Saltwater Fishing License: Another State Taking Action

• [20 November 2008]: New Hampshire: “Among the topics that will be discussed at a Fish and Game meeting on Thursday is a saltwater angler registry that will come with a licensing fee, and charter captains say they are not happy with the idea. “Kevin Sullivan, a marine biologist for Fish and Game’s Marine Fisheries Division, said there will definitely be a licensing requirement. The only real issue to be resolved is whether the federal government or the state gets the money from the fees."

Photo: New Hampshire Coast Near Portsmouth

“Charter Captain John Savage of Rye said he doesn’t object so much to the idea of a license, but is concerned what it will do to an already troubled fishing industry. “’The fishing industry is on the verge of collapse,’ Savage said. ‘They will say it’s federally mandated to have a registry of anglers, but the state is trying to work an alternative so they get the money. I know the state needs money, but the fishing industry is caught in the middle. The state is trying to bleed money out of a dead industry.’” Full article at: SeaCoastOnLine.com

Want to Eat Wild Fish? Better Learn to Catch Them Yourself

• [19 November 2008]: “I suppose you might call me a wild-fish snob. I don’t want to go into a fish market on Cape Cod and find farm-raised salmon from Chile and mussels from Prince Edward Island instead of cod, monkfish or haddock. I don’t want to go to a restaurant in Miami and see farm-raised catfish from Vietnam on the menu but no grouper. Those have been my recent experiences, and according to many scientists, it may be the way of the future: most of the fish we’ll be eating will be farmed, and by midcentury, it might be easier to catch our favorite wild fish ourselves rather than buy it in the market.” Read the entire article at: The New York Times

“Probe Nets Illegal Shark Market”

• [18 November 2008]: "Undercover video shows one of the suspects selling a bag of shark meat to undercover officers. Fish and Wildlife says it was caught illegally.
"'You don't see this type of business anywhere else,' said Lieutenant Steve Delacure, who has been working the case for six months. Eight people are now under arrest, accused of making millions of dollars selling illegally caught fish.
"Delacure says several commercial boats were involved, and the main target was shark. 'I catch them all the time! I just like them I don't know. Just the thought of them eating me out there, I just want to kill every one I see,' said one suspect.
"Investigators say the group also targeted species that wound up in saltwater aquariums around the world."

Complete article at: MyFoxTampaBay.com

“The fading popularity of the fly rod in saltwater….”

• [17 November 2008]: Charles Walsh’s Fishing Column: “For a time, after saltwater fly fishing caught on with a large segment of recreational anglers back in the 1980s, it seemed that its exploding popularity might eventually drive other methods for catching pelagic species like striped bass and bluefish off the water.

“But that never happened.
“No hard statistics on the subject exist, but I think few would disagree that today the bloom has faded on the saltwater fly fishing rose. Oh, there are still plenty of anglers who will fish no other way, and more who always keep a fly rod rigged and ready for when fish are within casting range. But more and more, anglers are leaving the long rod at home in favor of spin and conventional tackle.” Read Charlie's Complete Article at: Connecticut Post

NJ Is Dealing with the Salt Water License Issue...What's CT Doing?

• [16 November 2008]: Asbury Park Press: "The push for a saltwater fishing license is under way again as bureaucrats and legislators seek more money for conservation and management of marine life. The idea of adding another tax to the burden on anglers crops up every few years, if for no other reason than all anglers have not had a license imposed on them yet. It is true that the do-gooders with an inside track in Washington D.C., were able to talk Congress into passing a law creating a national registry for saltwater anglers, but the lawmakers did not mandate a fee."

Asbury Park Press: "A saltwater fishing license with a fee attached is nothing more than a gimmick to raise money as President George H.W. Bush said years ago. He was right. Charging a fee does not buy good data or guarantee the recreational fishing community any more access, any larger share or any more control over fisheries. It does give the bureacracy more money to spend, and fisheries bureaucrats are creative in finding ways to do so."

PressOfAtlanticCity.com: "Panel OKs free saltwater fishing registry: TRENTON - An Assembly committee signed off on a bill Thursday that would create a free saltwater fishermen's registry in New Jersey...despite an estimated cost [to the state] of as much as $1 million. The bill comes as the federal 2006 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to create a National Saltwater Angler Registry by Jan. 1. The goal is better wildlife data."

APP.com: "Free State Registry in NJ Nears Reality: The State Legislature took another step on Thursday toward establishing a free angler registry to avoid a federal takeover and a possible saltwater fishing license. The Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously in favor.... "James A. Donofrio, executive director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, testified in favor of the bill while the state Division of Fish and Wildlife spoke in opposition to the measure. 'The division testified against the bill because there was no fee attached,' Donofrio said. 'They want a saltwater fishing license—they have for years. Congress mandated that a saltwater angler registry must be in place by 2011, but no fee can be charged until after that date,' he said. 'However, the mandate is only for a registry; a fee does not have to be charged.' "He explained that a state registry that meets the federal requirements will avoid a national registry administered by the National Marine Fisheries Service."

So, the questions is, what's going on in Connecticut regarding this issue? Certainly the CT DEP would like to get their hands on the wallets of state salt water fishermen.

The Norwich Bulletin reported: "Due to the requirements mandated by the reauthorization of the Magnesun Act in 2006, (something politicians in general know little and could care less about) states that don’t have a marine recreational data gathering and reporting systems will be required to do so in 2009, under federal, rather than their own DEP’s direction. "Not a very good move on the part of this state’s law makers, who for the second time ignored pleas for action by our DEP to do something positive in this matter. If Connecticut and the other states are not in compliance with what the Magnesun Act dictates and they don’t have their own marine recreational data gathering systems in place by 2011, marine recreational fishermen will not only be registering and sending information to the feds, but they will be paying a “registration fee” to the federal government, rather than their own states. (This fee will be similar in nature to the tuna licenses off shore anglers must buy from the feds.)

