August '06

STRIPER FISHERMEN BEWARE. THERE ARE MORE DANGERS OUT THERE THAN JUST THE WEATHER AND THE ROCKS. A NEW HAZARD AWAITS THE CARELESS FISHERMAN BY-CHARLEY SOARES

All sports require certain types of equipment so from hockey to horseshoes there are certain items necessary in order to participate in your particular sport or pastime. Having participated in just about everything from pool to polo (just kidding) I have amassed a considerable collection of sports equipment but not a single sport (at least to my knowledge) comes close to the amount of gear a fisherman collects and occasionally puts to use. Now remember I never suggested that fishermen needed all that gear because as we all know there is a world of difference between needing and wanting. It appears that fishermen want a great deal more than they need-it seems to be a way to alleviate that pressure of having to catch fish, lots of fish and big fish at that. Besides the rod, reels, line, lures and assorted tackle this junkie has collected over the decades I am now adding another piece of equipment. This gear is not designed to catch fish but to serve as a means of protecting myself against what could be a debilitating and perhaps deadly disease. The equipment I'm speaking of is gloves to protect myself against the very real threat of mycobacteriosis.

I personally don't know just how long there have been winter-over stripers but I do recall fishing the Assonet River in the area of the deep hole at Grinnell Street where we caught stripers during most of the winter months when the weather permitted an outing. Many of those trips have been documented in the Herald by former sports editor Frank McGrath and other staffers that followed him. We once had a photographer standing under an umbrella to protect his equipment from the snowfall while he documented our catches. Although most of those hold over fish were not the same bright white as the new migrants that began to arrive in mid April they were just a darker gray and few if any I can recall had sores or anything that appeared to be visible signs of disease. About 15 years ago we began to receive reports of stripers with what appeared to be open sores and lesions on their bodies with some of the worst cases I personally observed having what was then called fin rot and open red sores with small to large patches of their scales missing. At that time those cases were few and far between however they became much more common over the years and while I would catch a few such specimens each season around the power plant and in the rivers that feed into Mt. Hope Bay we began to see and hear more about diseased fish. I went directly to the experts who told me the condition I described was due to stress and the fact that large numbers of fish were confined to a relatively small area and like humans any with a virus or similar problems could pass this condition on to the fish that wintered over with them. We were also told that as these bass matured and moved out into the ocean the fish would heal. One concern of fishermen was that this oftentimes unsightly condition might be passed on to humans and yet again we were told that was not a consideration. Well we've come a long way since then and watermen in Chesapeake Bay who handle these sick fish on a regular basis have come down with a disease that causes symptoms that are similar to those of persons who suffer from Lyme disease. That condition is now considered infectious if the fish is handled by someone who has a cut on their hands. Since we began catching fish from April 19th of this year to the present I've seen many more forms of the diseases the marine biologists refer to as microbacteriosus or in common parlance a marine a disease that many knowledgeable biologists and baymen claim that up to 74% of all the stripers in Chesapeake Bay are infected with. We've been asking for an investigation into this disease for over a decade and the most unexceptional response is that the striped bass stocks are healthy and there is nothing to worry about. These are the same scientists that assured us there was not a population problem with stripers just before the near fatal crash of those stocks in the 1980's during what is now referred to as the moratorium years that helped to protect and rebuild stocks. I believe that only once in the 41 years we have lived on the Coles River have I ever caught a diseased fish and I'm not referring to a deformed fish a condition which is more common than many fishermen believe. Late this spring I caught and released three very sickly looking fish on three consecutive casts and used my fishing pliers to grip the hooks and set them free. On the following evening the first two small fish I caught were also diseased and this is something that really concerns me. While fishing at the mouth of the Lees River and Gardners Point I've caught numerous bass this season and not a single one showed any signs of sickness. I also wonder what river the fish that migrated to the Coles originated in and why so many have traveled to this particular area. Were these the same healthy fish we caught and released last year or are they just new arrivals who became infected over the winter months? Tackle and fishing equipment change with the seasons as well as the whims of the fishermen. The frugal anglers limit themselves to the bare necessities while the moderate fisher-folk attempt to accumulate a collection of both necessary and proven tackle. Then there is the enthusiastic yet impatient novice angler who tosses money at the problem and purchases one of each item to make up for their inexperience. Well this season I'm going to suggest an additional item something I consider extremely necessary. It won't do anything to help you catch fish but it definitely will assist in keeping you healthy. I'm now carrying a rubber left hand glove in my waders or jacket pocket (wearing the glove might effect your casting or handling of your equipment) to handle these fish to prevent coming into direct contact with any of the contaminated bass I catch from now on. Earlier in the week I was fishing from the beach and attempted to release a fish with sores along its dorsal fin and from the midsection down to the tail. I grasped the fish around the head however the fish reacted by twisting and cutting my finger causing it to bleed. I released the fish and went directly to the house to bathe the cut in peroxide before drying it and applying an anti-bacterial cream. I don't want to take that chance again hence the use of the rubber gloves. If you fish in the Mt Hope Bay areas the Taunton River or any of the rivers that feed into Mt Hope or Narragansett Bay you should use extreme caution when handling these fish even if it means cutting away the lure to release the bass to avoid handling it. Just this past week I purchased a pair of light yet rugged gloves from Guy Cotton, the New Bedford firm that dresses the commercial fleet in New Bedford and across the world. These gloves allow me to handle my reels and equipment with ease yet provide protection when handling stripers whether they are diseased or healthy.

