also serves on the ASMFC's
Black Sea Bass, Fluke and Scup
Advisory Panel.
Travis was confirmed by the RI Senate on June 16. His term
will expire on April 1, 2020.
The other two recreational representatives on the Marine
Fisheries Council are Capt. David Monti (RISAA 2nd VP) and
Capt. Andy D'Angelo representing charter fishing companies.
R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2016
June is for our youth; Public access
First things first. I need to apologize CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU
July 9-10 Annual Team Fluke Challenge that you received this July issue later than This is the part I always enjoy. This is
special tournament
usual. As the saying goes, I wear several where I get to say “thank you” to all of
hats at RISAA. One of them is newsletter you who have stepped-up to volunteer.
July 16 • 5:00 PM - Kayak Committee
editor. It usually takes me approximately All of the events and projects we do can
Fishing from Kings Beach, Newport
40 hours each month to put it all together. only happen when members offer to help.
July 19 • 7:00 PM Board of Directors No problem. I’ve been doing it for over 18 Our Fishing Show had 106 volunteers
years. this year. Take-A-Kid Fishing Day had
July 21 • 5:00 PM Fly Fishing But June is usually very busy and 153. The Youth Fishing Camp had 33. Add
Committee fishing at Ft. Adams stressful for me with the planning and in all of the members who serve on various
running of our Take-A-Kid Fishing Day. committees and it’s obvious why RISAA
July 23 • RISAA Party Boat Fluke Trip
On top of that, three days later was our is so successful.
first Youth Fishing Camp which took up a
July 25 • RISAA Monthly Seminar
lot of additional hours dealing with TAK THANKS
Aug 6 • 6:00 AM - Kayak Committee parents, volunteers, etc., leaving no time So, thank you to everyone who
fishing from Third Beach, Middletown to work on the July issue. So, as I’m writing volunteered for Take-A-Kid Fishing Day.
this in July, I know many of you are Whether you brought your boat, served
Aug 10 • 6:00 PM - Fly Fishing wondering if your issue is lost in the mail. as a mate, or helped ashore on the docks,
Committee fishing at the Narrow River It goes to the printer tomorrow. cooking or serving food, you should know
that you did a great thing!
Aug 13 • RISAA Adult/Junior Part Boat
Anyway, your club has been very While it’s not possible to name
Fishing Trip
active so far this year. We had: everyone here (the names are printed
(cid:129)Our N.E. Saltwater Fishing Show elsewhere in this issue) there are a few
Aug 23 • 7:00 PM Board of Directors
(cid:129) Party boat squid trip people who I want to recognize for above
Aug 29 • 7:00 PM - RISAA Seminar (cid:129) 11 College Scholarships and beyond work.
(cid:129)Take-A-Kid Fishing Day It may sound corny, but thanks to my
Sept 6 • 6:00 PM - Fly Fishing (cid:129) Youth Fishing Camp wife Lynn, who not only works, but has a
Committee fishing at Weekapaug (cid:129) Multiple Kayak Fishing outings big job of putting up with me during those
(cid:129) Multiple Fly Fishing outings stressful times. She’s also great at running
Sept 10 • 2:00 PM - Kayak Committee
(cid:129) Free charter fishing trips errands.
fishing at Rocky Point, Warwick
Thanks to Pete O’Biso, the Energizer
And coming up this month is our party Bunny of RISAA, who steps up no matter
Sept 12 • 5:00 PM - Fly Fishing
Committee fishing at Bristol Narrows boat fluke fishing trip (sold out) and in what the job and does it all.
August we are sponsoring another party Thanks to Travis Barao, Lisa DiRaimo,
Sept 16 • 6:00 AM - Fly Fishing outing boat fishing trip, this time for parents and Tom Smotherman, Gary Johnson, Ed and
fishing at West Wall, Pt. Judith juniors. Jane Kearney, Gary McGuire, Rene
And then there are the monthly Blanchette and Deb DiPalma.
Sept 26 • RISAA Monthly Seminar
seminars. We have had a seminar every A big thank you to Harry Potter who
month, since January 1998, and only deals with all of the rec centers in
Oct 24 • RISAA Monthly Seminar
missed three times because of a major Providence for us.
storm. Our Education Committee, which Thanks to Peter Vican who every year
Nov 28 • RISAA Monthly Seminar
plans the seminars, has always tried to provides the burger and hot dog buns, the
bring a variety of topics for our hot dogs and hundreds of pounds of ice.