"Now that would be totally stupid — don’t you think?"

NOAA Charges Charter Operators with Illegal Fishing for Striped Bass

• [15 November 2008]: A joint undercover operation by NOAA’s Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement and New York and New Jersey enforcement agents has uncovered evidence of alleged illegal fishing by two charter operators. The operators, Steven N. Forsberg and Viking Starship Inc. of Montauk, N.Y., and Jerome E. Hurd of Avalon, N.J., have been charged by NOAA with taking their patrons to catch striped bass in federal waters, where capture of the prized sport fish is prohibited. During the undercover operations, federal agents and state officers posed as patrons on several charter vessels operating in New York and New Jersey. NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Woman saved after four hours in Housatonic

• [14 November 2008]: Ross Hatfield first saw something in the water when he got up to feed his cat around 3 a.m. Thursday. “I tried to look at it with binoculars, couldn’t focus on it, and thought it was a cormorant after I saw it go down,” said Hatfield, Stratford’s harbormaster. Walking his dog around 6:30 a.m., he saw the figure again. He then realized it was a woman floating about 100 feet from shore, being pulled back in after the tide had turned. StratfordStar.com

Stripers Forever

• [13 November 2008]: Stripers Forever, the sport fishing and conservation organization, doesn't mince words. It's doing all it can to stop the commercial netting and selling of wild striped bass (rockfish) to Marylanders and Virginians. The organization says the resource should be managed for the 3 million-plus recreational striper fans from Maine to North Carolina. If the states are worried about loss of income, taxes and other fees, they should relax. It has been proved time and again that sport anglers provide far more jobs, profits and taxes - for the state and private businesses - than commercial fish netters. TheWashingtonTimes

GE, the Housatonic, and PCBs

• [12 November 2008]: General Electric's cleanup proposal for PCB contamination of the Housatonic River south of Pittsfield, Massachusetts raises more than 150 concerns, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The river sediment is polluted with polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs, south of the GE property where the company formerly manufactured electrical equipment such as transformers and capacitors. In comments sent to GE in a letter Tuesday, the federal agency details issues that are inadequately addressed in the company's Corrective Measures Study, especially regarding impacts on the river ecosystem during cleanup work, and impacts on aesthetic enjoyment of the area by local residents. GE must now address the concerns raised by the agency and submit additional detailed information within 90 days. Following review of the revised GE proposal, the EPA will propose its own preferred clean up alternative for a final cleanup remedy. NBCChicago.com

Boater in Mishap Used Gas Can to Stay Afloat:

• [11 November 2008]: HEADLINE: "A boater rescued from a mishap Sunday afternoon used a gas can to stay afloat and his companion was last seen floating on a white seat cushion, authorities said. The search for the other boater continued around noon today, just less than 24 hours after their 12-foot, green skiff overturned. The Department of Marine Resources, U.S. Coast Guard and Long Beach Dive/Rescue continued to search for a boater reported missing on Sunday off the island. Neither man was wearing a life jacket, according to a state DMR spokeswoman. The search for the missing man continues with help from DMR, the Coast Guard, the marine patrol division of the Harrison County Sheriff's Department and a dive/rescue team from the Long Beach Fire Department." Biloxi-Gulfport SunHerald.com

Shoo-Fly Charters: Notice a consistency in these three photos? That's right...in every photo that you see in this post, and in every other post we do, the anglers consistently wear their life vests. For adults we use U. S. Coast Guard approved, automatic inflatable vests. If you fall in, there's an "alka-seltzer" tablet in the vest that melts and the vest inflates instantly. You don't have to be conscious, you don't have to do anything...except be certain you're wearing it. They're not a problem to wear. Lots of times I have to chase my anglers down the dock after the trip because they've gotten so used to the vests they forget they've got them on. The vests cost about $150 apiece...not cheap...but then neither is life.

"Distress call investigated as latest in string of bogus incidents on Long Island, official says:

• [10 November 2008]: A Mayday call to the U.S. Coast Guard about a sinking vessel in Oyster Bay Harbor is being considered the latest in a rash of hoax calls on Long Island that are currently under federal investigation, an official said. "A Coast Guard spokeswoman said details regarding the specific number of hoax calls was not being released at this time, but she said numerous incidents have occurred across the Island during the past month to two months. 'We have determined that the call was a hoax,' Coast Guard Petty Officer Barbara Patton said Wednesday. "There have been a rash of them lately on Long Island.' "The call, received at about 5 p.m. on Tuesday, reported that a man was on a sinking vessel in Oyster Bay Harbor near Centre Island. Coast Guard Station Eatons Neck, Nassau police and Suffolk police responded to the call but found no vessel and no missing boater. Patton said another boater in the area informed Coast Guard officials that he had also responded to the call but could not find a sinking boat. "Reporting a false or fictional incident is a federal offense, Patton said. A felony, it is punishable by 6 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine."[1] Considering the cost to the rescue services to do such a search, the potential danger for the rescue personnel, and the fact that some other boat could have been in real trouble while rescue services were tied up with this bogus search, the potential fine and jail time are certainly not excessive. [1]Newsday.com

How Long Before the Government Taxes Each Breath We Take?