This bass was covered with open sores and also suffered from fin rot. If you catch a fish in this condition take every precaution to avoid handling it even if it means cutting away the hooks with the good cutting pliers most fishermen carry.

August '06

BACK DOOR LICENSING-THEY ALWAYS FIND A WAY BY-CHARLEY SOARES

Bring on the salt and pepper, easy on the salt. After that introduction an explanation might be in order because some time around 1988 I made a vow along with former Fisherman editor Tim Coleman and Mass Striped Bass President Ralph Bergonzi that there would only be a saltwater license in our state over our dead bodies. Over these past 17 years we fought numerous skirmishes and a few major battles and held off the forces that would take away one of the last rights of the state's recreational fishermen. Well we fought the state on every level however we overlooked the Federal so unless the grim reaper is about to take the three of us at the same time it looks like we could be eating our words. The re-authorization of the Magnuson Stevens Fisheries Act requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to REGISTER saltwater recreational anglers in states that do not have licenses in place at this time. Their goal as stated is that registration will allow them to gather information on the number of recreational anglers and help to form the basis for better recreational data thereby giving states the incentive to establish state based licenses. The act also allows for the requirement for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to develop improved methods of collecting recreational fishing data. This so-called recreational permit (another name for a license) is what we see as the beginning of a backdoor effort to what the managers could not accomplish through the legislative process. The initial discussion about this permit rider was that it was to be free however at the end of the act (in the last paragraph of the draft bill I read) there was another rider that stated "that any funds raised by this permit would be deposited in a pre-arranged account." In the most recent draft which was reported to me by Mike Bucko who had been very involved in this process as an advocate for the tackle dealers the paragraph on fees was removed if only temporarily. Before the curtain falls on the final draft of the act it appears we'll be directly in the sights of the Federal government so be prepared to open up your wallets and hope it's not too painful, at least the first bite. Those are not the words of a cynic but someone who has watched and waited as the bureaucrats schemed of ways to implement a saltwater license. Twenty years ago when licensing proponents began to subtly suggest a license was needed to count and determine catch rates most of us were skeptical, not just about the license but about the new bureaucracy they were creating to manage the figures and the revenues. We asked why do we have to pay to be counted when they could obtain the same or perhaps more detailed information from bait and tackle and sporting goods dealers. Remember we are dealing with fishermen reporting their catches not scientists developing a cure for fatal diseases however we've had several members of the loyal opposition to licensing suggesting bureaucrats suffered from a fatal infirmity and that was the need to expand their respective agencies which would justify their existence. Initially we were told the fee would be minimal and the primary purpose of the license was to obtain information from fishermen so they could better manage the fisheries stocks they were charged with supervise. Anyone with twenty or more years in the industry knows just how miserably they have failed in that task allowing the commercial sector (of which I am a very small component) to decimate the very same resources they are sworn to nurture and protect. Over the past decades the states had been using a very flawed Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (MRFSS) to obtain information by conducting random checks of recreational fishermen that they intercept at boat ramps. Although the fishery managers have admitted under sworn testimony the information the survey has gathered is flawed they retort that it is the only information they have and therefore they have no choice but to apply it. Have you ever returned the boat ramp at Westport, Sakonnet or Point Judith and found someone sitting in a car holding