Making Waves - Fall 2018

M A K I N G

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Making Waves 2016 Making Waves Summer Fall 2018

The Official Publication of the Recreational Fishing Alliance

MRIP Changes Coming Halibut Mgt. Update RFA News & Views

Wind Farms & Right Whales Capt. Al Anderson Remembered And more, much more...

FALL 2018

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Making Waves Fall 2018

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M A K I N G

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Making Waves 2016 Making Waves Summer Fall 2018

The Official Publication of the Recreational Fishing Alliance

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK

By Gary Caputi Where did summer go? All the plans to fish here and fish there, get togethers with family, BBQ's with friends. The best laid plans do oft go unfulfilled. Well not all of them. I did get to Alaska, fished with old friends from Troutfitters in Cooper Landing on the Kenai River and at Orca Adventure Lodge. If you've never been there, you owe it to yourself before all your summers have passed.

The year started off full of promise on the legislative front, too. The grand coalition of organizations and industry groups were all pushing for Magnuson reform, sometimes even in the same direction, and Congress even passed the House version. But has been the case all too frequently the legislation was passed into the Senate's hands, where forward progress halted. At the moment, Congress is tied in knots with the upcoming elections after which we take another stab at it.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Publisher’s Desk;

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Exec. Director's Report: Remembering Walter Johnson III - RFA Champion

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Breaking News: Pacific Halibut Commission Finally Gets Rec member

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MRIP Update: What to Expect going forward

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RFA Endorses Brian Kemp for Georgia Governorship

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Wind Farms & Right Whales 16 RFA PROFILE: Capt. Mike Pierdinock

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TUNA TAGGER - The Life & Times of Capt. Al Anderson

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Gray FishTag Update: First Roosterfish Pop-Up Return

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RFA News & Views

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That's not to say there was no good to come out of Washington, just not on the most important issue to saltwater fish- About the Cover Flounder grow big in Alaska ermen and the industry. Regulations continue to come out and Recs are finally getting of NOAA/NMFS that make little sense, much of the data some representation in the coming out of MRIP is a disaster and we obviously have a lot halibut management process. A little is better than of work to do this fall and winter. Get on board, we need none.

Photo Credit: Gary Caputi unity and lots of hands on deck!

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Making Waves 2016 Making Waves Summer Fall 2018

Executive Director’s Report

By Jim Donofrio

The RFA Has Lost a Dear Friend In Memoriam - Walter F. Johnson, III

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he staff and board at the RFA are deeply saddened to report that long time member, generous supporter and our dear friend Walter Johnson passed away on Tuesday, July 24.

summer and for his passion, striped bass, in the spring and fall. Walt was a hardcore striped bass fisherman, one of New Jersey's finest, with a long list of trophy fish caught during his years on the water.

From the earliest formational days of the RFA, Walt was there for us always willing to help out with funding and providing his wise council.

Walt was also deeply concerned with marine conservation and preserving the rights of recreational fishermen to access those fisheries, not just for himself, but for his children, grandchildren and generations to come. His involvement in the RFA was part of that commitment.

A native of Philadelphia, PA, he was born on March 13, 1952 and grew up in Moorestown and later purchased a home in his beloved shore community of Beach Haven, NJ, where he stayed every summer enjoying boating and fishing. He married Susan Barlow on December 30, 1989.

Walter retired in 2016 and purchased a house in Florida where and he spent the last couple of winters fishing the Loxahatchee river from his boat. He was always happiest after a good day of fishing Walter had a vibrant personality, an infecwhen he could sit down to dinner with his tious laugh and a zest for life. He loved his family around him. family and the many friends he made over the year both in business and in his sport- He is survived by his wife of 28 years Suing life. Walter was a passionate outsan, and loving children Allison Johnson doorsman who loved boats and the waof Waitsfied, VT and Walter F. Johnson IV ter. He traveled the world in search of (TJ) and his wife Kristina of Pasadena, MD new fishing locations but always returned and his Grandson Walter F. Johnson V. to Beach Haven to fish the canyons in the

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Executive Director's Report continued

Pacific Halibut Management Finally Gets Recreational Representation State Department Appoints Recreational Fisherman to International Pacific Halibut Commission The State Department has appointed guide, lodge owner and sportfishing Richard Yamada to the International advocate.

Pacific Halibut Commission.

He serves as President of the Alaska The Commission makes rules and Charter Association. He serves on the sets catch limits for halibut harvest board of the National Association of and the gear types allowed for the Charterboat Owners (NACO), and US and Canada. on the Secretary of Commerce’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee The two nations signed a treaty in 1923. It created the IPHC to provide (MAFAC). sustainable fishery management for halibut.

There are six Commissioners. Each country appoints two fishery industry reps and one agency rep. They meet every January to set rules for fishing seasons and harvest limits for the two countries.

Yamada will be the first recreational fishing stakeholder to sit on the Commission in its 95 year history.

Contact for more info about the Alaska Charter Association, visit: www.alaskacharter.org

For more info about the IPHC: https://www.iphc.int/theYamada has 40 years experience as a commission

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Making Waves Fall 2018

Charter Fishing Captain Andy Mezirow Returns to North Pacific Fishery Management Council U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross reappointed Andy Mezirow, our sole recreational representative on the North Pacific Fishery Council (NPFMC), to his second term. Andy had the strong support of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, the Alaska Charter Association, and every active sportfishing group in the 49th state.

The NPFMC is unique among regional fishery management councils, in that it only regulates fishing in one state:, Alaska. The other seven regional councils manage fisheries across regions that encompass numerous coastal states, but Alaska is so large and a significant distance from the lower 48 states that it stands alone.

The North Council is also unique in that it manages only one specie under federal jurisdiction that matters to recreational fishermen: the Pacific halibut. All other sportfishing falls under state management.

In addition, the halibut fishery is further managed under the auspices of an international convention similar to pelagic spe-

cies like tunas in both the Atlantic and Pacific.

Andy is a long-time, well-respected recreational charter captain out of Seward and he runs Graylight Fisheries. He’s been active at the council for many years, representing us in the pacific halibut fishery.

Andy has been accessible to the public, and has worked closely with the Alaska Charter Association to bring our issues to the table.

As a result, a unique proposal for a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE) became a reality with Andy Mezirow on the Council. The passage of the RQE represented years of work and development by our industry.

The RQE allows for a path to increase Pacific halibut fishing opportunity for recreational anglers on charter fishing vessels in Alaska, and could serve as a model for other fisheries around the country when fish stocks targeted by commercial and recreational fishing are at low abundance levels.