The Official Newsletter of the
membership. And we appreciate the help from Joe
Rhode Island
And every month, a member goes Mariani at Brewer Cowesett Marina.
Saltwater Anglers Association
home from that meeting with a $200 Without them there would be no Kids
Published Monthly
certificate to his favorite tackle shop as Fishing Day.
Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers
the door prize winner. And to Safe/Sea, Tarbox Toyota, Sea
Association, Inc.
RISAA a great club! Tow RI..... and the list goes on.
P.O. Box 1465
Thank you!
Coventry, RI 02816
- 2 - R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2016
The RISAA Legislative Committee’s mission is to provide, in partnership with the Affiliated Clubs, a forum for improving the knowledge and
understanding of fishery-related and government issues that affect recreational anglers. An informed membership encourages involvement and
advocacy. The Legislative Committee will strive to advocate responsible fishery decision.
The Committee is comprised of RISAA Members and delegates from the Affiliated Clubs. The Committee meets two or three times a year,
depending on the number of fishery and/or legislative issues that develop.
Forage species and shark conservation
This month’s Watch column focuses on anchovies as a BIG PROBLEMS FROM LOSS OF SMALL FISH
forage fish and the model work that the Pacific Fishery Researchers with the Farallon Institute recently compiled a
Management Council has done with forage fish, they large predator-preydatabase, which revealed that anchovies are
the single most important prey species for West Coast seabirds
are far ahead of other councils in forage fish
and the most or second most important for other ocean wildlife,
management including the Mid-Atlantic and New
including humpback whales, chinook salmon, dolphins, seals,
England Fishery Management Councils that manage
and sea lions. Unfortunately, new research also indicates that
species commonly fished in our waters. We also have
the California anchovy population has dwindled to the point of
an item on shark conservation. Both articles are
collapse, according to data collected as of 2011. The apparent
reprinted from the PEW Charitable Trusts. further decline has come at a steep cost to the health of predators
such as sea lions,
MORE THAN A PIZZA TOPPING as noted in
recent news
Anchovies are food for ocean wildlife
coverage.
by Paul Shively reprinted from www.pewtrusts.org
The shrink-
Paul Shively directs ocean conservation work in the Pacific
ing anchovy
for The Pew Charitable Trusts.
populations
helped convince
Most people don’t give much thought to anchovies, unless
fishery managers
they happen to be ordering a pizza or baiting a hook. But we
to conduct a new
know these little fish also play a big role in sustaining healthy
official stock
ocean ecosystems.
assessment for
Witness the scene over the past year at California’s
this keystone anchovies
Monterey Bay, where people gathered to watch a feeding frenzy,
forage species.
with whales, seabirds, and dolphins among the Pacific Ocean
West Coast fishery managers are among the most farsighted
predators feasting on anchovies clustered close to shore.
in the country in recognizing the ecological importance of forage
Anchovies are a type of forage fish, a category of marine
fish. Last year, the Pacific Fishery Management
life commonly characterized by the fact that they eat microscopic
Council unanimously agreed to prohibit new fishing of several
plants and animals, generally form themselves into large schools,
major groups of forage fish species, unless science shows that
and serve as an indispensable resource—lunch—for myriad
the fishing will not adversely affect the broader marine
species of ocean wildlife.
ecosystem. Fishery managers later took the tough but necessary
Yet traditional fishery management does not explicitly
step of shutting down directed fishing on sardines, another
account for their vital role in the ocean’s food web.
critical West Coast forage fish, when the population plummeted.
The ecological importance of forage fish highlights the need
But not all fishery managers are as farsighted as the Pacific
to modernize the primary law that governs fishing in U.S. ocean
Fishery Management Council.
waters, the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The existing, conventional,
As worldwide demand for forage fish continues to rise—
single-species type of fishery management requires setting catch
with 90 percent of it reduced to fish meal or oil, according to
limits at a level that ensures enough fish are left to sustain the
the Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force—Congress needs to ensure
population so that fishing can continue in the years ahead.
that U.S. fishery managers establish science-based catch limits
From an ecosystem perspective, however, it’s not enough to
for forage fish that account for their role as a cornerstone of
merely ensure that the target species can reproduce. Catch
healthy ocean food webs.
limits on forage fish must also account for their role as a food
When congress updates the Magnuson-Stevens Act there
source for seabirds, mammals, and bigger fish such as salmon
should be a new focus to include forage fish as a part of fishery
and tuna.
management.
