DEM files emergency menhaden regulations

[OSSCA]

News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462

For Release: July 3, 2007
Contact: Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402
Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

DEM FILES EMERGENCY REGULATIONS REGARDING COMMERCIAL MENHADEN FISHERY THAT TAKE
EFFECT TODAY

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management today filed emergency
regulations regarding the commercial menhaden fishery that become effective at 2
p.m. Tuesday, July 3.

The regulations, which apply to purse seining, provides a possession limit of
75,000 pounds of menhaden per vessel per day, whether fishing or transiting
Rhode Island waters. The regulations also require advance notice to DEM of
intent to fish or transit as well as daily reporting of landings. The commercial
fishery will be open Mondays through Fridays, except for official state
holidays, from sunrise to sunset until the fishery is closed. The daily cap will
be adjusted as necessary, with fishermen notified when they call in their
advance notice. Those giving advance notice to fish via purse seining for
menhaden in Rhode Island waters, and those with purse seining equipment
intending to transit Rhode Island waters with menhaden aboard should call DEM's
enforcement office at 222-3070.

An estimated eight million pounds of menhaden migrated into Narragansett Bay
waters through June, and DEM scientists estimate four million pounds are
necessary to maintain Bay health and an excellent feed base for other fish like
striped bass. Slightly more than two million pounds have been landed by
commercial fishing operations. There are now less than two million pounds
available to the commercial fishery. If more than two million pounds are
harvested there will be an adverse impact upon the menhaden fishery and the
ecosystems which it supports. DEM will continue to monitor regularly to see if
there is any new migration, and, if so, adjust the cap upwards accordingly.

Menhaden are an important contributor to the health of the bay and the
ecosystem, as well as the economy. They are a bait fish for the lobster fishery,
attract striped bass, and are a valuable recreational fishery.

[Pete_G]

Pretty incredible. Over a 1/4 of the population harvested. You have to wonder if it's actually more. The way a lot of fishery management works it's easy to think it could be more.

[OSSCA]

The Department is filing emergency regulations today at 12 noon concerning
the daily take of menhaden. The coast-wide bait situation appears to have
stimulated a greater interest in the migratory population currently within
Narragansett Bay by both Rhode Island and non-Rhode Island fishers. DEM remains
convinced that of the overall abundance and health of the fishery is not
immediately threatened. However, over the last few weeks, our monitoring
efforts indicate a rapid decrease in the menhaden populations migrating into the
Bay. Approximately 8M pounds of menhaden made the move into the Bay this year
and approximately 6M pounds remain at this time. Foraging species and bait
harvest have caused the 2M pound difference. We continue to monitor industry
interest concerning the greater harvest pressure on the Rhode Island fishery.
We have also confirmed activities by non-Rhode Island fishers who have moved
into the Bay. We are setting a daily harvest limit to 75,000 pounds for
commercial fishers and affixing a ‘hard cap’ of 4M pounds, which needs to remain
in the bay and available to foraging striped bass to provide a balanced ecosystem.
We believe the proposed actions are prudent and scientifically based,
providing essential Bay and fishery health protection.

Regards,

W. Michael Sullivan, Ph.D.