• [09 November 2008]: “When Congress re-authorized the federal law controlling saltwater fishing, legislators required the National Marine Fisheries Service to keep track of recreational saltwater fishermen the way the government keeps track of recreational hunters who hunt ducks, woodcock and other migratory birds. For bird hunters, each state issues Harvest Information Program permits — HIP Cards — so officials can keep track of who is taking how much of what birds. In Rhode Island, HIP Cards have been free; in Connecticut next door, an HIP Card costs $2. “Congress wants everyone to have a similar permit if they are fishing for striped bass, sea-run trout and other saltwater fish that spawn in fresh water. Also, anyone fishing in federal waters, between three and 200 miles from shore, would need a saltwater permit so fishing regulators can keep track of what they are catching. “If the state does not issue its own saltwater-fishing permit, the federal government will. Next year, a federal permit will be free, but soon the feds will impose a fee, and all of the money collected will go to the U.S. Treasury.” Source: Projo.com Projo.com

The Bycatch Problem

• [08 November 2008]: We all love fishing for and catching striped bass and can be passionate and vocal about how to manage the striper resources. Instead of infighting to reallocate a relatively small portion of the coastal striper quota from Massachusetts’ commercial fishermen and the public, I suggest that Stripers Forever and the gamefish status crowd, take notice of a much greater issue of huge striped bass and haddock bycatch problems created by the midwater trawl herring and bottom trawl groundfish fleets. I suggest they join with commercial, recreational and whale-watching businesses and environmental groups to ask for 100 percent observer coverage on these large trawlers that operate off our Massachusetts coastlines, to document this wasteful bycatch. Wickedlocal.com

Another Amazing November Day

• [07 November 2008]: Charlie W. and I decided to sneak in a few hours of fishing on Friday as it looked like a patch of acceptable weather was stitched in between two pockets of nasty stuff. We lucked out. Although the forecast was for partly sunny, we never saw the sun. The photo shows what it looked like out there…you can see, or rather, you can’t see Long Island in the photo as it appeared to be under a water-level cloud bank the whole time we were on the water. But, there was no wind. Two fishing days in the same week with no wind! In October we didn’t get two days the whole month. BTW, the sailboat in the photo was making way on the motor...the sails apparently just for effect.

Next photo shows a visitor from the north, a Snowy Owl. The bird may be immature as they are more nearly all white when mature. They’re 23” tall according to the bird guide. Apparently they reside in Alaska and northern Canada and winter south to the northernmost U.S. Charlie says he’s seen one other Snowy in Connecticut…it had caught a rat…and that the birds may come this far south if they run low on voles up north. This Snowy was perched on the Housatonic breakwater merrily munching away on something he'd caught.

We had a respectable day of fishing. Once again, they weren’t jumping in the boat, but we found fish in several locations around the mouth of the Housatonic River. We landed circa 14 stripers, all schoolies, and six bluefish including two 13-lb. ‘gators that kept Charlie busy at the end of his very light spinning outfit. We caught a few on flies and on a surface popper.

With the water temp in both the River and Long Island Sound hovering at 55 F, apparently the blues are content to hang around a while longer. They’re obviously finding bait to feed on as we could tell by what the ones we caught up-chucked at the side of the boat.

Also, we’re waiting for reports of fish further up the River. We haven’t fished up there in a while and no one is saying that the stripers and blues have been running up there. We’ll just have to wait longer.

Connecticut Arts of the Angler Show

• [06 November 2008]: “The fly-show season kicks off one week from Saturday in Danbury, Conn., with the Arts of the Angler Show, sponsored by the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. It’s more low-key than the big shows in New Jersey, but it’s got all the seminars, demonstrations and goodies for sale that turn grown anglers into kids in a candy store. More than 40 fly-tiers will demonstrate their craft….” DailyGazette.com

In Case You Go to Istanbul, Fish the Galata Bridge

• [05 November 2008]: They catch bluefin tuna off a bridge??? "He says that he fishes because he doesn't have other hobbies, like going to coffeehouses or smoking. He has been fishing on the bridge for years and gladly shares his experience in the trade with anyone who asks. Hosatar jokes that since he ate bluefish today, none are biting tonight but says that in general, bluefish bite in the morning but he catches many more bluefin tuna at night. 'When fishing for bluefish, you have to use anchovy for bait; to catch bluefin tuna, you have to use shrimp for bait or a green trotline. Since it's hard to catch bluefish, you have to know what depth they swim at.' The Galata Bridge, with hundreds of fishermen lined up on either of its sides, is also host to an auxiliary market that sprung up to service the fishermen. Simit sellers abound to supply freshly baked simit just as the fishermen get hungry, and tea sellers supply the caffeinated drink to those who are having difficulty keeping their eyes open but don't have the time to steal a nap in their car." Apparently, all the fishing nuts are not located in Connecticut. Today’s Zaman

Maritime Film Festival: Tradition at the Crossroads, November 9, 2008, Stony Brook University

• [04 November 2008]: Are fishermen and baymen endangered? Is our coastal ecology threatened? What is our waterfront history? On November 9 join Long Island Traditions and New York Sea Grant for its first “Maritime Film Festival: Tradition at the Crossroads” at Stony Brook University. The festival will feature 15 documentary films that explore the region’s marine ecosystem, fishing traditions and coastal heritage, with discussions featuring filmmakers, local baymen, decoy carvers, clamshell artists and other tradition bearers. Long Island Traditions

Are Stripers on the Decline?