Anchovies are a case in point.
(continued on page 31)
- 3 - R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2016
The purpose of the Membership Committee is to contact new
Baked Sea Bass
members, welcome them to the Association and answer any
questions they may have about RISAA and its activities.
Welcome new members
who joined last month!
John Bollard James Laird
Middletown, RI Rockdale, MA
INGREDIENTS
Lucas Eikeland George Searle
• 4 (3 oz) black sea bass fillets
Newport, RI Hope, RI
(cid:129)1/3 cup white wine
(cid:129)3 cloves garlic, minced
Lucius Insana
(cid:129) 1 tbl fresh parsley, minced
North Providence, RI YOUR NAME (cid:129)fresh squeezed lemon juice
Should be here (cid:129) sale and pepper
Dariusz Kolodziejczak
Johnston, RI
DIRECTIONS
(cid:129) Preheat oven to 450 degrees
(cid:129) Arrange the fillets on a baking pan. Pour the wine over the
fillets. Rub each fillet with the minced garlic and season with
a touch of salt and pepper
(cid:129) Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle each fillet
with the fresh, minced parsley, return to oven for 5 minutes.
(cid:129) Drizzle fresh squeezed lemon juice on each fillet before serving
Got a recipe to share or request for a certain recipe?
Contact Sandie at [email protected]
- 4 - R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2016
CONGRATULATIONS
CONGRATULATIONS
to JUNE MASTERSON who became
a grandmother in January. Her grandson is to PIETRO & BESS CURINI
Lucius. whose daughter Camila was born on June
16.
CONGRATULATIONS
to member PAUL PASQUALONI who
has left the NFL’s Huston Texans to become
the defensive line coach for the Boston
College Eagles. We wish him well in his
new position.
GET WELL
GET WELL Member JOSEPH PEARSON who underwent a
Member LOUIS ALARIE had been scheduled to go on the second surgery for a herniated disc in June. He is
squid trip in June, but he was having knee problems and the recovering at home, but wasn’t able to drive for several
doctor said he had to rest and take it easy for a while, forcing weeks.
him to cancel.
GET WELL
Member GARY MCGUIRE
had to miss the Youth Fishing
Camp because he was scheduled
GET WELL
for pre-surgery for knee
Member AL AMARAL has been replacement which was going to
under the weather lately. Rumor has take place in mid-July. But in the
it that he would be missing the next meantime, he was having cataract
few meetings. Get wll soon Al. surgery at the end of June. Gary
will be a new bionic man!
CONDOLENCES
We extend our deepest
sympathies to member TOM
GET WELL
SMOTHERMAN and his
Member ORLANDO family at the passing of his
SAVASTANO had to miss the brother, TODD on July 3.
squid trip in June because he was Todd, 40, was a resident of
fighing pneumonia. But he was Coventry, and leaves behind his
looking good when he showed up wife Cynthia and daughter
to help at the Kids Fishing Day on Abigail.
June 25.
Todd Smotherman
- 5 - R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2016
One Free Trips To Be Won At July 25 Meeting
by GISELE GOLEMBESKI and PETER O’BISO
This month we will be raffling off only one free charter so if members and more details of the trip. We will also ask you for a
you are planning on entering, make sure you wear your lucky $50 deposit (check or credit card only -no cash) to ensure that
fishing shirt or hat, and to make the odds even better, bring each winner makes every effort to make the trip. If you go on
your lucky rabbit’s foot and keep your fingers crossed. the trip, we won’t use your deposit.
The featured trip this month is: The only cost to you will be the customary tip to the captain
and/or mate, usually 15% - 20% of what the trip would
• FIN REAPER normally cost if you had
CHARTERS chartered the trip privately.
Captain Bruce One member of each trip
Weinstein will take three will be designated as the
anglers out for a full day of “group leader,” and will be
shark fishing on the Fin responsible to keep in
Reaper, his 26’ Glacier Bay contact with the captain and
Canyon Runner Catamaran. be the liaison between the
This trip will at sail 6:00 AM captain and the other group
on Wednesday, August 10, members. The group leader
2016, from Lockwood will also be responsible to
Marina, 650 Succotash take some photos and write
Road, East Matunuck, RI. a story about the trip for the
V i s i t RISAA News Magazine.
www.finreapercharters.com. So, before you go to the
meeting, check your calendar
HOW CAN YOU for your availability on the
GET A CHANCE AT dates listed below, and bring
a check or credit card with
TRIP?
you in case you are a winner.