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Making Waves Fall 2018

Marine Recreational Information Program Update

MRIP REVISIONS What Anglers can Expect from these Significant Changes

by John DePersenaire

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or the past year or so, rumors have been circulating within fishery management circles about pending revisions to recreational landings estimates produced by the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). Like any good rumor, the ones revolving around MRIP were contentious and generated much discussion on the dock and in fishery management circles.

to view the changes for the first time.

The changes were in response to a transition from the Coastal Household Telephone Survey to a mail-based survey to estimate the number of trips anglers take, effort. It was determined that the mail based survey provided for a more accurate estimate of effort and that all previous landings estimates should be recalibrated using this information. This Preliminary information released by recalibration resulted in recreational agency officials in cautious, measured landings estimates increasing in direct servings indicated that recreational land- response to the mail-based survey findings estimates could increase by as ing that more trips were taken than premuch as 400%...and not just the current viously estimated through the coastal landings but going all the way back to household telephone survey. In turn, 1981. The gravity of the pending revithis also increased the catch and landing sions regarding the magnitude and their estimates for the entire time series. potentially far reaching implications cast a significant amount of uncertainty and Let’s set aside the validity of this action concern within the recreational industry, and if this approach can produce more and among fishery managers and stock accurate estimates of recreational landings, the real concern to recreational anassessment scientists. On July 9, 2018, glers is how do these revisions impact the revised numbers were released by management and ultimately the regulaNOAA Fisheries and anglers were able

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tions imposed on our sector. For the time being, the answer is we don’t know but there are a couple key items that come into play and we will need to watch moving forward.

given year should have been 200-lbs. based on the range of percent change as indicated by NOAA Fisheries. This could have marked implications for how we set regulations moving forward.

First, since the most recent reauthorization of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act in 2006, federal fisheries are required to be managed through annual catch limits. Annual catch limits (ACLs) are a firm landing limit that a particular sector is not permitted to exceed during a given year.

Annual catch limits are the driver that dictates how favorable or unfavorable our recreational fishing regulations will be.

Second, exceeding an ACL is never a good thing; however, one cannot simply adjust the recreational landings estimates without also adjusting the data used to derive the status of the stock and ultimately the ACL. When a fishery is assessed, information from both fishery independent and fishery dependent data is used. Fisheries independent data comes from federal and state trawl surveys as well as other sources of information that deal with the relative abundance and life history characteristics of the stock. The fisheries dependent data, as the name implies, comes from the commercial and recreational fisheries harvest data including landings, disgards and releases and in the case of the recreational sector, all that data is simply MRIP estimates.

The rumors suggest that recreational landings estimates could increase by as much as 400%...

If an ACL is exceeded, in most cases, that poundage must be repaid in the subsequent fishing season by reducing the following year’s quota by the amount of the overage. Likewise, if it is expected that a fishery will exceed its ACL based on projections, that fishery could be shut down mid-season. With this in mind, let’s use a hypothetical example to illustrate what could happen.

Our imaginary recreational fishery was assigned a 100-lb. ACL in 2002, then measures would have been implemented to keep recreational landings from exceeding that 100-lb. quota. The revised MRIP numbers could in fact find that the recreational landings for that

Take the same example of the fishery described above with the 100-lb. ACL. The recreational fishing regulations implemented for that particular year are designed to come close but not exceed the 100-lb. ACL. If MRIP finds that recreational sector landed nearly double the amount of fish, then they must also assume that there are significantly more of

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that species in the ocean than their stock assessment previously estimated.

That means the 100-lb. ACL was set too low because the estimates of recreational landings (fishery dependent data) were too low. Scientists, statisticians and managers at NOAA Fisheries admits that this is significant issue and the implications cannot be fully understood until each managed fishery with a recreational component is reassessed and the new MRIP estimates are incorporated.

Making Waves Fall 2018

time period. This revision would alter the commercial recreational allocation to a 54/46 split with the recreational sector gaining 6% of the overall quota on an annual basis.

The implications of the impact of switching to MRIP catch estimates poses significant changes for many other fisheries as well such as red snapper, black sea bass, and the list goes on, including bluefish which is currently undergoing an amendment process primarily looking at Third, allocation of the fisheries between a redistribution of allocation between commercial and recreational fishermen the sectors. While this is certainly cause is often one of the most contentious for concern, remember, immediate acmanagement issues. In most fisheries, a tion is not expected until each fishery base-line year or series of years is select- undergoes a full stock assessment and ed which managers feel is the most rep- the revised MRIP numbers can be incorresentative of the historical use of the porated into all phases of fisheries data fishery to determine the quota distribu- used for management purposes. tion of the allowable annual landings In closing, the revisions to the recreabetween commercial and recreational tional effort, catch and harvest estimates sectors. Let's use the summer flounder fishery as an example, Amendment 2 of going back to 1981 have big implications for our sector. From stocks assessthat fishery management plan was approved in 1992, and it adopted the 1980 ments, annual catch limits, regulations to allocations, the impact of the revi-1989 time-series of recreational and sions stand to be extremely far reaching. commercial landings to set the current At the moment, nothing immediate or 60/40 commercial/recreational allocadrastic is expected to occur. To evaluate tion for this important fishery. During that period, commercial fishermen were the true impact, it will be necessary to first incorporate the revised numbers inestimated to have landed 279,073,000lbs. Amendment 2 estimates that recrea- to species specific stock assessments before a real handle on the management tional anglers landed 189,972,000 durconsequences can be ascertained. One ing that same time period thus producthing is certain, recreational anglers and ing a 60/40 split of the total allowable fishery managers will continue to be delandings. Using the revised MRIP numbers the estimate would change to indi- bating the accuracy and use of recreational data collection programs for the cate that recreational anglers landed foreseeable future.

233,060,153-lbs. during the 1980-1989

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Mark Drury, Don Hogan and members of RFA-Georgia chapter present a campaign contribution check along with their endorsement to Brian Kemp, candidate for Governor. Also in the picture is recently retired Director of the state Coast Resources Division, Spud Woodard.

Do you want responsible conservationist style management of our natural resources in Georgia? If you are an outdoorsman hunter or fisherman there is only one candidate for Governor who will protect and enhance our traditions. Who will manage our resources sustainably and in a responsible manner. That candidate is Brian Kemp and the Recreational Fishing Alliance is proud to show him our support through a donation to his election fund and with our wholehearted endorsement .

Mark Drury

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WIND FARMS AND RIGHT WHALES Making Waves Fall 2018

By Capt. Mike Pierdinock

Where is the outcry from environmental groups on this important issue?

