Saltwater Fishing & Boating Newsletter

In This Issue:

• Striped Bass Cooperative Angler Program
• Dolphin (Mahi-Mahi) Stakeholder Workshops
• Seafood HACCP Training for New York Seafood Producers
• Long Island Sound Sustainable & Resilient Communities Workshop
• Environmental Conservation Police on Patrol
• NOAA Fisheries Pumpkin Carving Stencils for Ocean Lovers
• Upcoming Fishery Meetings

Join New York's Striped Bass Cooperative Angler Program

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) are New York's official saltwater fish and highly sought-after by recreational anglers in New York's marine waters and the Hudson River. DEC is seeking participants to join the Striped Bass Cooperative Angler (SBCA) Program to help biologists understand and maintain a healthy striped bass population. Anglers help provide data on fish caught and can submit scale samples that are used for ageing their catch. Learn more from our new storymap and sign up for the Striped Bass Cooperative Angler Program. 

In New York's marine waters (south of the George Washington Bridge), the recreational slot limit is 28-35 inches and the season is open April 15 through December 15. The recreational striped bass fishing season in the Hudson River (north of the George Washington Bridge) is open April 1 through Nov. 30 and the recreational slot limit is 18-28 inches. Anglers who fish for striped bass in the tidal Hudson River can learn more about the Hudson River Cooperative Anglers Program on DEC's website. 

Circle hooks are required when fishing for striped bass with bait. When fishing using a circle hook and a fish bites, avoid pulling up on the rod immediately. Instead, point the rod tip at the fish and reel quickly. When the line becomes tight, keep reeling for a few more seconds before raising the rod tip. When the rod is bent, turn the reel handle slow and steady to bring in the fish. Check DEC's Best Practices for Saltwater Fishing for more information on responsible fishing and safe fish handling tips. 

Before fishing, visit the Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations webpage for the most up-to-date limits. In New York's Marine and Coastal District, or when fishing for "migratory fish of the sea," including striped bass, be sure to enroll in the Recreational Marine Fishing Registry.

Dolphin (Mahi-Mahi) Stakeholder Workshops

NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Fisheries Science Center and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council are holding a series of workshops with commercial, for-hire, and recreational fishermen, as well as other interested community members, to discuss the future of dolphinfish management.

The New York workshop will be held on November 2, 2022 at 5:30-8:30 PM at Montauk Fire Department, 12 Flamingo Ave, Montauk NY 11954. Drinks and pizza will be available!

These workshops will build on previous participatory workshops held in 2020 and 2021, and will focus on gathering more specific information on preferences, priorities, and concerns with the fishery. Register for the workshop here!

If you have questions about the workshop, please contact: Cassidy Peterson, 910-708-2686, cassidy.peterson@noaa.gov

Seafood HACCP Training for New York Seafood Producers

New York Sea Grant is offering FREE Seafood HACCP trainings for a limited number of New York Seafood producers. The trainings are open to all NY based seafood producers, especially those interested in exploring alternative markets for their product(s). Participation is limited to 2 individuals per business and additional participants will be charged $75.00.

This training requires participants to first complete a self-paced 12-module online training (Segment One) followed by a 1 day live training (Segment Two). To enroll in the segment one course contact Mike Ciaramella at mc2544@cornell.edu or register online. If you have additional questions, call the NYSG Extension Office at 631-632-8730.

Long Island Sound Sustainable & Resilient Communities Workshop

Long Island Sound Study, New York Sea Grant and Connecticut Sea Grant are hosting the 1st Annual Long Island Sound Sustainable & Resilient Communities Workshop! This free virtual workshop will take place on Thursday, December 1 from 12:30-4 PM and will bring together stakeholders to learn more about opportunities to increase the resilience of coastal Long Island Sound communities to various environmental challenges. For more information, visit Long Island Sound Study's website or register for the virtual workshop.