Come to our monthly
meetings and sign up at the
IMPORTANT TO
Charter Trips Committee
NOTE
table at the back of the room.
We will give you a form with To win one of these trips
that night’s trips listed on you must be a RISAA
it. The form will list the Members Ed Kearney, Lary Norin and Bob Lee with a mako shark member in good standing
available trips, the boat and landed on the last Fin Reaper charter trip. (dues up to date), and you
the Captain, the type and must be present at the end of
location of the trip, and the time and date. Fill out the form the meeting.
listing your preferences, first, second, third, etc. If you haven’t joined yet there is an application at the back
During the night’s seminar we will draw the winners (and a of this newsletter, or just come to the monthly meeting and sign
list of alternates) and announce them at the end of the meeting. up for membership and then the free Charter Trip drawing. You
If you are a winner, we will give you a list of your fellow trip can also join online at www.risaa.org
TRIP RAFFLED AT THE JULY 25 MEETING
DATE COMPANY CAPTAIN # ANGLERS TRIP DEPARTS
Aug 10 Fin Reaper Charters Capt. Bruce Weinstein 3 Sharks: full day East Matunuck, RI
- 6 - R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2016
How to prevent a boat fire
Boat fires are ridiculously rare. You’re much, much more
likely to actually perish from a car accident, plane crash or even
a cataclysmic storm than you are to even be injured from a boat
fire. Out of the nearly 12 million registered recreational boats in
the U.S., owners of only about 250 are likely to experience and
report some kind of fire this year. You might as well rest easy
and presume you won’t be in that tiny 0.002 percent of boat
owners destined to burn, right?
Sure, that’s one strategy. But when it comes to protecting
you, your -family, your friends and your property — and even Tip: This is for crew too. They should have a clear
your fellow boaters — from fire, there are a number of understanding of what to do, even if only to put on a life
surprisingly simple steps you can take to virtually guarantee jacket and await further instruction.
you don’t become a statistic. Plus, you’ll probably find you 3. Really — Has It Been That Long?
feel much better about hitting the water knowing you’ve taken Does your boat sit for months (or even years) between
action to ensure a boat fire — possibly one of the most outings? That could spell trouble. There were actually reports
frightening experiences imaginable — will not happen to you. of an uptick in boat fires after the recession because, after as
long as five years, people could finally afford to use their boats
1. Careful, Sparky again. Years of gravity, corrosion, thermal expansion/
Most boat fires are caused by electrical issues, with wire contraction, weather and other forces can create any number
chafe at the top of the list. Builders do their parts to follow of problems, including those likely to start a fire. The longer the
standards and provide boat has sat idle, the more time and thought you should put
proper circuit into recommissioning it for service before launch.
protection (chafe Tip: Get the boat in shape and take it out for a shakedown
protection, fuses, cruise a few weeks before bringing friends and family aboard.
breakers, ignition- This will give you an opportunity to expose any serious
protected components, problems and have them fixed rather than face a potential
etc.), and you can help catastrophe with a boat full of people.
by keeping an eye out 4. Hot Stuff!
for chafing and making A fire needs three things to start and sustain itself: fuel,
sure electrical oxygen and heat. The first two are basically all around (gasoline,
connections remain tight and corrosion-free. Any modification wood and fiberglass can be fuel, and air is everywhere). Heat is
to your electrical system should be made with maximum care — the outlier that
preferably by a certified pro. Poorly done electrical DIY projects usually gets us
are notorious for causing glitches and problems — including into trouble.
countless boat fires. Sparks, short
Tip: Know exactly how to shut off the power (battery switch, circuits and
main breaker, etc.) in the event of a fire; otherwise, the fire can overheating
easily restart after being put out with an extinguisher. engines are the
2. People Don’t Plan to Fail, They Fail to… main sources of
If your fire plan consists of “I know I have at least one unintentional
extinguisher somewhere on this boat,” then you could do better. heat that can
Knowing the exact locations of extinguishers (and how to use start a fire. But
them) and how to quickly secure the engine, blowers and there are also “intentional” heat sources, such as propane
electrical power are good starts. You also need an exit strategy barbecues and stoves and portable electric heaters, which start
(escape plan) in case the fire is beyond control. And the most a few fires every year, often by overloading a boat’s circuitry.