Photos courtesy NOAA

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e have been entertained by critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whales visible from the south shore beaches of Marshfield in Cape Cod Bay during the months of April/May of this year. Cape Cod Bay is a critical habitat for this migratory species where rich patches of plankton are found that serve as a food source for right whales.

and the closure remains in effect today. The duration of the prohibition depends upon the date when the whales depart the bay waters. The prohibition has had a significant financial impact on the lobster fleet as a result of the 3 to 4 month closure. The lobster fleet is attempting to identify alternative lobster trap line means and methods to prevent entanglements in order to resume fishing during the closure, but to date research reMass Department of Marine Fisheries reports that mains ongoing. approximately 450 right whales remain in the entire North Atlantic and many congregate in Cape Multiple right whale deaths occurred in Canadian Cod Bay from February through May of each waters in 2017/2018. Canada is not subject to year. Aerial surveys conducted in April indicated the same lobster trap prohibitions implemented that approximately 100 were present in Cape in our waters to protect the few right whales that Cod Bay in 2018, which represents approximately remain. Obviously, more work is needed north of 25% of the remaining population in of the spethe border! cies.

Studies of right whale ship strikes indicate that Since being declared an endangered species vessels transiting known right whale congregasome time after the modern prohibition of com- tions at 8 to 15 knots had the greatest chance of mercial whaling in the Atlantic, two major hitting a whale causing injury resulting in a sources of injury and mortality to right whales death. In 2008, the National Marine Fisheries Serhave been identified - entanglements in fishing vice implemented a 10 knot speed limit for vessels gear and ship strikes. As a result trap gear like greater than 65 feet or more in length in certain fish pots and lobster traps were prohibited from waters including Cape Cod Bay when right Cape Cod Bay and other Massachusetts state wa- whales are present Within five years of impleters in 2015 from February through April/May mentation, there were no cited ship strike deaths

within or near the speed restricted areas attributable to vessels of this size class. A

small vessel strike associated with a vessel less than 65 feet in length occurred in Cape Cod Bay in 2017 that resulted in a single whale fatality.

As a result of the 2017 fatality, continued right whale deaths in Canadian waters in 2017/2018 and lack of reported births of right whales in the North Atlantic in 2017, additional measures were implemented in an attempt to protect the right whale population.

Mass DMF recently imple-

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mented an emergency measure that required all vessels less than 65 feet in length to be subject to the 10 knot speed limit until the right whales migrate beyond Cape Cod Bay waters. The 10 knot speed limit does not apply to vessel during emergencies or enforcement vessels. The right whales departed the Cape Cod Bay area and the subsequent lobster trap prohibition and vessel speed limit restrictions were lifted on May 15, 2018.

Making Waves Fall 2018

regulations are put in place to protect them in Cape Cod Bay, why are these groups so quick to overlook the potential harm such dense aggregations of turbines could cause to these critically endangered animals.

The proposed Vineyard Wind turbines are located in cod and herring spawning areas and squid mop areas. There is no doubt that the base of each proposed wind turbine unit serves as an arThe recreational anglers and charter head boat tificial reef that attracts gamefish. There are onand/or for hire fleet were subject to a 10 knot going concerns associated with the subsurface speed limit while transiting these waters that in cable lines and associated EMF and noise genersome cases more than doubled transiting times ated from hundreds of wind turbine units proto fruitful fishing grounds. We survived the trans- posed from Coxes Ledge, to the Claw and Gordons Gully and detrimental impact if any associatiting delays without incident. ed with such; impact to radar and/or safe navigaWith such restrictive measures being put in place tion; and the potential for the proposed wind turin Cape Cod Bay, we should naturally turn our bine areas to be shut down prohibiting access in attention to the areas south of Martha’s Vineyard the future. where the Vineyard Wind turbine project is presently proposed within productive fishing I am all for green energy but not to the detriment grounds for recreational anglers and the comof our resource and to the fisherman and public mercial fleet in the area referred to as Gordons that utilize our resource. Where is the NGO outGully located north of the Star and south of the cry and concern for the critically endangered Inner Fingers www.boem.gov/Vineyard-Wind/. right whales that congregate in this area as well Right whale congregations are documented as the long list of concerns associated with the within and throughout this area yet where is the fishery? concern and outcry by the NGO community? If

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Making Waves Fall 2018

Capt. Mike Pierdinock RFA-Massachusetts Chairman

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apt. Michael J. “Mike” Pierdinock is perhaps the most recognizable names in Massachusetts’ recreational salt water fishery management arena, and for good reason – he eats, sleeps, breathes, and writes it!

Massachusetts Chairman for RFA (since 2014), he is currently a member of the Advisory Committee to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and was a U.S. Delegate at the recent 2017 ICCAT meeting in Marrakesh, Mo-

Mike, who makes his home in Plymouth, has been an ardent fisherman all his life, and has fished from New England to Florida as well in Alaska and Central America. He is held in high regard as one of the most experienced charter captains in the Northeast region, having operated his 30-foot, twin -diesel Pursuit Offshore sportfisherman Perseverance in search of sharks, tuna, mahi, groundfish, fluke, sea bass, and stripers in the waters of Stellwagen Bank, Cape Cod Bay, and the inshore and offshore waters south of the Cape since 2003.

When not fishing or tending to business, Mike is very active on a number of fishery-related commissions, committees, and advisory panels, and in general serves as an advocate for recreational anglers and the for-hire party/ charter fleet. Besides his position as the

Mike with RFA Chief Council and the U.S. Recreational Commissioner to ICCAT, Ray Bogan, at last year's meetings in Morrocco. Mike is an ICCATT recreational advisor and part of the negotiating team.

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rocco. He serves as ViceChairman of the Massachusetts Marine Fishery Advisory Commission, is a member of the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel, and serves on the New England Fishery Management Council’s Recreational Advisory Panel (RAP) as well as the Board of Directors of the Stellwagen Bank Charter Boat Association.

And as if all of the above wasn’t enough punishment, Mike represents RFA and conducts presentations on a variety of fishery-related subjects at seminars, tournaments, and shows throughout New England, and has most recently appeared as a Guest Captain at George Poveromo’s Salt Water Sportsman Seminar Series and Damon Sacco’s Castafari Offshore Fishing Mike and his charters have been cashing in on the northSeminar. In addition, Mike pens ward expansion of black sea bass into Massachusetts waters his informative “Fishery Manand they are catching some bruisers like this nice knothead. agement Watch” column for the New England Fisherman magazine, and is a regular on “Capt. Lou’s Nautical Talk” ra- served as Principal-in-Charge, Program Mandio show (WATD 95.9FM) where he explains ager, Project Manager, and Quality Control and discusses the latest fishery management Manager for various federal and state Superfund and state-lead projects throughout the issues and trends.

