Great Outdoors Pursuit registration opens

Posted 4/30/15

DEM invites Rhode Islanders to reconnect with the great outdoors, get active and have fun by joining the 2015 Great Outdoors Pursuit. 

Teams of children and adults will be challenged to …

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Great Outdoors Pursuit registration opens

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DEM invites Rhode Islanders to reconnect with the great outdoors, get active and have fun by joining the 2015 Great Outdoors Pursuit. 

Teams of children and adults will be challenged to visit different facilities and take part in outdoor adventures and learn about environmental and health issues over a 12-week period. They earn points for each "Pursuit" they attend and can win prizes valued up to $1,000 at the Grand Finale. Each team must include a minimum of two people - one member over age 18 and one member under age 18. There is no limit on the number of members that each team may have.

Four of the Pursuits take place on specific dates in set locations and are led by DEM staff and their partners. Guided Pursuits include free outdoor adventures such as biking, hiking, nature walks, fitness challenges, kayaking, fishing and rock climbing. They also include music, environmental and health-related exhibits and free raffles, give-a-ways and samples. 2015 guided events are as follow:

• Pursuit #1 - Saturday, June 13- Lincoln Woods State Park, 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. Co-sponsored by United Healthcare, this event will include an option for registered families to camp overnight in the Park as part of a national Capital Campout program with evening activities and include participation by Rhode Island's First Family - Governor Gina M. Raimondo, First Gentleman Andy Moffit and their two children.

• Pursuit #2 - Wednesday, July 1 - Champlin Scout Reservation, Cranston, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Co-sponsored by the Boy Scouts of Rhode Island.

• Pursuit #3 - Sunday, July 26- Rocky Point State Park, Warwick, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will explore Rhode Island's newest state park.

• Pursuit #4 (Grand Finale) - Saturday, August 8 - Burlingame State Campground, Charlestown. Grand prizes will be awarded at this event and will include a free overnight camping option with evening activities for registered families.

The remaining three Pursuits are self-guided, options will be announced at Lincoln Woods on June 13.

Registration is free. Teams that register are eligible for prizes. Everyone, even if they don't register, is welcome to come to the events and enjoy the fun and educational activities. Register and learn more at www.riparks.com/RIOutdoorsPursuit. 

Forage fish top agenda for recreational anglers

"Do you want more bait in the ocean for big fish like striped bass, blue fish and tuna?  How about more food for whales and seabirds?  We need to protect our forage fish so they can fulfill their important role." said Save the Sound a Connecticut based conservation group dedicated to protecting Long Island Sound and the rivers and waterways that flow into the Sound.

In an email campaign last week Save the Sound was rallying support for Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan of the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) setting new fishery parameters that would allow the species to flourish as a forage fish. The NEFMC manages Atlantic herring, cod and a host of other species in our region.

Steve Medeiros, president of the RI Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) said that Amendment 8 was "A well thought out amendment that could be an important step for the Council toward a more ecosystem-based approach to managing our fisheries. The inclusion of forage fish's role as bait for other species of fish and ocean wildlife is critical to the future of New England's marine ecosystem."

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), their regional fisheries councils and fish managers in general are realizing the value of forage fish. The fish eaten as forage by species recreational anglers target have greater value being left in the water recreationally than they do being harvested commercially for processing.

Anglers are also gearing up for the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board meeting on May 5th of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).  The Council regulates Atlantic menhaden, striped bass, summer flounder and a variety of other species in our region.

A 20% reduction in harvest of Atlantic menhaden was put in place in 2012.  At that time Rick Bellavance, a Rhode Island ASMFC representative and president of the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association said, "There were diverse opinions and proposals on the issue… industry processors of Atlantic Menhaden (primarily Omega Protein that land 80% of all Atlantic Menhaden) were advocating for a 10% reduction and on the other extreme some environmental groups were advocating for a 50% reduction.  We came to a consensus at 20% and ultimately cast our vote in favor of this reduction percentage."  

A recent stock assessment by the ASMFC shows that Atlantic menhaden fish stocks are rebuilding and because of this fish processors are asking for their catch limits to be increased.

Conservation groups and fishing associations up and down the east coast are objecting, claiming that Atlantic menhaden (or pogies as we call them in Narrgansett Bay) have far greater value as a forage fish for striped bass than they do for commercial processors and therefore the ASMFC would manage them as a forage fish using ecosystem based fisheries strategies.

Today, Thursday, April 30th, 5:00 p.m. the Rhode Island ASMFC representatives will  hold an input meeting to discuss agenda items for the upcoming May 4-7 ASMFC meeting in Alexandria , VA including Atlantic menhaden.   The meeting will take place in the Small Conference room in the Coastal Institute Building at the URI Bay Campus, Narragansett.  For the ASMFC's meeting agenda, visit http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-spring-meeting. 

Mate school wraps up

Capt. Charlie Donilon of Snappa Charters, Pt. Judith wrapped up his first mate school last Saturday with a practicum in the field aboard Snappa Charters. 

Mate School teaches students who want to be mates on charter and party boats. For information on future 'Mate School" sessions contact Capt. Donilon at 401.487.9044 or snappacharters@cox.net. 

Where's the bite

Fresh water fishing is where the action was this week.  Capt. Ron Mouchon of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown, said, "Trout, bass, and pickerel are all biting in local ponds and lakes.  We are selling a lot of shiners, worms and the bait of choice for trout is yellow PowerBait.  Bass to six pounds are being caught at Meadow Brook Pond (Richmond) and Worden's Pond (South Kingstown). Angler Aiden Olf of Portsmouth said, "The bass bite is very good on the small ponds as the water has warmed.  Move to a larger ponds and the bite is off as the water is too cold.  Larger lakes take longer to warm up." Angler John Migliori of Middletown caught a 5.2 pound largemouth bass using a Schadeycreek Chartreuse Dynamite Lure last week in an Aquidneck Island Pond. Mike Cardinal of Cardinal Bait & tackle, Westerly said "The trout bite has been good at Carolina Pond and the Wood River." Visit www.dem.ri.gov for a list of ponds, lakes and rivers stocked with trout by DEM.

Tautog fishing is not good.  "Anglers targeting tautog have had little luck. The water is too cold." said Michael Cardinal of Cardinal Bait.  "Customers have caught tautog but they have been small. Now that the dandelions are up and things are warming up hopefully we will start to have a better tautog bite." said Frank Mello of Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren.

Striped bass have arrived at the West Wall of the Harbor of Refuge, however, many anglers have not been fishing.  "Who wants to be hit with cold and freezing spray" said Capt. Ron Mouchon of Breachway Bait & Tackle.  Customers have caught some small striped bass at the Charlestown Breachway and in the Pawcatuck River, Westerly." said Mike Cardinal. "We heard reports of one or two small school striped bass being caught in the Warren and Warrick areas.  One customer called and said they saw a small school of striped bass working squid near the T wharf at Prudence Island last week." said John Littlefield of Archie's Bait & Tackle, Riverside.

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