Fishing Report: Right whales could have used scenario planning

 A study published on Aug. 31 in the journal Oceanography titled, "Ocean Regime Shift is Driving Collapse of the North Atlantic Right Whale Population," relates how climate-driven ocean change in the northwestern Atlantic is complicating efforts to protect the North Atlantic right whale from fishing gear entanglements and ship strikes.

In a press advisory, the Lenfest Ocean Program stated: “The Gulf of Maine and western Scotian Shelf, which include areas where we typically see right whales feeding in the spring and summer, began warming at an alarming rate in 2010. This had profound impacts on the food web, including a decline in the whale’s main food source, a small copepod species known as Calanus finmarchicus.”

As a result of this food source move, right whales began searching for food further north in the Gulf of St. Lawrence where, at the time, they lacked protection from gear entanglements and ship strikes.

While Lenfest was highlighting the plight of right whales, U.S. fishery managers issued a new rule designed to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from entanglement in lobster gear.

Erica Fuller, a senior attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation commented, however, that, “while this rule is a step in the right direction, it does not go far enough or fast enough to stop the precipitous decline of this species. We plan to challenge the new rule in court to ensure that right whales recover rather than become an extinction statistic."

Right whale entanglements perhaps could have been mitigated by scenario planning — by anticipating their movement, fisheries management could have been better prepared to mitigate entanglements.  Scenario planning will be key to anticipating fisheries climate impacts moving forward.

East Coast scenario planning

I attended a scenario planning session this month that gave participants the opportunity to think about climate change and how it could affect habitat, the fish we catch and coastal communities.

This was the last of three East Coast Climate Change Scenario Planning sessions, but the beginning of a process. The session was conducted by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries and its East Coast partners, the New England, Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils as well as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Climate change scenario planning includes brainstorming how climate impacts, such as warming water, acidification, water rise and habitat degradation, could affect the fish we catch, the forage fish they eat, habitat and coastal areas. 

Will fish move to find forage and where will they move to as water warms? What if rising water washes away coastline, floods marinas, docks and shore-side support services? Where will vessels dock and acquire services?

The initiative is designed to prepare fishing communities and managers for an era of climate change. Focal questions include: How might climate change affect stock distribution, availability and other aspects of East Coast marine fisheries over the next 20 years? And what does this mean for future governance and management across multiple jurisdictions?

For details and expected outcomes, visit https://www.mafmc.org/climate-change-scenario-planning. You can provide input by completing a scenario planning questionnaire at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2WWCCHK by Sept. 20.

RI Saltwater Anglers founder dies

Stephen J. Medeiros of West Warwick, founder, president and executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, died suddenly on Monday, Sept. 13.

In an announcement about his passing, the RISAA stated: "It is with a heavy heart that the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association announces to you the passing of our founder, leader and friend, Stephen J. Medeiros. Steve was a tireless advocate for recreational fishermen and women in RI and all of Southern New England. He founded RISAA In January 1998 and was a steady hand at the helm for over 23 years. Steve built a strong organization that will continue his great work long into the future.” 

Where’s the bite?

Tautog. The minimum tautog size is 16 inches with a three fish/person/day limit and a 10 fish-per-boat limit. “The bite out in front of Newport was better than last week but still a bit slow," said Jeff Williams of Lucky Bait & Tackle in Warren. "Anglers are catching a lot of shorts off Newport with an occasional keeper.”  Tom Giddings of The Tackle Box in Warwick reported: “Customers are catching keeper tautog at Rocky Point. One angler who fishes there often said a tautog bent her rod in half before it broke off her braid line in structure.” Neil Hayes of Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown said: “Customers are tautog fishing but the bite is still not great. It was better this weekend. I believe the water is still a little warm.”

Striped bass, blue fish and false albacore. “Customers are catching fish to about 26 inches in the Conimicut Point area from shore,” Giddings said.  "Striped bass, bluefish and false albacore mixed in were at the mouth of the Sakonnet River this weekend," Williams said. "There is plenty of bait in the water [sand eels, spearing and peanut bunker] and the water quality has been very good.” Hayes said: “Anglers are keying in on the bass, bluefish and false albacore — staging at the mouth of rivers and outlets as the tide turns to outgoing. The false albacore bite has been a little off since the storm last week.” "East End" Eddie Doherty reported: “The Cape Cod Canal is giving up striped bass from schools of mixed sizes at first light on the east tide starting in the west end. Fish in the 25-pound class and larger are traveling close to the bottom as thousands of slots and shorts break on the surface.” Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor Marina in South Kingstown said: “The striped bass bite is sluggish from the beaches but there are tons of bait around. Customers were jigging for squid in the middle of the day. And the false albacore bite did come back after the storm; however, they have been up and down.”

Black sea bass, scup and summer flounder. We fished a ledge southeast of Beavertail this week with good results. Plenty of action with short and keeper black sea bass and keeper-size fish (minimum is 15 inches) in a 4-1 ratio. The scup bite there was good, too. 

Freshwater. “Sand Pond, Warwick Lake, Gorton Pond and other ponds in the state are producing largemouth bass for anglers," Giddings said. "We even have a good catfish bite at Sand Pond. Anglers are dangling shiners two feet below the surface with a bobber and the catfish are hitting them.”

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business that focuses on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy and fisheries-related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net or visit www.noflukefishing.com.