important part: practice. Getting in the habit of taking a few Your fire radar should go on alert the moment any such heat-
minutes to review your fire/escape plan before each outing can producing device is turned on. Make a quick mental note of
make all the difference. A fire can create an immediate and how/where to turn it off and where the nearest extinguisher is.
overwhelming fear and panic that can totally cloud any capacity Tip: Never leave the boat unattended with a space heater
for making decisions. Having a practiced routine will allow you turned on — and don’t count on plug-in timers that could be
to jump straight into action without thinking — and sometimes set wrong or malfunction.
a few seconds can mean the difference between extinguishing
a fire and abandoning the boat. (to page 9)
- 7 - R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2016
PREVIOUS AND CONTINUALLY SUPPORTED PROGRAMS
(cid:129)Blackstone River fish ladders construction (cid:129)Pawtuxet River fish passage • Special Shore Fishing Scup signs funded
(cid:129)College Scholarships in Marine Sciences (cid:129)Plum Beach Lighthouse restoration for RIDEM
(cid:129) Fishway construction/restoration (cid:129)Public access adoption programs (cid:129) Striped Bass Myco Research
(cid:129)JASON Expedition teacher training (cid:129)Public education programs and seminars (cid:129)Tag & Release Program
(cid:129)Kickemuit River fish ladder construction (cid:129)Recreational Fishing Symposium 2013 & 2015 (cid:129)Tag-A-Giant Tuna Foundation
(cid:129) Mercury in Local Fish Research Grant RISAA Take-A-Kid Fishing Days (cid:129) Ten Mile River fish ladders
(cid:129) Narragansett Bay Journal publication (cid:129)Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation (cid:129)Woonasquatucket River fish ladders
(cid:129)Newport fishermen’s ladder repairs (cid:129) Saugatucket River fish passage, Westerly RISAA Youth Fishing Camp
(cid:129)Ninigret Park Fishing Access (cid:129)Sea Grant research programs
2016 FOUNDATION DONORS
COPPER (up to $49) BRONZE ($50+)
Alfred Amaral Richard Ferris Larry Mouradjian
Joseph Behl Richard Geldard Robert Murgo George Allen Jason McNamee
John Boardman David Giuliano John O’Brien Terry Andoscia, Sr. Stephen Medeiros
Citizens CharitableDonald Goodroe J.George O’Keefe Norman Buecher John Parillo
Foundation Robert Graap Alan Sharaf Leon Gomlinski Douglas Ricci
Justin Cardones Dale Hartman John Trainor Peter Hendricks William Smith
Daniel Costa Nicole Lengyel Daniel Watson Edward Kearney William Sosnicki
Richard Deojay Howard MacMillan Warren Wright Rev. Jan Knost Alfred Trombley
Donald Estes Clarence Moore Benjamin Lenda
Max Fahnestock Scott Morrison
SILVER ($100+) PLATINUM ($500+)
Steve Beauregard George Haduch David Pollack The Bentley Foundation Richard Hittinger
Melvyn Blake Douglas Jost Luca Razza Robert Donaldson Bradley Waugh
“Buster” Costello Capt. Sandy Kane Steven Shohan
Donald Dorsey David Michel John Silva
IN MEMORY OF
David Green Louis Midura Harry Templeton
Robert A. Anderson George P. Kammerer
F. Charles Haigh New Balance Athletics Michael Testa
Charles Bradbury Earl Noblet
Robert Hawthorne Old Colony Amphibians Patrick Watson
Francis Sawicki Dive Club William Zanks Marie Cordeiro Thaddeus Stenovitch
(cid:2)
Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution to
The Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Foundation
The Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, created to provide an educational and public service forum for
recreational saltwater anglers and the general community; to foster sportsmanship; to support marine conservation and the sound management of fisheries
resources.