Environmental Conservation Police on Patrol

Sniffing Out Bags of Blackfish - Nassau County

On Oct. 2, K9 Cramer joined ECOs investigating an illegal fishing case in Nassau County. ECOs Kochanowski and Macropoulos observed a fisherman catch an out-of-season blackfish under one of the bridges on the Wantagh Parkway, put it in a bag, and toss the bag down into the rocks. When the Officers approached, the angler appeared to be all packed up and leaving the area. The ECOs were surprised the subject had no fish and only fishing equipment. After a hasty search of the area failed to uncover the poached fish, the Officers reached out to ECO DeRose to bring in K9 Cramer. Cramer searched the area the subject was fishing, but focused on a nearby location. Officer DeRose expanded the search area and after getting to the opposite side of the bridge, Cramer quickly barreled through a large section of vegetation and alerted his handler. ECO DeRose moved in and discovered multiple black bags containing blackfish. Officers ticketed the angler for keeping out-of-season blackfish and failing to release blackfish without undue harm, returnable to Nassau County First District Court. To see a video of one of K9 Cramer's training missions with his handler ECO DeRose, visit DEC's YouTube page.

A Watchful Eye - Suffolk County

On Sept. 20, ECO DeRose received a complaint about a fishing party on the Oak Beach jetty. The Officer responded to the area and hid on the adjacent jetty to watch the anglers. A short time later, Officer DeRose observed one of the anglers catch a blackfish and put it in a plastic bag before walking out of sight. He called ECO Perkins for assistance and the Officers strategically approached the fishing party. They searched the group's tackle, buckets, and cooler, but did not find the fish. Confident the fish was in the area, ECO DeRose called on his trusty partner, K9 Cramer. K9 Cramer searched the area, including the far rocky side of the jetty, and found an out-of-season blackfish in a plastic bag buried under some rocks and vegetation. Officers issued a ticket to the angler who caught the fish for possessing an out-of-season blackfish, returnable to Suffolk County First District Court.

Oversized Bluefin Tuna - Nassau County

On the morning of Aug. 22, ECO Reilly received a tip about a vessel out of Island Park taking oversized bluefin tuna. Bluefin tuna over 73 inches were restricted from being caught at that time, both recreationally and commercially, as per National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) regulations. ECO Pabes responded to the complaint and spotted the vessel at the East Rockaway Inlet returning from its voyage. ECO Pabes intercepted the vessel as it was docking at Island Park. The crew noticed the ECO approaching and began backing out of the slip as if to evade the Officer. ECO Pabes yelled to the crew to stop and they complied, redocking the vessel at the slip. When questioned on the size of the tuna, the crew claimed it to be 73 inches, when in reality it measured 80 inches. The crew's permits and information were documented and the federal violations were turned over to NOAA.

NOAA Fisheries Pumpkin Carving Stencils for Ocean Lovers

Get into the spooky season by carving an ocean-themed pumpkin this year. NOAA Fisheries offers free stencils inspired by marine life and ocean research! To join in on the fun, download and print your favorite stencil, trace the pattern, and cut out and/or carve away areas as indicated on each stencil’s cutting guide.

Disclaimer: Pumpkin carving requires the use of knives or other sharp objects. Always carefully supervise children participating in pumpkin carving.

Upcoming Fishery Meetings

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Annual Meeting

Date: Monday, November 7 through Thursday, November 10
Location: The Ocean Place Resort, 1 Ocean Boulevard, Long Branch, New Jersey

This will be a hybrid meeting to allow for remote participation by Commissioners and interested stakeholders in all meetings except for those of the Law Enforcement Committee, Habitat Committee and Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership Steering Committee.

Meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning Monday, November 7 at 9 AM and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 2:30 PM) on Thursday, November 10.

For complete meeting information, visit ASMFC's website.

Marine Resources Advisory Council Meeting

Date: Tuesday, November 15, 6:30 PM
Location: DEC Division of Marine Resources, 123 Kings Park Blvd, Kings Park

A link to listen to the meeting will be available on DEC's website prior to the meeting. Once available, a complete agenda for the meeting can be found on Marine Resources Advisory Council's website.