• [03 November 2008]: Speaking about the striped-bass fishery, Everin said, “I think it’s going to die like it did in the ’80s.” He blames damage done by overfishing, commercial fishing, and nature. “I think the fish goes in cycle, and I think we’re in [a] down cycle again. Six, seven, eight years ago, it was really, really great. Now, it gets harder every night. You really have to work for your fish.” Projo.com

It’s Comforting to Know, If It Blew Up, No One on Land Would Be Hurt

01 Nov 2008: “In New York and Connecticut, environmental groups and politicians, including the governors of both states, united in opposition to a plan to anchor a floating terminal in the middle of Long Island Sound, nine miles north of Long Island and even farther from the southern Connecticut shore. “Opponents predicted an accident in which a huge ball of flame would erupt over the water. But what would it burn? The terminal itself, yes. Also, any tanker moored to the terminal, offloading gas, would be destroyed. But anything on land – houses, say, or a school bus – would be much too far away to be affected. Further, in decades of transporting liquefied natural gas by ship, there has not been a single significant accident. Nevertheless, the opposition prevailed at the state level, although the plan passed muster with the federal government, including the Coast Guard. The project looks to be a long shot now, especially given what's happening with the economy.”
• Complete article at: NorthJersey.com

Striper Class of 2008...Smaller

31 Oct 2008: According to the Morning Sentinel: “This year's Young of the Year (YOY) index, an annual measurement of the number of juvenile striped bass taken in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay, is one of the lowest recorded since 1990. "’Striped bass born in the Chesapeake Bay make up a very high percentage of all the stripers that migrate up the Atlantic Coast every year,’ says Brad Burns, president of Stripers Forever, an internet-based advocacy organization in Maine seeking game fish status for the wild striper. "’So the fact that this year's YOY came in at 3.2 compared to the long term average of 11.7 indicates that the coastal striped bass population is not as 'fully recovered' as some fishery biologists would have us believe.’" Stripers Forever has an excellent graph showing the history of the "Young of the Year" reports: Striped Bass Index Graph

Darien Kayaker Rescued in Norwalk

30 Oct 2008: "A 60-year-old Darien man was found wet but unharmed at Greens Ledge lighthouse late Tuesday after being outside for almost eight hours."
• Complete article at: Connecticut Post

Study Shows Bacterial Disease Kills Stripers

29 Oct 2008: “A study led by researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, is the first to demonstrate that striped bass in Chesapeake Bay are succumbing to mycobacteriosis. This chronic bacterial disease, first detected in Bay stripers in 1997, now infects more than half of all striped bass in Bay waters. Knowing whether mycobacteriosis ultimately kills Bay stripers is of concern to fisheries managers and anglers all along the Eastern seaboard. Striped bass are one of the region's most economically and ecologically important finfish, and Chesapeake Bay is the main breeding and nursery ground for this species on the Atlantic coast.” [Including Long Island Sound.] "Their findings show that: —A fish infected with mycobacteriosis is only about 70% as likely to survive another year as a non-infected fish. —Older females are more likely than males to succumb to mycobacteriosis, perhaps due to the energetic demands of spawning and migration. —Disease-related mortality increases through the summer….”
• Complete article at: The College of William & Mary

Great Meadows Marsh Deemed "Important Bird Area"

28 Oct 2008: “As part of the inaugural Stratford Bird Fest Saturday, Audubon Connecticut, the state organization of the National Audubon Society, recognized the Stratford Great Meadows marsh and Long Beach West/Pleasure Beach barrier beach complex as an Important Bird Area. Audubon also announced a $50,000 commitment, through the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation and the Jeniam Foundation, to develop a conservation plan for the area that will incorporate community input from residents of Stratford and Bridgeport. The area will be the 27th addition to Audubon Connecticut’s Important Bird Areas inventory, joining 12 other Connecticut areas within the boundaries of the Long Island Sound estuary. The program is a voluntary, non-regulatory global effort coordinated in the U.S. by the National Audubon Society.” More about Important Bird Area can be found at; Audubon
• Complete article at: Stratfordstar.com

Search on for Possible Missing Boater Off Montauk

27 Oct 2008: The Coast Guard is searching for a possible missing boater after a capsized boat was found south of Montauk Friday morning, authorities said. A caller reported seeing the boat, the "All Fired Up" from Cranston, R.I. The boat has a small hole in the bottom of the hull and several 3-foot-long cracks on its port side, according to the Coast Guard. The boat was found 25 miles south of Montauk about 9:40 a.m., and Coast Guard helicopter and rescue crews are searching for a possible occupant. No debris has been found, and Suffolk County police divers were to conduct an underwater search, the Coast Guard said.The Coast Guard said that anyone with any information regarding the All Fired Up should call local authorities or Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound at 203-468-4403
• Complete article at: Newsday.com

Game Fish Status for Stripers

24 Oct 2008: “Game fish status for the striped bass is the only guarantee they won’t go the way of the cod, the buffalo, and the dodo bird. Striped bass are in 100 + feet of water because that’s where the bait, their food, is. More than 95% of so-called commercial striped bass fishermen are week- end warriors. Most do not even sell what they catch; they keep it for themselves, give it away to friends. Most of those who sell it are hardly using it to make ends meet. They use the money to buy more bells and whistles for their boats. Recreational striper fishermen are the ones putting money into the Cape economy supporting the real jobs of folks working in restaurants, motels, bait and tackle stores, and supermarkets. Those are our neighbors genuinely trying to make ends meet.”
• Complete article at: Click Here

Long Island Sound and WMDs?

23 Oct 2008: Remarks by Under Secretary Charles Allen at the Maritime Security Council “My primary concern is the threats that could affect maritime security and have an impact on the homeland. Of most concern, in terms of consequence, is the introduction of a weapon of mass destruction into the homeland through our ports and harbors. While we currently assess that al Qa’ida lacks a WMD capability, it is equally clear that they intend to obtain this capability and would not hesitate to employ such a device should they obtain one. Since terrorists lack a missile delivery capability for such weapons, our concern is their use of the supply chain to deliver a device directly and employ it in a major city. Such an attack has been justified by radical cleric Shayk al-Fahd in the following chilling terms: ‘. . .if those engaged in jihad establish that the evil of the infidels can be repelled only by attacking them at night with weapons of mass destruction, they may be used even if they annihilate the infidels.’”
• Complete article at: Maritime Security Council