a clipboard waiting for you to beach or dock your boat? I have, on a few occasions and what I have heard and seen is a scenario most people would not believe. The meeting goes something like this although I admit my rendition may appear biased however that's only because it is. "Hello, I'm from the MRFSS and I'm going to conduct a survey on your trip." My reply is no you're not going to do any such thing, you do not have my consent to conduct anything before you admit me this is strictly voluntary and you have no law enforcement powers, connections or duties. The interceptor is usually caught off guard by this hostile response as I proceed tell them it is their flawed reports that cause recreational fishermen to take it on the chin every time the fisheries pie is sliced into pieces which is usually a huge chunk for the commercial sector that is protected and backed by entrenched politicians and a thin slice for the thousands of little guys who don't have a big brother in congress who they have made political contributions to. The first surveyors I met approached the boat with a 24-inch sliding measuring board as asked about the catch. I told them they could board the boat, count and measure the fish, but they'd best be done before I backed up my trailer to haul the boat so as not to cause the long lines and delays these people were creating at the boat ramps where they intercepted boats ready to haul out while others waited no so patiently for their turn while the survey was conducted. At the time the minimum legal size for bass was 34-inches and they had no way of measuring those fish with their tiny slide rules however they were not deterred and referred to their forms and asked questions and after a while you were on your way. Now when did you ever meet a fishermen who admitted they weren't very successful, or only fished rarely or occasionally. Most of the information they obtained was more bravado than realistic statistics. I've heard conversations that sound like this. How often do you fish? The reply is usually daily or every opportunity the weather allows me to get out. How successful are you? The reply is usually that they catch their limit almost every time out. What that adds up to is fabrication at best and nothing but anecdotal information yet the managers base their seasons and quotas on this faulty data. These are the statistics that they plug into their computers and come up with such terminology as VPA which stands for Virtual Population Assessment or Analysis. When I attempt to obtain more precise details I'm usually told this is currently the best and only method to obtain information from the recreational sector. All of this intercept information collected up and down the coast by these contractors is put into a huge data base and the figures are calculated and these numbers are used to formulate regulations. As far as this fisherman is concerned calculation, extrapolation and VPA are bureaucratic terms for educated guessing. At this point with eels scheduled to be listed under the endangered species act, the herring fishery closed in Connecticut and Massachusetts and expected to close in Rhode Island as well things aren't looking very bright. With dogfish taking over bottom once inhabited by valuable ground fish, cuts of 15% proposed for fluke and others for scup and sea bass we appear to be in line to pay much more for less fishing. My argument or opposition of a saltwater license is not so much as its cost but what it will do to an industry already on the roped by placing a barrier (license) that prohibits spontaneous fishing trips and prevents relatives, friends and out of state guest joining us for a day on the water because they first must get to an agent and get licensed. I've seen the negative impact of this in Florida when I formerly brought my wife and her family fishing whenever time warranted it. Now that uncles, aunts and friends who only fished when we visited and contributed to the local economy made trips with us because of a license fee they elect to take up other forms of entertainment leaving me on my own and the bait and tackle dealers and all the other businesses that benefit from recreational fishing without the customer base they require for survival. Anyone who is interested in viewing the current version of the bill can go on line and Google it under the Congressional web site at Magnuson-Stevens act update then link to recreational permits etc.

