           Home > News > News Item |
||||||
 |
News Release RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
DEM ISSUES 2004 COMMERCIAL FISHING LICENSING REGULATIONS As was the case in 2003, the regulations for 2004 provide open opportunities for new licenses and endorsements in the following categories: student shellfish, 65 and over shellfish, non-quahaug shellfish, non-restricted finfish, and non-lobster crustacean. Unlike 2003, there will be no new lobster endorsements available in 2004. With respect to renewals, the regulations allow all 2003 license holders to obtain the same licenses and endorsements in 2004. As was the case in 2003, all vessels employed in commercial fishing in Rhode Island must be declared with DEM at the time the owner or operator of the vessel first applies for or subsequently renews his or her commercial license. All such vessels must be declared on an annual basis, and the required fee paid. In view of the firm February 28 deadline for license applications mandated by the licensing statute, the new regulations clarify that any applications for new or renewed licenses filed with DEM after February 28 will be returned to the applicant, and that there will be no opportunity to seek reconsideration or appeal under such circumstances. (The application deadline date is technically March 1 this year, since February 28th falls on a Saturday.) In the draft regulations that were reviewed at a public hearing in October, DEM had proposed to establish new license endorsement opportunities in the quahaug and restricted finfish fisheries, based on the number of exiting licenses that are retired. The draft regulations also included revisions to the priority ranking system for new license applicants. Those proposals were not adopted, based on comments received at the hearing and the recommendations of the RI Marine Fisheries Council. Those speaking against the proposals felt that new entry into the summer flounder, scup, striped bass, black sea bass, tautog, and winter flounder fisheries (i.e., restricted finfish) should not be allowed until better information is obtained on current levels of effort in those fisheries. For the same reason, it was maintained that new entry into the quahaug fishery beyond that available via new student and 65+ licenses should not be permitted at this time. For the six species covered under the restricted finfish category, quota restrictions and depleted stock conditions have resulted in stringent harvesting restrictions, namely closures and low possession limits, resulting in bycatch problems, allocation disputes among industry sectors, market disruptions, and other economic challenges for existing license holders. It is therefore important to maintain effort controls in these fisheries, and those commenting at the public hearing in October felt that effort by current license holders needs to measurably stabilize or decrease before new entry via new license endorsement opportunities can be accommodated. A more detailed review of stock status, management programs, and performance reports of species covered under the restricted finfish category is set forth in DEM's Management Plan for the Finfish Fishery Sector, adopted, as revised, on November 7, 2003 following formal public review. With regard to quahaugs, the stock in Narragansett Bay is currently assessed by DEM as being fully exploited, with a biomass that has generally stabilized over the past ten years but is still below that needed to produce the maximum sustainable yield for the fishery. DEM projects that the resource can grow if fishing effort is maintained at current levels. Based on this assessment, those commenting at the public hearing in October felt that effort by current license holders, as well as additional effort from new student and 65 and over licenses, needs to measurably stabilize or decrease before new entry via other new quahaug license endorsement opportunities can be accommodated. More detailed information pertaining to the status of the quahaug resource in Narragansett Bay is in DEM's Management Plan for the Shellfish Fishery Sector, adopted, as revised, on November 7, 2003 following formal public review. As reflected in DEM's Management Plan for the Crustacean Fishery Sector, adopted, as revised, on November 7, 2003 following formal public review, the lobster resource in Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island coastal waters is overfished and undergoing a decline in abundance and fishery performance. Thus, no new lobster license endorsements will be available in 2004. The new regulations are available on DEM's website, www.dem.ri.gov, by clicking on "Marine Fisheries" under "Topics". Application forms for license renewals may be downloaded from the DEM website by clicking on "Boat Registration/Hunting & Fishing Licenses" under "Programs". DEM expects that current license-holders will also be able to renew their licenses on line at www.RI.gov after the first of the year. -30- |
|||||
For General Information 222-6800 • After Hours Emergencies 222-3070 • Disclaimer