Please print:
Name: ______________________________________________________ Phone: _____________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________________________
no. street city state zip
Enclosed is cash or check for: (cid:82) $5 (cid:82) $10 (cid:82) $25 (cid:82) $50 (cid:82) $100 (cid:82) other______
(cid:82) It is OK to print my name (cid:82) Do NOT print my name (cid:82) Donation made in the name of: _____________________
Mail to: RISA Foundation, P.O. Box 1465, Coventry, RI 02816
Any donation over $10 will be sent a receipt that proves your contribution for tax purposes
- 8 - R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2016
How to prevent a boat fire
(from page 7)
5. More Is Better engine(s), blowers, dampers, generator, and any other gear in
When it comes to fire extinguishers, the pros recommend the compartment that should be secured to prevent additional
having two or three times the required number for your size of fuel and air
boat (the law requires a minimum of one from entering
extinguisher for boats less than 26 feet, two the space.
for boats between 26 and 40 feet, and three It’s important
for boats between 40 and 65 feet). Why? to remember
Because a typical 2.5-pound extinguisher any doors,
lasts only 9 to 10 seconds, and people often hatches or
make errors during the panic of fighting a o t h e r
fire. openings to
The standard guidance is to use the the space
PASS method: Pull the safety pin. Aim at must be kept
the base of the fire. Squeeze the handle. closed for the
Sweep from side to side. It also makes sense system to
to have ABC-rated extinguishers that are work properly; otherwise, the suppression agent could be
capable of putting out any type of fire (solids, liquids and allowed to escape to another compartment or outside the boat.
electrical). Add extinguisher familiarization to your preflight Tip: Automatic systems come with a pull cable that can be
checklist. Mentally check off where they are all located. Go used to manually actuate the extinguisher from outside the
over PASS in your head a few times. And remember extinguishers space. If you know there is a fire in the compartment, you can
are a maintenance item — monthly checks for charge and yearly pull the cable instead of waiting for the extinguisher to pop
professional inspections are suggested. by itself.
Tip: Check out the BoatU.S. Foundation’s fire-extinguisher
testing videos online — they’re very informative (boatus.org/ 8. Avoid Common Pitfalls
findings). Many explosions happen right after refueling. Overfilling
tanks, spillage and system leaks can introduce vapor into the
6. Where There’s Smoke… boat. Gasoline vapor is heavier than air, so it will fill the bilge
There’s really no good reason not to use smoke detectors and lower
on a boat. While there’s no law on the books, the National Fire machinery
Protection Association (NFPA) recommends smoke detectors areas first.
on boats 26 feet or larger with sleeping areas, which makes Always run
sense when you consider that smoke inhalation is the main the engine
cause of fire-related fatalities ashore. compartment
Most boaters who use smoke detectors put them in all e x h a u s t
accommodation areas, and sometimes even in machinery areas. blower for
Larger boats and yachts often have centralized detection four to six
systems with smoke detectors in most areas, and heat detectors m i n u t e s
in engine spaces and galleys. Anything that gives you a head before each
start on responding to a fire is golden. There have been reports start and
of land-based statistics showing that people put out the fire 80 a f t e r
percent of the time when alerted by a smoke alarm. refueling. Turn off the dock breaker before plugging in or
Tip: Be sure to use UL 217-listed smoke detectors approved unplugging the boat; otherwise, you might get an arc that can
for use on recreational vehicles (RVs), which have to stand up char and damage the plug and inlet, creating a fire danger.
to the elements better than detectors approved for residential Don’t just pop in a larger fuse or breaker for a blown fuse or
use. breaker that won’t reset. There could be a short circuit or other
fault that needs to be addressed. A larger fuse or breaker might
7. Consider Automatic not open in time to prevent the wire from melting. An obstructed
An extra layer of protection and peace of mind can be had or blocked engine-cooling water intake can quickly result in
by equipping the engine space (where 90 percent of fires melted-down hoses and impellers (and lots of smoke from
happen) with an automatic fire-suppression system. The simple cooking rubber). Don’t throw the engine compartment hatch
version is just a large extinguisher bottle in a size to protect the wide open and really get the fire going. Kill the engine and use
space and an indication panel at the helm. The panel will show an extinguisher fire port or just crack the hatch open enough to
that the system is powered and the bottle is charged. If there is insert the extinguisher nozzle.
a fire, the heat from the fire will melt a trigger link on the Tip: Always keep the fuel nozzle in contact with the metal
extinguisher that will actuate the extinguisher to put out the fire fuel-fill inlet on your boat to prevent static buildup that could
and sound an alarm on the panel. A more comprehensive system start a fire while refueling.
will include a shut-down module that will shut down the (to page 25)
- 9 - R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2016
OPINION
Poaching is never OK
by CHARLES WITEK
Charles Witek, from Greenwich CT, has spent over 50 years on the water, and is a well-known author and blogger. Witek said,
“I have realized that without strong fisheries laws and effective conservation measures, the future of salt water fishing, and
America's living marine resources, is dim.”