January '06

KEEP OUT-THE HAZARDs OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS AND NO TAKE ZONES BY-CHARLEY SOARES

Although I haven't actually seen a sign or regulation prohibiting fishing, boating or any form of human intrusion in public waters it appears they might soon be on in force or on display in Massachusetts. While the vast majority of Bay State fishermen are either unaware of unconcerned about losing one or their precious rights there is a process underway that could make that a reality. They will be in for a rude awakening if the Massachusetts Senate bill (S 529) becomes law it might not be long before they begin to show up at a location near you. There are some people and numerous groups that refer to themselves as conservationists when they are actually preservationists. The difference is in much more than just the interpretation of the meaning of each of those terms it is in their intent. Webster defines those terms as follows. Conservation is the act or practice of conserving, protection from loss, waste, etc; the official care of natural resources, as forests. The definition for preservation or preserving may sound harmless as it is defined; to keep from harm or damage (5) to maintain and protect (game fish etc) in an area (esp.) for regulated hunting and fishing-etc. My personal experience and that of sportsmen familiar with preservationists is that they carry this ideal over to extreme by seeking to prevent entry, use or any form of consumptive or active interaction with a preserved area by denying human access. The aforementioned bill introduced by Senator Robert A. O'Leary of Cape Cod makes no direct mention of Marine Protected Areas or preventing human intrusion but it is what is not explained or discussed (the very vague areas of the bill) that is extremely troubling to the vast majority of the state's fishermen, boaters, bait and tackle operators and the marine and fishing industry both the supply side and commercial and recreational sectors. The true conservationists were the nation's sportsmen who were the first to recognize that protecting natural resources for future generations was not just a logical choice it was their duty. There were visionaries such as Theodore Roosevelt an outdoorsman who was the first president to set aside large tracts of wilderness areas for future generations at a time when land barons were buying up and defiling huge tracts of wilderness. The aforementioned bill introduced by Senator O'Leary is reported to be at the behest the Audubon Society, the Conservation Law.

March '05 THE THIRD RAIL-THE MISMANAGEMENT OF STRIPED BASS -CHARLEY SOARES

In politics there is a rule that misuse or altering Social Security is akin to touching the fatal Third Rail. It's not something you want to chance if your aim is to continue in your job or get re-elected. I firmly believe that same rule applies in the management (or in this case the mismanagement) of striped bass. Regardless of the pressure from special interest groups we can't risk the chance of once again putting this precious resource in danger. The problem here is that the people making the decisions are not elected officials but buerecrats people who don't come up for re-election and for the most part are not held responsible or replaced when they lose the trust and confidence of the very people and the finite resources they are sworn to protect. One of the officers of a large saltwater fishing club asked if there was a way to remove buerecrats who are not acting in the best interests of our resources at which time several of their members vowed to look into a method of recalling them or presenting a petition of no confidence to the Governor, the state legislature and Secretary of State regarding the fishery managers who continue to ignore warning signals and persist on managing our fisheries as though they were a boundless resource. Having been actively engaged in fisheries and the politics of management for well over four decades I have to admit I still cannot understand the mentality of "maximum sustainable yield" A reasonably intelligent individual who had been severely burnt by the stove would instinctively avoid putting their hand their again. That has never, at least in my experience been the philosophy of the agencies that manage our marine fisheries. Make no mistake about it was the fishery managers who were responsible for the crash of the striped bass resource because they refused or did not have the courage to curtail fishing before the fishery collapsed even though there were red flags and testimony from experts who predicted it long before it happened. Once the fishery bottomed out they could institute crisis management and not have to take any heat for making difficult decisions years before to prevent the problem. It was fishermen, both recreational and commercial who made the sacrifices and nature and a world of good fortune not the fishery managers who were responsible for the recovery.