Long Island Sound Oysters Not Doing Well

22 Oct 2008: In 1996, about 1 million bushels of oysters worth $50 million were harvested from Long Island Sound. By last year, the oyster catch had dropped to less than $10 million, according to the state bureau of aquaculture…. Biologists want to find out how changes in the estuary have affected the fortunes of oystermen. Connecticut is undertaking a comprehensive assessment of Long Island Sound with the aim of finding ways aid recovery, locating good locations for new oyster beds and, essentially, determining the character and quality of the Sound.
• Complete article at: New Haven Register

Long Island Man Killed in Speedboat Accident

21 Oct 2008: A Long Island man is dead after his speed boat veered off course, throwing him and a companion overboard. Police say the 29-foot Kryptonite Performance speed boat was traveling east on the Great South Bay-about one mile south of the Bellport Marina-when it turned violently at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The boat ejected the operator, 33-year-old Ronald Pekrul of Shirley, and passenger Bruce Grimminger of Center Moriches. Forty-one-year-old Grimminger died at the hospital of head and chest injuries. Pekrul was treated at the hospital and released. The vessel has the word "IN$ANITY" painted on its side. It was impounded for a safety inspection while police investigate.
• Complete article at: Newsday.com

Billions of Fish, Eggs Killed by Power Plants

20 Oct 2008: "For a newly hatched striped bass in the Hudson River…drifting a little too close to a power plant can mean a quick and turbulent death. Sucked in with enormous volumes of water, battered against the sides of pipes and heated by steam, the small fry of the aquatic world are being sacrificed in large numbers each year to the cooling systems of power plants around the country… but energy-industry officials say opponents of nuclear power are exaggerating the losses…. Technology has long existed that might reduce the fish kill by 90 percent or more. Cooling towers allow a power plant to recycle the water rather than continuously pump it in. New power plants are required to use cooling towers, but most existing plants resist any push to convert, citing the huge cost and claiming that most fish eggs and larvae are doomed anyway. ‘We're not killing grown fish,’ says Jerry Nappi, spokesman for Entergy Nuclear Northeast, owner of Indian Point. ‘If we were killing billions of grown fish you'd be able to walk across the Hudson on their backs.'"
• Complete article at: Click Here

Catch and............Eat!

17 Oct 2008: Today, there’s a growing interest to return to the days of yesteryear when fishing was solely for sustenance, sharing catches with tribal folk and neighbors. This appears to be re-emerging as prices at food stores skyrocket and supply periodically is thin. Isn’t it appropriate that now, of all times….
• Complete article at: theDay.com

Striped Bass Fishery to Tank?

16 Oct 2008: Speaking about the striped-bass fishery, Everin said, “I think it’s going to die like it did in the ’80s.” He blames damage done by overfishing, commercial fishing, and nature. “I think the fish goes in cycle, and I think we’re in [a] down cycle again. Six, seven, eight years ago, it was really, really great. Now, it gets harder every night. You really have to work for your fish.”
• Complete article at: Projo.com

Connecticut Shelves Marina Waste-Water Reg

15 Oct 2008: The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection decided to delay by one year the adoption of a sweeping series of regulations that could have forced many marinas to shut down. The DEP wants marinas to improve treatment of wastewater that enters Long Island Sound. The proposed regulations would have forced marina operators to install costly water treatment systems or tie into local sewer treatment plants.
• Complete article at: StratfordStar.com

Saybrook Light Could Be Sold

14 Oct 2008: The Saybrook Breakwater Light, one of two lighthouses in this shoreline town, could go on the auction block if a suitable nonprofit organization or government agency doesn't claim it first.Two nonprofit organizations have submitted "letters of interest" in the 49-foot cast-iron lighthouse, known more commonly as the Saybrook Outer Light, said Paula M. Santangelo, a public affairs officer with the U.S. General Services Administration. She would not identify the groups.
• Complete article at: Courant.com

$3.3MM for Long Island Sound

13 Oct 2008 Efforts to clean up Long Island Sound and Jamaica Bay got a $3.3 million boost this week, thanks in part to two settlements in pollution cases. Ten projects will get $1.6 million in grants from the settlements, which involved New York City's water pollution control system and John F. Kennedy International Airport. The groups receiving the grants have raised another $1.7 million for the projects. Some projects are focused on restoring habitat and species, while others will study ways to reduce the impact of air and water pollution, according to information from the state Department of Environmental Protection, Long Island Soundkeeper and other agencies that oversee the programs. In Connecticut, The Trust for Public Land will remove derelict cottages from Long Beach in Stratford, eliminating a source of sewage pollution.
• Read the article at: The Hartford Courant

Perhaps They Would Rather Not Have Been Rescued?

10 Oct 2008: The U.S. Coast Guard recently reported that it had located and rescued three boaters who were missing overnight in Long Island Sound. The boaters, all from East Haven, had been missing for more than six hours before they were found adrift south of Branford. However, the three men were later found to be in the United States illegally, a Coast Guard official said..
• Source: www.courant.com

Gas Plant in Long Island Sound Still A Possibility

09 Oct 2008: “Although it's been trampled in the endless stampede of fresher news, the proposal by Broadwater Energy to build a liquid natural gas processing plant in Long Island Sound isn't dead. “Wounded, for sure, by New York State's rejection of the project in April, but not dead. “Houston-based Broadwater still is pursuing regulatory channels in hopes of getting the project permitted. The joint venture between Shell and TransCanada had wanted to have its proposed 1,200-foot-long, 200-foot-wide floating terminal in operation 9.2 miles north of Wading River in 2011…. barge, which would have accepted shipments of super cold liquid natural gas, heated it to turn it back into a gas, and then piped the fuel ashore for electrical generation, industry or homeowners' heat and hot water. There are still a large number of parties in New York and Connecticut who feel the project is one solution to the energy situation in the region….”
• Story at: Newsday.com