United States. This work has included develAnd believe it or not, Mike has a “real” job! opment, management, and implementation He’s a managing partner at Lightship Engiof plans and budgets, as well as staff and conneering, with over 33 years of experience tractor supervision, the oversight of regulatoproviding environmental services associated ry agencies, and stints as an expert witness in with the assessment and cleanup of surface litigation associated with environmental conwater, sediment, groundwater, soil and air troversies. impacted by oil and hazardous material, munitions, and radiological waste. He manages “I started to get involved in fishery manageall of the business aspects of the firm and has ment a few years back because I realized there were some significant issues that were

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affecting both everyday recreational fishermen and many of us in the for-hire sector,” Mike explains. “This was at a point in my life where I figured it was a good time to give back, and to try and do something about the problems.

Making Waves Fall 2018

the second year of a complete recreational cod prohibition, and the haddock season has been seriously curtailed. How can angler interest and a viable for-hire fleet be maintained with this low level of access? Likewise, we have tremendous numbers of black sea bass with monster blue heads, yet our season “It’s an uphill battle,” he admits, “because there have been a lot of obstacles. One is that and bag limits are also restricted on this species, which again impacts the for-hire fleet. the recreational sector doesn’t seem to get the attention and resources the commercial “The other obstacle is the lack of good data sector gets. The for-hire fleet isn’t taken very and science on the recreational side,” says seriously by a lot of government regulators Mike. “The rec catch in a number of cases has and managers, even though these are all been overestimated for a long time, with assmall businesses dependent on a healthy re- sociated PSE’s (percent standard error) as source and reasonable access. We’re now in high as 30 or 40 percent, and greater than

Mike (center) is a busy man. Full time job, charter captain and when he isn't working he does things like vacation to Alaska to fish!

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and remarkable knowledge of issues ranging from stripers to squid to sharks and tuna, and is a valuable participant on the boards and commissions on which he serves.

But as far as fishing itself goes, Mike does it all. “When the offshore tuna bite is on, there’s nothing more exciting,” he says, “but I really like shark fishing. Every time I take a charter sharking, I know that we’ll most likely catch something, maybe a mako or thresher, but at least a couple of big blue sharks. On the other hand, I’m really enjoying the resurgence of inshore species such as black sea bass and the fall tautog bite that’s like chumming for sharks. Most days the action’s pretty well nonstop, and these fish are great eating. I’m lucky 100 percent depending upon the species. to be able to fish an area with so much varieHow can the government effectively manage ty.” You can get a taste of what Mike fishes the recreational fishery with scientifically for by visiting his web site at flawed data that nobody has confidence in? www.cpfcharters.com It needs to be fixed, and that’s something a lot of us are working on. But it’s slow going.” If you run into Capt. Pierdinock at a fishery meeting, public hearing, seminar or show, go In spite of it all, Mike always maintains a posi- up and introduce yourself. He’s heckuva nice tive, upbeat attitude and attempts to get guy, and you’ll quickly understand why those along with everyone involved in fishery man- of us at the Recreational Fishing Alliance are agement, even those “on the other side” of proud and honored to call him one of our issues he feels passionate about. He is well own. respected for his leadership, negotiating skills,

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Reprinted with permission of

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CAPTAIN AL ANDERSON Page 28

Making Waves Fall 2018

We lost one of the giants of the sport on January 17, 2018 but some of the fish he tagged will be reminding us of him when they're caught in the future.

Capt. Al Ristori Anderson portraits courtesy Mike Cevoli

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by Gary Caputi

Capt. Al Anderson has boosted our understanding of bluefin tuna movement through his prolific tagging of these pelagic wonders. This is his story.

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2016 Issue of Anglers Journal and is reprinted with permission and to express our gratitude for all Al Anderson did for our sport and conservation. He was an early supporter of the RFA and remained so until his passing. He is sorely missed.

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“They’d say, ‘You’re going to let that fish go? Come on!’ But I just ignored it. I had bigger and better things to do.”

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he bluefin is the heavyweight wanderer of the tuna clan. A fully mature Atlantic bluefin, if allowed to attain its age potential of 30-plus years, can reach colossal proportions. The largest rod-and-reel bluefin ever recorded weighed nearly 1,500 pounds.

Prized by anglers for their fighting ability, these pelagic wonders roam the waters of the North Atlantic and are pursued avidly throughout their size range, from school fish to giants. But it’s the bluefin tuna’s commercial value that has been its undoing as rod-and-reel, harpoon, longline and oceangoing commercial fishermen from as far away as Japan pursue them across the Atlantic to feed a ravenous sushi market. Bluefin went from being considered unpalatable — most ending up as cat food — with little or no commercial value prior to 1970 to bringing the highest market prices of any fish in the 1990s. It is estimated that the value of commercially caught bluefin increased 10,000 percent in that period.

nized tagging of bluefin to gather information about their spawning habits and transoceanic migrations would naturally be high on the list of such programs. If so, you might be surprised to learn that a single charter captain from Narragansett, Rhode Island, was responsible for 90 percent of the Atlantic bluefin tuna tagged and released over the last 40 years — somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,700 fish.

Meet Capt. Al Anderson, a serious, conservationminded skipper with an unflagging passion for tagging a wide variety of fish — striped bass, bluefish, tuna, shark and others. No one person has tagged more fish in the Atlantic than this strongwilled New Jersey native, who started running charter boats out of Rhode Island in the late 1960s.

What drove Anderson to tag tens of thousands of fish? “It was my way of giving something back to fish and the fisheries because they had been so good to me,” says Anderson, 77, who retired from chartering at the end of the 2014 season.

You might think that a fish so revered by sport anglers and of such great commercial value As a charter skipper, Anderson was innovative, would rate intense scientific study, and that orga- uncompromising and as independent as they

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come. He was smart, and he was good — and he didn’t hide it, which didn’t win him any popularity contests among his charter-boat peers. Truth be told, Anderson didn’t give two hoots about what other skippers thought of him or his drive to tag as many fish as possible. “I didn’t give a damn,” says Anderson. “Science wins out. A dead fish just doesn’t make it.”

population dynamics, and lead to sound management decisions and regulations.”

“There were a lot of people who thought I was crazy when I started,” says Anderson, the author of numerous magazine articles and five books, including Atlantic Bluefin Tuna: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow and To Catch A Tuna. “They’d say, ‘You’re going to let that fish go? Come on!’

But I just ignored it. I had bigger and better things to do.”

derson made headlines worldwide several years ago when a 14-pound bluefin he tagged in the Mudhole southeast of Block Island, Rhode Island, in 1997 was recaptured 16 years later off Nova Scotia, weighing more than 1,200 pounds. Only two other recaptured fish have been at liberty longer.