It was maybe 10 years ago, back when New York days of a 14-inch minimum size and no bag limit at all just haven’t
been willing to accept more recent regulations, and flout the
was still considering a recreational salt water
laws at will.
fishing license. I was attending a meeting with a
Contempt for the law seemed to be particularly prevalent on
host of other folks, where the issue was, once again, party boats, where many of the passengers pay their fare with
being debated. full expectation of bringing fish home to eat, and get pretty
upset when regulations make them unable to do so.
During one of the breaks, I ended up talking to
That sort of thinking probably reached its natural conclusion
an angler from Staten Island, who was not at all a few years ago, when a few Long Island party boats started
convinced that a license would be a good thing. I taking their passengers out on “sushi cruises,” where undersized
fish were filleted and eaten as soon as they were caught. Such
made the usual pitch to convince him, explaining
cruises came to an end after agents from the Department of
how a license would result in New York having more
Environmental Conservation’s Law Enforcement Division put
money for managing its fisheries, surveying an end to the practice by handing out summonses accompanied
by hefty fines.
recreational catch, building artificial reefs and the
Captains cited for their misconduct justified their actions
like. So far, the guy was willing to listen.
by blaming the laws; one reportedly said that he grew so tired
Then I said that we’d also have more money for of telling disappointed customers to throw their undersized fish
law enforcement, and at that point our conversation back that that he just snapped.
“I didn’t break the law, the law broke me…It’s killing all the
chilled.
business on Long Island.’”
He told me, “We don’t need no more Summer flounder regulations have since relaxed, and elicit
enforcement.” little controversy. Now, it’s the black sea bass fishery that
spawns much of the lawlessness.
It’s a difficult fishery to manage, due to a lack of accurate
I objected, pointing out the striped bass poaching going on
data, the species’ stock structure and its unique life history.
in New York Bight, right in the waters he fished. And then I
The last stock assessment failed to pass peer review, so
mentioned all of the anglers that were ignoring the fluke
managers are, in many ways, flying blind.
regulations, and taking summer flounder that were clearly
That causes some problems, because the fish bunch up
undersized. At that point, the guy took offense.
over wrecks and hard bottom, and appear to be very abundant.
“Ya know,” he said, “Da size limit for fluke is too high. A
At the same time, the regulations are probably more restrictive
lotta times, ya don’t catch nothin’ but shorts. Ya pay all dat
than necessary, because of all of the scientific uncertainty
money for bait and gas, and ya put in alla dat time, ya wanna
surrounding the species. Here in New York, the season doesn’t
bring somet’in home. Ya do watcha gotta do…”
start until early summer, the bag limit is low and the size limit is
He apparently felt that, just because he spent a few bucks
high.
for bait and fuel, and put in a couple of hours on the water, he
Such restrictive regulations have led to a lot of poaching,
was absolutely entitled to bring some fluke home. And if
particularly among the for-hire fleet. NMFS data indicates that
undersized fish were all that he could find, he’d was entitled to
about 62% of the black sea bass harvested by party boat patrons
keep some of those, regulations be damned.
in July and August of 2015 were undersized; charter boat
It’s an all too common way of thinking. Far too many people
passengers did little better, with undersized fish comprising
view recreational fishing not as pure recreation, but rather as
57% of their landings. Undersized fish also made up a smaller,
something akin to going out to a grocery store, where you put
but still dismal, 16% of private boat landings.
up some money and take something home for the table. They
The high rate of illegal harvest seemingly stems from anglers
feel that poaching is fine if it’s the only way to put fish in the
substituting their notions of what is “right,” given their
box.
perception that the stock is abundant and regulations too
Here in New York, that sort of thinking became endemic in
restrictive, for what is legal, and justifying their poaching by
the summer flounder fishery, after the size limit soared from 14
saying something to the effect that “there are plenty of fish out
inches all the way up to 21, before settling back to its current
there.”
18. The bag limit saw similar swings, dropping from 6 down to
(to page 25)
2 before finally increasing to 5. A lot of folks used to the old
- 10 - R.I.S.A.A. / July, 2015