DEM Announces New Saltwater Fishing Regulations

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management on Thursday announced its final recreational fishing regulations for marine fisheries for the 2011 season. 

The regulations for black sea bass continue to be finalized and have not yet been released, according to the prepared statement. All other recreational fishery management programs have been finalized and are now in effect for of 2011. The regulations came together following a series of public meetings, review and advice from the state Marine Fisheries Council, with final decisions made by DEM Director Janet Coit, the statement said.

DEM officials reminded the public that all non-exempt fishermen and spearfishers must have a Rhode Island recreational saltwater license (or equivalent license or registration issued by another state or the federal government) in order to fish legally in marine waters.

Fishing licenses are required, but free, for Rhode Island residents who are 65 years of age and older and for active military personnel stationed within the state.

For all others, the fee is $7 for residents and $10 for non-residents. 

Visit www.saltwater.ri.gov for more information or to purchase and print a license online

According to DEM regulations released Thursday, the major changes to recreational fishing regulations for 2011 are as follows:

• For tautog, an extended spawning closure, now covering all of June and July;
• For summer flounder (fluke), a decrease in the minimum size (to 18.5”), and an increase in the daily possession limit (to 7 fish per person);
• For winter flounder, a year-round prohibition on the harvest of winter flounder from Point Judith Pond, including the Harbor of Refuge; and
• For menhaden (pogies), a 200 fish/vessel limit in the Providence River and Greenwich Bay.

The management of the commercial menhaden fishery is also of particular interest to recreational anglers. Effective this year, commercial purse seining for menhaden is prohibited in the Providence River (north of a line running from Rocky Point to Conimicut Point to Nayatt Point), as well as in Greenwich Bay.  All other areas of the Bay will be open, if the biomass of fish exceeds the regulatory threshold.

The following is a summary of the recreational saltwater fishing management programs, in effect for 2011, for all species of major interest to Rhode Island anglers:

• Striped Bass – 28” minimum size, two fish per person daily limit, open season.
• Tautog – 16” minimum size, and three split seasons: from April 15 to May 31 (three fish per person daily limit); August 1 to October 14 (three fish per person daily limit); and October 15 to December 15 (six fish per person daily limit).  A fishery-wide closure, to protect the fish during their spawning period, will be in effect from June 1 to July 31.  At all times when the fishery is open, there is a limit of 10 fish per vessel daily limit (superseding the per-person limits). Party and charter boats are subject to the same regulations, except they are not subject to the 10 fish/vessel limit.
• Summer Flounder (Fluke) – 18.5” minimum size, seven fish per person daily limit, May 1 to December 31 season.
• Scup – 10.5-inch minimum size, 10 fish/person daily limit, May 24 to September 26 season.  For party and charter boats, two split seasons: June 8 to September 6 (10 fish/person daily limit); and September 7 to October 11 (40 fish/person daily limit).
• Winter Flounder – 12-inch minimum size, two fish per person daily limit, and two split seasons: April 24 to May 23, and September 25 to October 24.  Narragansett Bay and Point Judith Pond, including the Harbor of Refuge, are closed to winter flounder fishing at all times.
• Bluefish – No minimum size, 10 fish/person daily limit, open season.
• River Herring – Statewide fishery closure remains in effect.

For more information, visit the Rhode Island DEM website.