“Through the years, Anderson has faced critics of his conservation beliefs but has remained resolute about tagging not only tuna and striped bass, but also marlin, sharks and bottom fish,” the IGFA wrote. “According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, he has tagged more Atlantic bluefin than anyone in the world. He also has more recaptures, critically important because recaptured tags provide valuable insight into migratory behavior, life spans, growth rates and

States,” Block says. “His unique efforts have assured that the public, recreational anglers, scientists and government fisheries managers have data sets on movements and mixing of bluefin tuna, which can help inform better stock management.”

With good reason, Anderson is proud of the work he’s done. “We know more about the migrations of some of our great saltwater game fish — tuna, marlin, sharks, striped bass and others — through our tagging programs,” says Anderson, who has an undergraduate degree from FairA former high school science teacher, the skipper leigh Dickinson University and a master’s degree was never one to mince words — he could put in fish parasitology from Adelphi University. (He forth a stream of salty invectives to rival the best also took doctoral courses at the University of of them. In short, Anderson was as complex as he Rhode Island.) “That’s very gratifying.” was competent: intelligent, exacting, driven and Some of the tuna Anderson tagged have wanirascible. But he always put the resource first. dered far and wide (see Notable Releases). An-

And a 26-inch, 13-pound bluefin that Anderson Anderson has been honored for his conservation tagged in 1998 southeast of Block Island was rework more times than there is space here to list captured 14 years later by renowned Stanford the accolades. And he is held in high regard by University marine biologist and bluefin researchmany of the preeminent marine scientists who er Barbara Block in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It have worked in the field over the last halfhad grown to 111 inches, with an estimated century. His work has benefited science, the fish- weight in excess of 1,000 pounds. eries and his fellow anglers. Four years ago, the “Capt. Al Anderson has done more than almost prolific tagger was inducted into the Internation- any fisherman or scientist I know to keep convenal Game Fish Association Hall of Fame. tional tagging of bluefin tuna going in the United

Although retired, Anderson enjoys fishing near shore and in the salt ponds in southeastern Rhode Island, and he still sticks a tag or two into continued on page 34

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a fish whenever he gets the chance.

on the tackle of the day.”

Anderson has been an avid angler since boyhood. While at Adelphi, he tagged his first fish, a largemouth bass, in Lake Ronkonkoma on New York’s Long Island. “I created a homemade tag,” he says. “I recaptured that bass five times, and it got me thinking about the role tagging could play in the scientific study of fish, particularly saltwater species. The tag-and-release event, if conducted quickly, appeared to have little effect on the future behavior of the fish.” This was long before there were tagging programs for recreational anglers.

Although harvest restrictions in recent years have made sport fishing for bluefin mostly a catch-andrelease proposition, the fish remains popular with anglers from the Carolinas to New England.

Shortly after college, Anderson took a job as a teacher at Westerly (Rhode Island) High School, where he taught general biology to sophomores and a challenging human biology course to seniors. He was known for being a stern taskmaster.

“I didn’t baby anyone. You earned your grade,” Anderson says. “And as a result some of my students hated my guts. That was until they went to college and realized that they were well prepared as a result.”

“One day Pond yelled at me, ‘Why aren’t you tagging stripers for the American Littoral Society so we know what the hell you’re doing?’ ” Anderson recalls. “So I joined the ALS and started tagging bass.”

He started the school’s fishing club, and one of his sophomores who joined was Anglers Journal editor-in-chief Bill Sisson. “He was tough,” Sisson recalls. “In the fall, he’d come in after fishing or running a night charter, and he was one tired, ornery biology teacher.”

Anderson started tagging striped bass while studying for his doctorate at URI, which is when he became friendly with striper sharpie Bob Pond, the founder and owner of Atom Manufacturing Co. Pond had started an organization called Stripers Unlimited, a group of recreational fishermen and researchers dedicated to the conservation of the species.

Anderson’s background in science and his keen awareness of fish behavior, combined with Pond’s less-than-gentle prodding, was all it took to set the skipper on a lifelong mission of tagging as many fish as humanly possible. Over the next 50 years, Anderson would tag and release upward of 44,000 stripers — a remarkable feat.

“Capt. Al is far and away our most prolific and successful fish tagger, with 2,229 fish tag recaptures to date,” says Jeff Dement, director of the American Littoral Society’s fish-tagging program.

Anderson earned his captain’s license in 1967 “Without Capt. Al’s support of our tagging proand began chartering his 19-foot Aquasport gram, we would not be where we are today. I am when school was closed for summer vacation, as very interested in the overwinter tagging Capt. Al well as on weekends and at night when school performed for many years in the Thames River on was in session. Though he concentrated on Hudson River-origin striped bass.” striped bass, he also was running far enough offIn 1970 Anderson purchased a Rhode Island-built shore to encounter school bluefin tuna. “We 26-foot Bonito, which became his second Prowlmostly trolled for them,” Anderson says. “Then I er, the name that has graced the transoms of all figured out we could catch them on Bridgeport diamond jigs, and that was a lot of fun, especially of his charter boats. Designed by local fishing leg-

Making Waves 2016 Making Waves Summer Fall 2018

end Dick Lema, the gas inboard-powered center console had an 11-foot beam and the range and seaworthiness to fish offshore with the bigger boats. He showcased the Bonito’s prowess by winning the Block Island Billfish Tournament several times with his wife, Daryl, as angler.

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long friends — and other scientists to develop better tags and tagging techniques. “The tags in use early on were poorly designed for tuna,” says Anderson. “They had stainless steel tab-like points that worked fine on slower-moving fish, like sharks, but bluefin were just too fast and they By 1980 he was in such demand as a charter cap- simply pulled out. We tried various replacements, tain that he took a leave of absence from teach- finally settling on a tag that incorporated a Hying — and never went back to it. There were too dron plastic dart that adheres to the bluefin’s tismany fish to catch and tag, even during the win- sues, locking it in place. That was responsible for ter months, when he was studying overwintering a dramatic increase in returns on tagged tuna.” populations of striped bass in the near-frozen Anderson developed a charter clientele who confines of Connecticut’s Thames River. He shared his conservation ethic, customers who caught, tagged and released 16,000 bass from chartered with him to jig bluefin for tagging. that river alone.

“Over the years I had many incredible days with those clients, catching and releasing dozens of During his early years in the charter business, Anderson encountered large schools of small to me- bluefin on a typical trip and on six occasions tagging over 100 in a single day,” Anderson recalls. dium bluefin tuna during the summer months.