Over the past few seasons some outdoor writers and too many fishermen to tally have been wondering out loud if our precious striped bass resource is being mismanaged or as some writers put it "Is our striped bass resource in trouble. " My answer is a resounding yes. The striped resource is being mismanaged and the stocks are definitely in trouble despite the sci-fi scientific theories they are putting out there to back up their lack of courage. Do you remember that popular government program that encouraged us to "Just Say No?" I do and I also wonder why those responsible for the guardianship of our fisheries can't practice a bit of conservative management and err on the side of conservation. Paul Diodati is currently the director of Marine Fisheries. When director Phil Coates was retiring I asked Diodati is he was interested in the position to which he replied yes but he doubted he had the political backing to be appointed to that important post. Over those next few months I worked to form a coalition and convinced fellow outdoor writers, fishing and sporting clubs as well as members of our state delegation to work towards the appointment of a man I believed in. All those concerted efforts paid off and he got the job. Now we feel betrayed. Why is director Diodati pushing so hard for the opening of the EEZ when not the vast, but the overwhelming, majority of the states fishermen and most of his peers have been against such a move? Ask him who will benefit from the opening and he'll probably tell you the same thing he told me. It was a traditional fishery. Traditions be dammed. It was once traditional to settle our differences on Main Street with six guns but we discontinued those archaic practices and for better or worse we are now a country of laws.

Was the speed record across the Atlantic worth ignoring the reports of icebergs? Just ask the survivors or the families that lost loved ones in that fatal crossing. Am I comparing the Titanic to striped Bass? You bet I am. And to the managers who believe they can act with impunity I'd suggest they begin to look over their shoulders because the fisherman have had enough of their disregard for our concerns and are planning actions of their own. Did they forget the outcome when they tried to ram a saltwater fishing license down our throats? It seems they did but if I'm correctly estimating the sentiment out there now what took place during the defeat of the saltwater license will be considered trivial compared to the anger and betrayal fishermen are feeling and about to respond to at this time. Under the freedom of information act we are working to obtain a copy of the actual transcript of that ASMFC striped bass meeting that was held in New Hampshire on 11/10/04 because from what I've read, heard and was reported the minutes did not accurately reflect what actually took place. More on this important topic as information is obtained.

December '04

Here we go again. The state of Rhode Island among other things such as taking away the regulatory powers of their Marine Fisheries Council, has opted to test the troubled salt waters to determine if there are enough naïve fishermen out there ready to swallow the bait and vote for a saltwater licensing bill. This comes as no surprise to this writer who has witnessed and battled these schemes every time someone looking for additional money or the desire to create another bureaucracy lifts up a rock and this concept once again rears its ugly head. Front door, back door or behind closed doors every now and then the same licensing proposals which have been resoundingly defeated in Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey are being discussed in neighboring Rhode Island. The individuals who have contacted me about this and who I have discussed this with are totally opposed to the saltwater license for numerous reasons. The most obvious one is that a license would be severely detrimental to the bait and tackle industry while the troubled tourism industry would also suffer with a license driving visitors from the shores and piers to the interiors and the mountains. Nearby states such as Massachusetts and Connecticut which do not charge for the privilege to fish in salt water would benefit with an increase in visitors to their shores where people would not have to pay to fish for a day or two or even a week of saltwater fishing. It was suggested that when one state begins to charge for the privilege to fish in the Coastal Zone other states would follow suit and retaliate with a saltwater license of their own. One uninformed individual was reported to comment that there were only a few New England states and how much could it possibly cost from Maine to New York. When the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries made its second attempt to license our saltwater fishermen I was one of the most active and vocal opponents to their proposal. I have witnessed first hand what the Florida saltwater license has done to the small tackle shop and livery operators along with their support restaurant and supply industry in that state. The saltwater license places a barrier at the entry level of our favorite form of recreation and takes away the spontaneous nature of the sport. Let’s say your brother and his teen-aged children came down for a visit in the summer and suggested a trip for fluke, scup or blues over the weekend. The first thing you would have to do is find a town clerk or tackle shop that sells licenses and purchase licenses for each individual, usually those over 15 or 16-years of age. In the last go-round with the license issue many bait and tackle operators felt that charging $10 or more before a person even purchased a worm, a clam or hooks and sinkers would kill their business and put many small operators out of business. One struggling bait and tackle dealer I spoke to reminded me of when there were enough fish to support his business with year round fishing for perch, cod, eels and winter flounder. Today those species are in such decline most people don’t care to challenge the winter weather to seek them out. That tackle dealer told me that charging a fee for a saltwater license would be similar to erecting a tollbooth at outside of his shop "and when that happens I’ll just have to fold up the tent."

