No Fluke

Fishing has big impact on economy, 92% of striped bass released by recreational anglers

Captain Dave Monti
Posted 5/21/14

NOAA recently released their national and regional Fisheries Economics of the U.S. report (FEUS 2012). These reports cover a ten year time period and include descriptive statistics on recreational …

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No Fluke

Fishing has big impact on economy, 92% of striped bass released by recreational anglers

Posted

NOAA recently released their national and regional Fisheries Economics of the U.S. report (FEUS 2012). These reports cover a ten year time period and include descriptive statistics on recreational fishing effort, participation rates, and expenditure information; commercial fisheries landings, revenue, and price trends and much more.

The economic impact of commercial and recreational fishing activities in the U.S. is reported in terms of employment, sales, and value-added impacts. The impact that fishing has on our regional and state economy continues to be substantial.

The New England Region of NOAA includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Federal fisheries in the region are managed by the New England Fishery Management Council and NOAA fisheries referred to as the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

Management occurs with nine fishery management plans (FMPs). Two of the plans, dogfish and monkfish, are developed in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC). Other commercial FMPs include northeast multispecies, sea scallops, Atlanta herring, small mesh multispecies, red crab, northeast skate and Atlantic salmon. Thirteen species covered in these fishery management plans are overfished including cod (two stocks), halibut and salmon.

Commercial fishing up

Revenues in the New England region totaled $1.2 billion in 2012 for commercial fishing. This was a 72% increase from 2003 levels and an 8.1% increase relative to 2011. Shellfish revenue was up 93% from 2003 which was a 6.4% increase from 2011 to 2012. American lobster and sea scallops had the highest landings revenue in the New England Region in 2012, with $424 million and $389 million, respectively.

Recreational fishing has great economic impact

In 2012, almost 1.3 million recreational anglers took 6.2 million fishing trips in the New England Region. Of the total fishing trips taken, 51% were taken from a private or rental boat and another 44% were shore-based. Porgies (scup) was the most frequently caught species or species group with 6.5 million fish caught in 2012 and represented 33% of total fish caught in the region.

Overall, there were $1.2 billion in expenditures on fishing trips in New England. The contribution of recreational fishing activities in the New England Region are reported in terms of economic impacts at the state level (employment, sales, income, and value added impacts) and expenditures on fishing trips and durable equipment at the regional level.

Throughout the New England Region, expenditures on durable equipment in 2012 generated more employment impacts (1,800 jobs in Rhode Island) than any other expenditure (80% in Rhode Island). In addition to jobs the contribution of recreational fishing activities to the New England Region's economy can be measured in terms of sales impacts and the contribution of these activities to gross domestic product (value added impacts).

In 2012, sales impacts were the highest in Massachusetts ($848 million in sales impacts), followed by Rhode Island ($192 million in Rhode Island). For a complete copy on NOAA's economic impact study of fishing in New England and in other regions visit www.noaa.gov.

Note: this week's column can run with or without the below sidebar/data box that highlights recreational fishing facts, participation, fishing trips… and harvest/release data from FEUS 2012 data.

Recreational Fishing Facts from NOAA

Participation

• An average of 1.4 million anglers fished in the New England Region annually from 2003 to 2012.

• In 2012, coastal county residents made up 89% of total anglers in this region. These anglers averaged 88% of total anglers annually over the 10 year time period.

• The largest annual increase in the number of coastal anglers during the 10 year time period occurred between 2004 and 2005, increasing 17%, from 1.2 million anglers to 1.3 million anglers.

Fishing trips

• In the New England Region, an average of 8.1 million fishing trips were taken annually from 2003 to 2012.

• Private or rental boat and shore-based fishing trips accounted for 3.1 million and 2.7 million fishing trips, respectively, in 2012. Together these made up 94% of the fishing trips taken in that year.

• The largest annual decrease during the same period in total trips taken occurred between 2008 and 2009, decreasing 22%, from 9.1 million trips to 7.2 million trips.

Harvest and release

• Striped bass was the most commonly caught key species or species group, averaging 7.1 million fish over the 10 year time period. Of these, 92% were released rather than harvested.

• Of the ten commonly caught key species or species groups, seven were released more often than harvested over this time period.

• The species or species group that was most commonly released was little tunny (94% released).

Trout Unlimited

meeting May 28

The Narragansett Chapter of Trout Unlimited (#225 ) will host its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, 6:00 PM, at the Arcadia Management Area Check Station, Rt. 165, Exeter, R.I. This will be the first of four successive monthly Stream-Side meetings at the check station. Hot dogs, hamburgers and beverages will be available. All members and guests welcomed. Pease contact chapter president, Ron Marafioti, at (571) 643-1452, with any questions.

Where's the bite

Striped bass fishing continued to explode with larger fish starting to be caught too. John Littlefield of Archie's Bait & Tackle, East Providence said, "There are tons of small bass being caught in the Providence River off Sabin Point and Beach Road behind the Carousel (East Providence). Anglers are also landing bass from the bridges in Barrington and Warren. Some are floating clam tongues in the current using a ¾ once egg sinker." Littlefield continued to say a customer caught a 20 pound striped bass at Sabin Point. Angler Mike Swain of Coventry caught a 39" striped bass live lining a poggy (Atlantic Menhaden) off Barrington Beach last weekend." said John Wunner of John's Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown. John Migliori of Newport caught his first keeper of the year (35") in Portsmouth from the beach at 10:00 p.m. using native squid for bait. John said, "I knew it was a good fish from the word GO." Ken Ferrara of Ray's Bait & Tackle of Warwick said, "The bass fishing for school bass continues to be great in Greenwich Bay and Cove with some keepers being caught too." On the RISAA blog Kevin Harrington reports, "Put a 38 pound, 10 once striper in the kayak at 7:30 a.m. (this weekend) in Mt Hope Bay (with an) incoming tide, with a light NW wind. Not another nibble though." Kevin was using tube and worm.

Tautog season ends for the spring at the end of the month. Big fish are being caught at Conimicut light, Hope Island and off coastal shores. Thad Grenier of Woonsocket said he and friends caught ten keepers and two shorts when fishing at Conimicut Light on Sunday. Thad said, "Tide hasn't played a major factor, but was the best just when the tide was beginning to turn. (Used a) simple rig, dropper loop 6-8 inches above sinker, I snell the hook and make sure there is enough of a leader to reach the bottom barely . All caught on Asian crabs. A lot of big fish around from what I am seeing. Caught 4 over 8 lbs. Only three shorts caught all weekend under 16 inches. Best tog fishing I've had in years." Ken Landry has been landing tautog every day in the Hope Island area said Ken Ferrara of Ray's Bait.

Summer flounder is picking up offshore with the Frances Fleet reporting a strong bite for May. Roger Simpson said, "Best day of the (week) was last Sunday where the first angler limit was recorded and there were many fish in the 3 to 4 lb range. Monday had the week's biggest fish with a seven pound slab." Not many anglers are targeting fluke yet as most seem to be concentrating on striped bass and tautog.

Fresh water fishing is good. John Wunner of John's Bait said, "The trout fishing in all the ponds stocked by DEM has been outstanding. Customers are very excited about DEM's Golden Trout program. There have been a lot of anglers fishing for them." Largemouth bass fishing has been good too, added Wunner.

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shell fishing on Narragansett Bay for over 40 years. He holds a captain's master license and a charter fishing license. Contact or forward fishing news and photos to Capt. Dave at dmontifish@verizon.net.

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