Commercial draggers fished the area for whiting “My first recapture turned out to be an 18-pound and hake and shoveled their bycatch overboard, bluefin my daughter caught. It was out for two years when it was recaptured by a commercial attracting the tuna, often in huge numbers. fisherman in the Bay of Biscay, off France. At first At the time, the pioneering scientist Frank Mather I thought it was a mistake or an error. I didn’t bewas working at Woods Hole Oceanographic In- lieve it. I was so ignorant about the movement of stitute and trying to grow his pet project, the Co- bluefin tuna. But Mather wasn’t surprised.” operative Game Fish Tagging Program. Anderson was already a prolific tagger, and his reputa- That was in 1978, when scientists were espousing a two-stock theory: Bluefin that spawned in tion for catching and releasing tuna was becomthe Mediterranean stayed in the eastern Atlantic, ing public when Mather approached him in and those that spawned in the Gulf of Mexico 1967. Much in the way Pond had encouraged stayed in the western Atlantic. That recapture in him to tag bass, Mather demanded that he tag pelagic species for his program. Anderson accept- the Bay of Biscay, in part, forced scientists and fishery managers at the International Commised the challenge. sion for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas to re“Mather was a strange duck, totally unique,” An- evaluate their hypotheses and management asderson says. “He would not tolerate anyone fail- sumptions. As more evidence came to light, they ing to follow through on conservation, and acknowledged that there was trans-Atlantic stock when you made a commitment to tag for him mixing, and later returns would prove it was far you damned well better tag.” more significant than they had been willing to But Anderson did more than just tag. He worked admit. hand in hand with Mather — the two became life- Talking fish with Anderson still elicits a boyish

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Notable Recaptures Bluefin tuna tagged off Rhode Island by Capt. Al Anderson have been recaptured off Libya, Sicily, Portugal, Corsica, Spain, France and Iceland, as well as several Canadian provinces.

“There was a 65-pound bluefin I caught in the Mudhole that was tagged by a guy named Ed Scott in the Gulf of Mexico just 10 days prior,” Anderson says. “That fish traveled over 1,600 nautical miles in 10 days, a migration that no one would have considered possible, but the tag proved it. To this day it is the only bluefin I have handled that definitively came from, or was tagged by me and later recaptured in, the Gulf of Mexico.”

Recaptures of Anderson’s tagged fish give a snapshot of the remarkable distances traveled and lengths of time at large.

Tag No. SW001665 was a 10-pound bluefin caught in August 2004 by Anderson and a charter client; it was recaptured off the northern coast of Spain in July 2009, more than 2,700 nautical miles away from grin from the captain. Although striped bass may where it was tagged. The fish had grown to 143 have been his first love, bluefin tuna became his pounds. greatest love. “Bluefin tuna,” says Anderson as I Tag No. R340101 was an 11-pound bluefin caught shared pizza with him and Daryl at their dining on Aug. 4, 1995, that was recaptured off Cape Cod, room table, “I knew where to find ’em and how Massachusetts, on Oct. 3, 2009, hitting the scales at to catch ’em, from fish in the teens to much big- 840 pounds. ger ones. My biggest bluefin broke the scales at Tag No. HM003236 was caught by Anderson on Snug Harbor Marina — weighed over 1,000 Aug. 22, 1997, and was recaptured more than 3,300 pounds. They were so difficult for most people to nautical miles from Rhode Island off Corsica in the catch on a routine basis. I could catch them. Most Mediterranean after being at large for 2,862 days.

“I’ve recaptured 32 of my own tagged migratory people couldn’t. I had it figured out.” gamefish, including codfish, striped bass and bluefin Intelligent? The veteran skipper paused. “They’re tuna,” Anderson says. “One bluefin was recaptured very wary,” he says. “Very wary.” But when 20 minutes after it was released in the same chum they’re lit up behind the boat in a chum slick, An- slick it was pulled from, irrefutable evidence that the derson says, “They can be the easiest fish to catch tag-and-release event had little, if any, influence on that fish’s behavior.” if you know what you’re doing. A lot of people never think like a fish,” he continues. “I did. I paid One of Anderson's students at Westerly High, Bill Sisson, went on to become the ediattention to what the fish was doing and what I tor of Anglers Journal. To hear his moving was doing. That was the bottom line.” tribute to his fiend and mentor click this link.

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Gray FishTag Tagging Report First Roosterfish Satellite Tag Recovered in Costa Rica Editors Note: The RFA’s friends at Gray FishTag Research had an something pretty amazing happen recently and we thought our members and readers might find it interesting. There is very little known about roosterfish and Gray was the first to put satellite tags in these fish in an effort to gain more insight about this unique species of gamefish. A few weeks later, a second roosterfish pop-up tag surfaced providing more vital data about these fish. Read both press releases for the full story.

L

ast week we had a Satellite Tag recovered in Costa Rica. Talk about a needle in a haystack. The odds of recovering one of these tags after popping off are “one in a million.” However, thanks to great friends, a great team and worldwide support we got it.

the coastal waters near Quepos, Costa Rica has been found and returned to us!

This PSAT was is part of a larger project evaluating Roosterfish behavior and movement along the Central American Pacific coast. It was deployed during our visit to Marina Pez Vela and A Pop-Up Satellite Archival Tag (PSAT) that was our tagging group was joined by Mr. Gray Inoriginally deployed on a Roosterfish while fishing gram and Mrs. Camilla Ingram, and sponsored by

This mature roosterfish was the first to be tracked using a pop-up satellite archival tag was caught near Quepos on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

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the Ortiz family and employees at Marina Pez Ve- While once again visiting Costa Rica, this time in Los Sueños Resort & Marina, Mr. and Mrs. Ingram la. met with our representative Christian near Los After being deployed for 60 days the tag popped Sueños. A few words were exchanged before off and was now floating in the water. Incredibly they had to rush to the airport and head back to the tag was recovered by a local gentleman Mr. the US. The Ingrams excitedly returned it to our Emiliano Vasquez while he was kayaking the office in Pompano Beach the next day. Talk about coastal waters of the Gulf of Nicoya, near full circle!!

Paquera, Costa Rica. Mr. Vasquez described seeing something unusual in the water and once he These are the kind of stories that make our propulled the tag out of the water he recognized the gram so unique and worthwhile. The large Gray importance of what he found. He immediately FishTag Research network, all the supporters, decided it needed to be returned to its owner.