There are numerous arguments pro and con but one of the most ludicrous I’ve heard was from a fresh water only fishermen who called to tell me that if he had to pay for the privilege to fish in fresh water then he saw no reason why the saltwater fishermen should get a free pass. In response to my questions about where he fished he answered South Watuppa Pond. I told him I’d go along with his suggestion if we leveled the playing field because the idea of comparing fresh to salt water fishing was ridiculous. First of all you can’t stock salt water species as you can fresh water trout and salmon and the stocked fresh water fish are landlocked in their respective ponds until harvested one at a time by hook and line. The fresh water fisherman was in total agreement. Next I suggested we allow draggers, gill netters, traps, fish pots and seines be placed in the Watuppa for the purpose of commercially removing fish for sale. Add that to the fact that in saltwater there may be a large school of fish at a certain location today and in a few days they could migrate to another state or Federal waters where a separate set of rules would apply. "Are you crazy, I won’t go for that" he responded. A bit further into our discussion I mentioned that a license would have no positive effect on the management of most of our salt water species where many live and reproduce in the Federal Zone (EEZ) where the very heart of the problem with most or our marine resources begins and ends. Beyond all of these objections a saltwater license will do nothing to increase the numbers of species that the majority of anglers fish for. When Massachusetts came out with their last proposal in 1996 they never mentioned a price for the actual cost of a license but for the sake of argument let’s say it was $12.00 for residents and $24.00 for non residents. That was over four years ago. What do you think the price of a license would be selling for today? I’ll leave that to your vivid imagination. When the license was introduced numerous people in government and Marine Fisheries told us the enactment of the license was a sure thing. They even had the popular and very pro-Sportsman State Senator Bob Durand introduce the bill. We could have lain back and watched the license steamroller its way through the legislature but we rolled up our sleeves and fought back. As far as I know the first article in opposition to the license was the editorial I wrote for the Fisherman Magazine in February of 1997. We organized and with the leadership of the members and officers of the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association we held the Sea Party demonstration outside of the office of Marine Fisheries just a short distance from the windows of the state house. In a meeting with Senator Durand that afternoon I took a photo of him dumping the license bill into his waste paper basket. Bob Durand is not only a friend of the sportsman he is a good man who came to see ground swell of grass roots opposition to the license. While we were demonstrating a state car carrying Governor William Weld drove by. The Governor got out, took up one of our signs and marched with us saying there would never be a saltwater license in Massachusetts as long as he was governor.

The saltwater license would add yet another layer of bureaucracy to the already complicated and dissimilar management of our precious marine resources. Over the next several months Rhode Island will be airing the licensing issue trying to gain support for this proposal which takes away a 350 year old right and attempts to change it to a privilege we would have to pay for. You can stand by the sidelines with your wallet ready and wait for the day when you will be required to purchase four or five licenses to fish where you now fish free, or you can take an active position in opposing this scheme which will benefit state coffers with no improvement to the saltwater fishing community. If a saltwater fishing license passes in Rhode Island you can bet neighboring states will jump on the money bandwagon and you will be paying to wet a line in their state waters. If a license prevents just one grandfather, father, uncle, aunt, cousin or friend from introducing just one child or person to salt water fishing that will be one too many for me.

December '99

Are you one of those trailer boatmen who is sitting back feeling pretty smug about the winter maintenance you performed on your outboard or I/O? Did you know that trailer tires are seldom replaced because of thread wear? Salt water and the changeable elements in a typical New England year can ruin a new set of tires in short order. If your trailering is done for the year, remove your tires. Tires supporting the weight of the boat and trailer during periods of freezing weather have a tendency to crack and weather, leading to very short service life. Jack up the boat and block the trailer at several strategic locations to support the weight evenly. Remove the tires and wash them with a mild soapy detergent. I spray my tires with a good silicone spray to moisten them. Store the tires indoors, lying flat and off the concrete in your garage or basement, preferably on a piece of plywood. Remove the grease from the backside of the wheels and you are ready to roll when the weather breaks. Just because you have bearing buddies don’t think your bearings are protected. If you haven’t serviced your bearings we’ll provide that important information in another segment.