More on the Connecticut River Cleanup

08 Oct 2008: “… thousands of volunteers in New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts came together on Saturday to take out the trash. ‘This year it is literally from the source of the Connecticut River near the Canadian border all the way down to Long Island Sound,’ said Chelsea Gwither, Executive Director of the Connecticut River Watershed Council. Her organization's annual Source to Sea Cleanup removed 50 tons of trash, debris and tires from the region's riverbanks last year. ‘When you're out here and you're getting your feet wet and your hands dirty you're able to realize that one person really can make a difference,’ said Gwither. Since the event started 12 years ago they've collected so many tires that if you stacked them on top of each other their height would be eight times greater than the Statue of Liberty.”
• Full Report at: ABC40

Our Junk is Harmful to Wildlife

07 Oct 2008: “Birds and turtles are developing digestive problems as their stomachs fill with plastic they mistakenly believe is food. The endangered Hawaiian monk seal population is struggling as many of the mammals get entangled in improperly discarded fishing nets. These examples underscore that efforts to prevent and reduce ocean debris are inadequate and the problem will likely worsen, according to a congressionally mandated report….”
• Full Story at: Newsday.com

Connecticut River Cleanup in Progress

05 Oct 2008: Boston.com: “A huge, four-state cleanup of the Connecticut River and its tributaries is being boosted by record numbers of volunteers. Connecticut River Watershed Council executive director Chelsea Gwyther says about 2,800 people have signed up for Saturday's event. That tops the previous record of about 2,000 last year. Last year, they collected 50 tons of trash.”
• Full Report at: Boston.com

Why Don’t Eateries on Long Island Sound Serve More Local Fish?

03 Oct 2008: “Long Island is surrounded by water and home to both a strong commercial-fishing industry and legions of recreational fishermen. You'd think that local chefs would be in local-fish heaven. And yet, what do you see on 95 percent of menus? Salmon - usually farmed, occasionally wild - from the West Coast. What else do you see? Tilapia, raised in freshwater farms all over the world; Chilean seabass, caught in the southern Atlantic and Pacific oceans; branzino, a Mediterranean fish now being farmed in Europe. What don't you see? Local fluke, striped bass, bluefish."
• Full Report at: Newsday.com

Program helps fishermen turn junk gear into power

01 Oct 2008: “When fishing gear is lost off boats, it's not really gone. In webs and rolling clumps, the nets, ropes and traps endure for decades as destructive artifacts of the fishery, suffocating life on the ocean floor, snaring fish and twisting into propellers. But this “derelict gear” might actually be able to do some good. A program introduced in New England this year aims to clean the ocean by collecting everything from nylon nets to wooden lobster traps and burning it to generate electricity.”
• Source: The Day.com

Millstone to Reduce Fish-Killing Water Intake

30 Sep 2008: “Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today praised an agreement paving the way for significant reductions in water intake at the Millstone nuclear power plant that will help increase populations of fish and other marine creatures and improve Long Island Sound’s environmental health. Connecticut Fund for the Environment and Soundkeeper negotiated the agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) assisted by the Office of Attorney General.”
• Full Report at: Stamfordplus.com

Commercial Fisheries Possession Limit Adjustments

29 Sep 2008: “Effective 0001 hours, Monday, September 29, 2008, the Commercial spiny dogfish fishery for the northern states is closed. No license holder shall possess and no vessel shall have on board or land spiny dogfish in Connecticut after this date until May 1, 2009. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has determined that that the quota allocated to the northern states (Maine through Connecticut) will be harvested by September 29. State regulations require landings be prohibited once the allocated quota has been landed. Effective 0001 hours, Wednesday, October 1, 2008, the Connecticut possession limit for the commercial harvest of bluefish is increased from 500 to 1,000 pounds. No commercial license holder shall possess and no vessel shall land or have on board more than this amount while on Connecticut waters. State regulations allow for the commercial possession limit for bluefish to increase to 1,000 pounds if less than 80% of Connecticut’s commercial quota for bluefish has been reported landed by October 1. Effective 0001 hours, Wednesday, October 1, 2008, the Connecticut possession limit for the commercial harvest of black sea bass for all gear types excluding lobster pots is increased to 300 pounds. No commercial license holder shall possess and no vessel shall land or have on board more than this amount while on Connecticut waters. The DEP estimates that at the current possession limits, the black sea bass commercial quota allocated to Connecticut will not be landed by the end of the year. Under such circumstances the regulations allow for increased trip limits. The possession limit for lobster pots remains at 10 fish.” Source:CT DEP

Dogfish Protection Costly to Other Species

28 Sep 2008: “The National Marine Fisheries Service has protected the spiny dogfish stocks for years in an effort to increase the stocks to unprecedented levels. The fish are present in record numbers along the coast from North Carolina to Maine and causing numerous problems for fishermen and the marine environment. Despite this NMFS continues to insist more breeding females are needed…these voracious predators are clogging nets, stealing bait and ruining the catch in fishery after fishery….dogfish are eating vast quantities of much more valuable species, negating the effects of drastic management-mandated fishing effort reductions in those fisheries….”
• Full Report at: APP.com

Nearly $1 Million Awarded for Projects to Improve Health of Long Island Sound:

27 Sep 2008: (Rye, N.Y.) Gathering near the shores of the Long Island Sound in Westchester County, federal and state environmental officials today announced 35 grants to state and local government and community groups under the Long Island Sound Futures Fund. The $912,994 in grants will be leveraged by $1.4 million raised by the recipients themselves, providing a total of nearly $2.3 million towards on-the-ground conservation in Connecticut and New York. This year’s grant program funded 17 grants in New York and 18 grants in Connecticut. Four grants were awarded for habitat restoration; five grants for planning and stewardship; five for education; three for improving water quality and three for conservation of native fish and bird species. Thirteen small grants totaling $68,000 were awarded to increase understanding and appreciation of the Long Island Sound through community events and activities.
• Full Report at: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Coast Guard Calls Off Search for LI Fisherman:

26 Sep 2008: “BAYVILLE, N.Y. (AP) -- Another day of searching failed to find any trace of a 29-year-old man missing in Long Island Sound. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search for Edwin Flores Wendesday night.
• Read the News Release at: WWW.1010WINS

Fisherman Found with $3,000 in Illegal Stripers:

25 Sep 2008: “A Connecticut fisherman and a Rhode Island seafood dealer were arrested, accused of the illegal sale of striped bass. The fisherman, Sean Bradshaw, 44, of Pawcatuck, was charged with the landing and sale of striped bass without a commercial license, commercial fishing without a vessel permit, possession of untagged striped bass and the commercial sale of scup without a license and during the closed season. The seafood dealer, John Guerrieri, 50, of South Kingstown, R.I., was charged with buying seafood without a Connecticut seafood dealers license and operating a motor vehicle without a license.
• More Detals at: WWW.NBC30

Two Fishermen May Be Missing in the Sound:

24 Sep 2008: “Marine authorities are searching for two possibly missing fishermen after debris that appeared to have come from a sunken clamming boat was spotted in Long Island Sound off Lattingtown shortly after noon Tuesday. Coast Guard Petty Officer Seth Johnson said another boater told his agency that he had seen a boat about 20 feet long with two fishermen aboard in that area earlier in the day.
• Read the Full Article at: Newsday.com

World Record Striper Caught 26 Years Ago:

23 Sep 2008: “26 years ago today, the world's most valuable striped bass was caught right here in South Jersey. The world record fisherman spoke to Jennifer Husko on this remarkable anniversary. The night of September 21st 1982, as a nor'easter blew through, 36-year-old al McReynolds was fishing off the Vermont Avenue jetty in Atlantic City on the block he was born and raised when his life changed. ‘Only in Atlantic City could you have your back turned to all those casinos and break the bank.’ Al spent around four hours reeling in a 78 pound 8 ounce striped bass.”
• Source: WWW.NBC40

Dead Fish in Branford River:

22 Sep 2008: “Thousands of dead fish have been floating to the surface of the Branford River, raising a stink near the high school and homes along the water. 'I saw hundreds of white dots from far away and was wondering what that was,' Ana Iacovella, of Branford, said. 'I looked and it was fish and it was dead fish.'"
• Source: WTHI TV 10

Boaters Rescued After Hitting Jetty :

21 Sep 2008: “WEST HAVEN, Conn. -- Two boaters were rescued in Long Island Sound after hitting a jetty. Just before 3:45 a.m., a 911 call was made saying two boaters were stuck on a jetty and their boat was taking in water…. Officials have not said what the men were doing out on the water but sources told NBC 30 that the men went out Tuesday night and fell asleep on the boat.”
• Source: NBC30

Charles Walsh's Fishing Report:

20 SEP 2008: “Don't put that tackle away yet. There's more fish to come in Long Island Sound. Although there has been no sign of a genuine fall run of stripers or even bluefish, the masses of bait, sand eels and bunker sticking around the area are just what the both species needs as they fatten themselves up for the long swim south. Meanwhile the watch is on for False Albacore as hopes for a decent run of bonito in the Sound are fading fast.”
• Source: Connecticut Post

What's Killing Off Our Salt Marshes?

19 SEP 2008: "Up and down the Eastern Seaboard, the coastal wetlands are dying, and no one knows for sure why this is happening. First observed in the Florida panhandle in 1990, the shoreline degradation, called sudden wetland dieback, has been observed in hundreds of locations from Louisiana to Maine. Scientists say that while it's normal for coastal marsh vegetation to have its bad years, they have never seen marsh grass to die and not recover, until now. The identified dieback sites include a number in Connecticut, mostly east of New Haven. "I would expect that it'll be found along Fairfield County, too," said Ron Rozsa, a scientist with the state Department of Environment Protection.
• Source: Connecticut Post

Fish Kill in RI’s Narragansett Bay:

18 SEP 2008: "State officials say hundreds of dead fish washed up in a Providence park in recent days, the latest in a series of recent fish kills in Narragansett Bay. The fish, believed to be menhaden, were found along India Point Park, a popular fishing area.”
• Source: www.boston.com

Stocks of Striped Bass Healthy, But Still the Fishermen Worry:

17 SEP 2008: “The striped bass is fun to catch and good to eat. It’s also enigmatic, historically prone to wild fluctuations in numbers and to inexplicable disappearances from area waters. And with the annual Island fishing derby opening Sunday, the old question is being asked again: where are all the fish? “Cooper Gilkes 3rd, an Island fisherman for more than 50 years and the owner of Coop’s Bait and Tackle in Edgartown, is concerned, for catch numbers seem to be in sharp decline. “’I believe the derby is headed on a downward spiral this year, from all the evidence,” he said this week. “I think the bass is getting hit again. I think we’re heading for problems.’”
• Source: Vineyard Gazette Online

ASMFC Hearing on Draft Addendum II to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eel

16 SEP 2008: The DEP Marine Fisheries Division is hosting a Public Hearing of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to take public comment on draft Addendum II the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eels. The Draft Addendum proposes a number of management options to facilitate an increase in the number of adult American eel (silver eels) that are able to out-migrate to the ocean to spawn. Management options include gear and size restrictions, seasonal closures, and recommendations to protect the upstream and downstream migration of American eel. The Connecticut Hearing will be held at: 7:00 PM, Wednesday, September 24, 2008, DEP Marine Headquarters, 333 Ferry Road, Old Lyme, CT 06371. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the addendum either by attending public hearings or providing written comments.
• Source: Connecticut DEP

Cleaning Up the Sound:

15 SEP 2008: "Fortunately, Save the Sound and Ocean Conservancy have teamed up to clean up the mess our neighbors leave behind. On Sept. 20, you are invited to join the thousands of citizen volunteers as they pick up trash from of the Connecticut coastline. Save the Sound is the Connecticut Coordinator for the world's largest volunteer effort to protect the ocean and its wildlife: The Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup. Now in its 23rd year, nearly a half a million volunteers from around the world spend a few hours removing trash and debris from our waterways to improve the habitat for wildlife and people. ”
• Source: Stamford Advocate

Saying "No-No" to the Yo-Yo:

013 SEP 2008: " When Lev Wlodyka reeled in a massive 57-pound striped bass one evening last fall, it looked like he'd caught the biggest fish in the annual Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. Then judges cut it open.Yo-yoing is a fishing method that involves putting lead weights into baitfish [e.g.,a bunker] to make it sink onto the ground for catching striped bass. The technique has stirred debate among New England anglers. WSJ's Steve Stecklow reports. Inside the striper's stomach they found 10 bullet-shaped lead weights weighing nearly two pounds -- surefire evidence of "yo-yoing," a baiting technique banned from the high-profile event, which will be held again next month. Mr. Wlodyka was disqualified.”
• Source: Wall Street Journal

Commercial Scup Closure:

11 SEP 2008: "Effective 0001 hours Saturday, September 13, 2008 the Connecticut possession limits for the commercial harvest of scup will be reduced to zero pounds for all gear types.No person shall possess and no vessel shall land or have on board scup for the remainder of the "Summer Period" (until November 1) while on Connecticut’s waters after this date. The DEP estimates that 100% of the "Summer Period" commercial scup quota allocated to Connecticut for 2008 has been landed.”
• Source: Connecticut DEP

Penobscot Dams to Fall:

09 SEP 2008: " In many ways, taking a dam down is harder than putting one up, especially dams as old as some of the ones on Maine’s Penobscot River and its tributaries. The hydropower they generate has to be replaced, as does the income they generate. Communities that have grown up knowing the river one way have to learn to know the river a different way — without a dam. That is one of the reasons why last week’s announcement by the Penobscot River Restoration Trust is so remarkable.” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/25/opinion/25mon3.html?scp=7&sq=striped+bass&st=nyt
• Source: New York Times

Does A Registry Mean Another Fee to Pay?

07 SEP 2008: " The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is proposing a rule that would require recreational anglers and spearfishers who fish in federal ocean waters to join a national registry. The agency is trying to close an information gap about the exact number of saltwater anglers and their effect on fish populations. The proposal would require the registration of those who catch fish like striped bass, salmon and shad that spawn in rivers and streams but spend their adult lives in estuaries and the ocean. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/sports/othersports/12outdoors.html?scp=9&sq=striped+bass&st=nyt”
• Source: New York Times

Bass in the Bronx:

05 SEP 2008: "Late August was bluefish time in the waters of Long Island Sound around City Island in the Bronx. But the talk among the men hanging out at Jack’s Bait and Tackle, on City Island Avenue, kept coming back to stripers. ‘I’m telling you, next year, the record gets broken — we’re going to see an 80-pound fish,’ said the store owner, John DeCuffa. It was a significant prediction, given that the world record, 78 pounds 8 ounces, from 1982 still stands. ”
• Source: New York Times

Carbon? What about Nitrogen?

03 SEP 2008: "Public discussion of complicated climate change is largely reduced to carbon: carbon emissions, carbon footprints, carbon trading. But other chemicals have large roles in the planet’s health….one that a growing number of other researchers are also concentrating on, is nitrogen…. In addition to having a role in climate change, nitrogen has a huge, probably more important biological impact through its presence in fertilizer…. When an ecosystem has too much nitrogen, the first response is that life blossoms. More fish, more plants, more everything. But this quickly becomes a kind of nitrogen cancer. Waters cloud and are overrun with foul-smelling algae blooms that can cause toxic “dead zones.” Scientists call this process eutrophication, but the laymen’s translation is that the water gets mucked up beyond all recognition. A recent such plague bedeviled China when its Yellow Sea was smothered in algae at Qingdao, the planned site of Olympic sailing events this summer. More than mere inconvenience, such problems routinely threaten many coastal areas and riverside communities…. There are 14 global warming pollutants, and we have a different solution for addressing each of them...."
• Source: New York Times

Where Mallards Stand on Carp:

01 SEP 2008: "The visitors, hauling bags of bread, go to the edge of the spillway at Pymatuning Lake. Children and adults alike race to the railings, where carp by the thousands, no, tens of thousands, maybe millions — guessing how many is part of the standard experience — gather and surge collectively out of the water at the slightest hint that someone might be tossing them a piece of bread, bagel or hot dog bun."
• Source: New York Times

Groundstocks Diminishing: True or False:

31 AUG 2008: "Battered New England fishermen are facing the possibility of even tighter fishing restrictions after a long-awaited report released Friday showed an increase in the number of stocks being overfished and slow-to-no improvement in many key species. The Groundfish Assessment Review Meeting report indicated 13 of 19 groundfish stocks were being overfished in 2007, compared with eight in 2004. It also showed drops in the amount of various flounder species, as well as an overall drop in the average weight of many species."
• Source: The Boston Channel

Blackfish Season Closes for September:

25 AUG 2008: Blackfish (Tautog)--minimum length: 14 inches.
Daily creel limit: 4 fish per angler; season open Jan. 1 - April 30 and Oct. 1 - Dec. 6.
Daily creel limit: 2 fish per angler; season open July 1 - August 31.
• Source: CT DEP

Fluke Season Closes for 2008:

25 AUG 2008: Summer Flounder (Fluke)--Minimum length: 19.5 inches
Daily creel limit: 5 fish per angler; season open May 24 - September 1
• Source: CT DEP