Charter Captains and Mates, marina personnel After finding the contact information embedded and friends in general, all pulling together makin the tag he made arrangements to return it to ing the program move ahead. We could not do one of our local representatives, Christian Bothis without all the help and we are forever gratelaños of Gray Taxidermy. Mr. Vasques was thrilled ful. Stay tuned for the most detailed analysis ever, to learn the importance of his effort and the fact of a Pacific Roosterfish. By getting the actual tag that we will learn more about game fish, in partic- back, we are now able to get a complete and toular the Roosterfish. For his effort we rewarded tal picture of all its activity. him $250.00 a pair of Costa Sunglasses and Gray Thank you all again and we are looking forward FishTag Apparel. to many more stories alike!!!!

What makes this story even more remarkable is how the tag got back to our office in Florida.

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rays FishTag Reserach is thrilled to announce that a second Pop-Up Satellite Archival Tags [PSAT] we deployed during the “Los Gatos” expeditions earlier this year in Costa Rica have Popped-Off. We are currently in the process of gathering and analyzing the data. We will have an initial movement pattern of both Roosterfish soon, and we will of course share this information with you as soon as it is available.

These PSAT’s are part of a larger project evaluating Roosterfish behavior and movement along the Central American Pacific coast. They were deployed during our visit to the great marina and fishing location Marina Pez Vela and the entire event was sponsored by the Ortiz family and several employees at Marina Pez Vela.

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ployed on June 9th, 2018 and popped-off 17 days later on June 26 off of the southern coast of Nicaragua. The distance of around 228 miles (Straight -line distance) this fish moved during the span of 17 days is also amazing and noteworthy. It’s exactly this sort of data that we are looking for, which will allow us to learn more about this species.

We cannot highlight it enough of what a remarkable story this is. The odds of recovering one of these PSAT’s after popping off are “one in a million.” Talk about a needle in a haystack.” However, thanks to great friends, a great team and world-wide support we got it

These are the kind of stories that make our program so unique and worthwhile. The large Gray The first tag, named “Las Gatos” was deployed on FishTag Research network, all the supporters, April 28, 2018 and popped-off 58 Days later on Charter Captains and Mates, marina personnel th June 25 . The incredible thing about this tag is and friends in general, all pulling together makthat we recovered the actual tag. The fact that ing the program move ahead. We could not do we recovered this tag will allow us to receive this without all the help and we are forever much more in-depth data and we are in the pro- grateful. cess of analyzing and preparing this information as well. More on this amazing story can be read Stay tuned for the most detailed analysis ever, of a Pacific Roosterfish. By getting the actual tag by visiting back, we are now able to get a complete and toThe second PSAT named “Nicaragua” was detal picture of all its activity.

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NEWS & VIEWS ments and animal feed. Omega is by far the largest harvester of menhaden in the Chesapeake and the entire East Coast. The company has not exceeded the new limit for Bay waters in years because it has drawn more of its catch from the

by Karl Blankenship - Bay Journal Atlantic, but officials said the lower number reEast Coast fishery managers have decided to give stricts their future options and has no scientific Virginia until next year to adopt regulations that basis. limit catches of in the Chesapeake States are required to adopt harvest limits set by Bay rather than seek an immediate moratorium the ASMFC. But in Virginia, where the General on harvests.

Assembly sets menhaden regulations, Omega

Virginia Gets One Year to Comply with Menhaden Limits or Face Moritorium

Conservation groups and the fishing industry have been engaged in a long-running battle over how many menhaden can be caught without ecological consequences.

Humans don’t eat menhaden, but the small, oily fish are a critical food for a host of marine life from whales to striped bass. While the overall stock is considered healthy, conservationists have argued that such evaluations do not account for its role as forage for fish, birds and marine mammals.

Last fall, forage fish advocates persuaded the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to slash the maximum allowable harvest in the Bay — where much of the East Coast harvest takes place — from 87,216 metric tons to 51,000 metric tons a year, even as it increased the total allowable coastwide catch.

opposed the change, and the legislation was not brought to a vote.

In May, the ASMFC’s menhaden board considered acting against Virginia, but decided to give the state more time to come into compliance.

That didn’t happen, though. In a June letter to the commission, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said that he and his staff sought to get lawmakers to adopt the new regulations, but “unfortunately, we were not successful.”

The governor said he remained “hopeful” he would ultimately resolve the issue with the General Assembly and asked the commission to not formally find the state out of compliance unless it actually exceeds the new catch limits, which seems unlikely.

At their August meeting, members of the commission’s menhaden board struggled over But the action angered Omega Protein, which whether to take operates a facility in Reedville, VA, that “reduces” action — and whether the federal government large amounts of menhaden caught by its fishing would back it up if they did. fleet into other products, such as fish oil supple-

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Bob Ballou, of the Rhode Island Department of Fish and Wildlife, said failure to act could set a precedent of allowing a state to not enact the commission’s regulations, instead saying “trust us, we’re not going to go over.”

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ber from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Shiels said if the commission did not exert its authority, “at some point there is not going to be an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission with the ability to make decisions about how fisheries are managed up and down the East Coast.”

“I worry that it tears at the fabric of what this commission has always been about,” he said.

“We take, for better or for worse, what this board adopts, and then we implement it. If we don’t or Winning support from the Commerce Department could be an issue. Chip Lynch, an attorney we can’t, there needs to be some level of acwith the National Marine Fisheries Service — countability.” which is part of the department — told board On the other hand, Jim Gilmore, director of the members that the law requires the federal review New York Division of Marine Resources, said the to focus on the conservation of the fishery and Virginia situation was only a “technical noncom- whether any noncompliance jeopardizes the pliance” because Omega’s menhaden harvests in stock. the Bay appeared likely to stay within the comHe said the commission’s own data raised quesmission-approved limit. tions about whether menhaden are in jeopardy.

“I know it is not following our process, but when The ASMFC’s latest review found that menhaden you start looking at all those other factors, foldare not overfished, and the commission itself ing in noncompliance at this point in time may agreed last fall to increase the coastwide catch do more damage than it is going to do good,” he by 8 percent. said.

“This would be the first time ever,” Lynch said, Several members argued that Virginia was get“that the federal government would receive a ting a break because the commission was wornoncompliance referral for a fishery that is not ried that the U.S. Department of Commerce overfished, [and where] overfishing is not occurwould not back up its decision. ring.”

If the commission finds a state failed to comply with its actions, it sends a recommendation to the Department of Commerce requesting that it impose a moratorium on all catches of that species within the offending state.

Recreational fishermen and conservation groups have long argued that the Bay is an important nursery area for menhaden, and they contend that the species may suffer “localized depletion” because of heavy fishing pressure and therefore warrants extra protection.

That’s happened about two-dozen times since 1993 when Congress gave the Commerce secre- But the management plan the ASMFC adopted tary the power to enforce the commission’s aclast year stated there was little evidence to support that concern. It noted that a multi-year retions. search program found that menhaden are highly But last year, for the first time, Secretary Wilbur mobile and local depletion would occur only on Ross rejected a request by the commission to find a “relatively small scale for a relatively short time.”

New Jersey out of compliance for its failure to Nonetheless, the commission has supported a adopt a new catch limit for summer flounder, a cap on Omega’s catch in the Bay since 2005, saymove many viewed as political. ing it “does provide a greater level of protection.”

“If all of us believed that our action here would Ultimately, members of the menhaden board votbe supported by the secretary of Commerce ed to table the issue of Virginia’s compliance until there would not be a discussion around the table next year, giving the General Assembly another right now,” said Andy Shiels, a commission mem- chance to act.

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After the meeting, environmental groups criticized Omega for working against the adoption of the lower limits. “Omega Protein continues to undertake a risky gamble with the health of the Bay’s menhaden population, undermining ASMFC’s efforts to ensure vibrant fish populations and healthy fisheries all along the Atlantic Coast,” said Chris Moore, regional ecosystem scientist for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Omega, meanwhile, said it believed the extra time granted by the menhaden board would allow time for it to work with the state and other stakeholders to find an “equitable solution” for the Bay and that, in the meantime, menhaden were being sustainable managed.

Omega spokesman Ben Landry said “there is nothing in the current operations of the menhaden fishery that would justify a noncompliance finding.”

Some Good News for Pacific Bluefin Tuna

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mance based on its status in 2016, management measures in place now, as well as other harvest scenarios. Overall, the analyses indicate that the stock biomass is expected to reach the initial biomass rebuilding target adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) by 2024 with a 98% probability, and the second biomass rebuilding target by 10 years after reaching the initial rebuilding target or by 2034, whichever is earlier, with a 96% probability. Experts have not yet determined the amount of biomass that would indicate the population is recovered or rebuilt. See the 2018 stock assessment and projections The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission is expected to adopt catch limits for 2019 and possibly beyond at its annual meeting in August 2018. Given the projections for achieving the rebuilding targets are optimistic, the WCPFC may consider increasing catches when it meets in December 2018.

The best way to ensure the long-term sustainability of Pacific bluefin tuna is through international cooperation. NOAA Fisheries recognizes conAlthough the Pacific bluefin tuna numbers concerns about low numbers of Pacific bluefin tuna, tinue to be low, there are signs the population is and the United States has taken several steps to recovering and rebuilding targets set forth by in- control the impact of U.S. harvests and has led ternational agreement are on track to be met. In international action to reduce fishing mortality, July 2018, The International Scientific Committee rebuild the species, and monitor status. for Tuna and Tuna-Like Species in the North PacifISC also assessed the shortfin mako shark and ic Ocean (ISC) released the most recent assessment of Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) Western and Central Pacific swordfish populaand evaluated the likelihood of reaching interna- tions this year and noted no concerns about tionally established rebuilding targets. The blue- these stocks. Want more info? Check out these fin spawning stock biomass (SSB) was estimated bluefin FAQs and our Pacific bluefin tuna page. to be 3.3% in 2016 relative to their unfished SSB, up from 3.0% in 2014. Unfished spawning stock US East Coast Could Build Nearly 9 biomass is the theoretical amount of fish there GW of Offshore Wind Capacity would be had there never been fishing. The amount and rate of bluefin harvested continues Over Next Decade to be high with the greatest catches (and thus impact) on juveniles in the western Pacific Ocean. September 10, 2018 — The US East Coast is leadNOAA Fisheries scientists participate in these as- ing the nation’s charge toward developing an offshore wind industry, and while the country sessments and since 2013 the agency has listed only has 30 MW of offshore wind capacity inPacific bluefin tuna as overfished and subject to stalled currently, if goals are met and announced overfishing. projects are built, the East Coast could have nearThe assessment also projected the stock’s perfor- ly 9 GW of offshore wind capacity by the 2030s.

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are enacted,� Cousart said.

The public meeting at Hotel 1620 on September 25 is open to the public. The final vote is scheduled for 1:45 p.m.

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Chairman Robert T. Healey Jr. Treasurer John Kasinski Board Members Bob Healey, Sr. Pat Healey, Nick Cicero, Tred Barta Jack Holmes Mike Leech Nate Odum Andrew Semprevivo Tony Novelli Jim Motsko Mark Odom Carl T. Huffman Bob Flocken Martin Peters Libby Yranski Bob Shomo Jr.

Making Waves Fall 2018

Viking Group

Viking Yacht Company Viking Yacht Company Viking Yacht Company Folsom Tackle Corporation The World of Tred Barta Southern Kingfish Assn., Retired World Cup Blue Marlin Tournament Mexico Beach Marina & Outfitters Seakeeper, Inc. Contender Boats Ocean City White Marlin Open Main Street Properties Elec-Tra-Mate, Inc Hi-Liner/Diamond Fishing Products Yamaha Marine Group National Marine Manufacturers Assn.

Johnson and Towers Inc

M A K I N G

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The Official Publication of the Recreational Fishing Alliance

The RFA Mission Safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers Protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs Ensure the long-term sustainability of our nation’s fisheries.

Anti-fishing groups and radical environmentalists are pushing their agenda on marine fisheries issues affecting you. The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is in the trenches too, lobbying, educating decision makers and ensuring that the interests of America’s coastal fishermen are being heard loud and clear. Incorporated in 1996 as a 501c4 national, grassroots political action organization, RFA represents recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues on every coast, with state chapters established to spearhead the regional issues while building local support.

“The biggest challenge we face is the fight to reform and bring common sense and sound science into the fisheries management process, says James Donofrio, RFA founder and Executive Director.

“Anti-fishing and extreme environmental groups are working everyday to get us off the water.” Despite the threats to diminish access to our nation’s resources, Donofrio says that RFA offers members hope in an organization that’s designed from the ground up to fight back. “As individuals, our concerns will simply not be heard; but as a united group, we can and do stand up to anyone who threatens the sport we enjoy so much – fishing!”

After nearly 20 years working inside the Beltway and within state capitols along the coast, RFA has become known as one of the nation’s most respected lobbying organizations, and our members have a lot to celebrate.

The Recreational Fishing Alliance Headquarters P.O. Box 3080 New Gretna, New Jersey 08224 Phone: 1-888-JOIN RFA toll free Fax: (609) 294-3812

Jim Donofrio Executive Director

John DePersenaire Managing Director

Gary Caputi Corp. Relations Director

Barry Gibson New England Director

Jim Martin West Coast Director

Sharon Scaltrito Office Manager