The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) hosted the final awards event of the 2013 Great Outdoors Pursuit Games at Burlingame State campground last week.

Every team participating was a winner in that they engaged in healthy outdoor activities together as families. Top prize winning families included: the Anika family of Coventry who took the grand prize… a family kayak package; 1st place went to the Curry/Maytum clan from Cranston, they won a family camping package; 2nd place went to the Kavanaghs of Warwick, who won a family geo-caching package; and third place went to the Davis family of Warwick, winning a family fishing package.

DEM, with support from the RI Department of Health, sponsored the Rhode Island Great Outdoors Pursuit to reunite families with the outdoors, encourage more physical activity, build the next generation of environmental stewards, and showcase state parks and forests. This year 408 teams registered for the Pursuit, including over 1,720 participants, who visited different facilities and took part in outdoor adventures and learned about environmental and health issues.

Sylvia Earle to kick-off 40th anniversary for RWU marine biology program

Roger Williams University will kick off the 40th Anniversary of its marine biology program on Wednesday, September 25 with a presentation from Sylvia Earle, oceanographer and National Geographic explorer-in-residence as part of their President's Distinguished Speakers Series. Earle has dedicated her work to raising awareness of the challenges facing the planet's oceans and ocean life to enable wide and meaningful conservation programs.

Earle is founder of the Mission Blue Foundation and served as the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the early 1990s. She has pioneered research on marine ecosystems and has led more than 100 expeditions totaling more than 7,000 hours underwater. She won the TED prize for her work in 2009 and is a thought leader on marine conservation and protection issues.

The September 25, 7:30 p.m. presentation will take place at Campus Recreation Center at the University's Bristol campus at One Old Ferry Road. A book signing with the author will immediately follow the presentation. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required. Call (401) 254-3201 for information.

DEM ends commercial summer flounder

aggregate landing

program

The DEM announced the end of the commercial summer aggregate landing program and decreased the commercial possession limit for summer flounder to 50 pounds of fish/vessel/day starting August 25. For regulation change summaries visit www.dem.ri.gov/

pubs/regs/regs/fishwild/fishamnd.htm.

Last week to register

for Galilee Fishing

Tournament

This is the last week to register for the Galilee Fishing Tournament taking place September 6, 5:00 p.m. to September 8, 2:00 p.m. Anglers can win charter trips and great tackle shop gift certificates. Junior division fishes for bluefish, black sea bass, fluke, striped bass and scup and can win trophies. Adults fish for bluefish, fluke and striped bass. Register online at www.galileetourney.com or pick up registration forms at most tackle shops (list on web site). Children under 14 free, adult registration is $15.

Marine Fisheries

to hold public meeting September 18

The Marine Fisheries Division of DEM will hold a public meeting on select commercial (and some recreational) fishing management plan amendments Wednesday, September 18. In a meeting agenda on their website DEM said, "(the hearing is meant) to afford interested parties the opportunity for public comment." Comments will be solicited on a variety of agenda items from 2014 management plans for shellfish, crustaceans and finfish sectors. Additional amendments to licensing regulations, lobster, other crustation and horseshoe crab plans; equipment regulations regarding trawling roller gear; and amendments to fish/shellfish dealer regulations regarding horseshoe crabs. The public hearing is at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 18, 2013 in the University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, Corless Auditorium, South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI. Visit www.dem.ri.gov for details.

Where's the bite

Summer flounder (fluke) fishing has been strong in some places and in others it seems to be winding down. Mike Cardinal of Cardinal Bait & Tackle, Westerly said, "Water inland and off our beaches is warmer than normal for this time of year so I think once things cool off the fishing will improve." Jack Hagopian of Cranston said, "We fished off Jamestown … (ten days ago) boated approx 35 flats with ½ being keepers… Biggest flats were caught with whole squids on high/low rigs, no skirts. When we ran out of whole squid, we used the high/low rigs with glo skirts tipped with squid strips & silversides. We worked the same drift and action was pretty consistent." I fished this Saturday at Austin Hollow with Capt. Chuck Daignault of Pascoag, RI and he landed a six pound, 24" fish along with two 21" fish in a 60 minute window using a squid rig tipped with squid and fresh water minnows. Angler George Allen of Portsmouth reports a good fluke and black sea bass bite south of Seal Ledge off Newport in about 45 feet of water this past weekend. Frances Fleet vessels report a good fluke bite with larger fish being taken this week compared to earlier this month. Roger Simpson of the Frances Fleet said, "Poll winners were generally eight to nine pounds and the best fish of the season was a twelve pound fish caught this past Saturday.”

Black sea bass catch limit changes September 1 to December 31 from three fish/person/day to seven fish/person/day. The enhanced limit is just in time for anglers as summer flounder fishing is expected to slow soon as fish head out of local waters.

Striped bass fishing remains strong at Block Island, however spotty everywhere else. Mike Cardinal of Cardinal Bait & Tackle said, "Striped bass fishing is slow with smaller fish being taken at the Weekapaug Breachway and along coastal shores." Anglers have started to use eels more often now but tub & worm and umbrella rings are still working at Block Island. Roberta Drew of Cranston caught her first striped bass on the southwest side of Block Island using live eels. George Allen reports a slow striped bass bite off Newport in the Brenton Reef area last week.

Scup fishing is still very strong. Recreational angler minimum size is 10" and thirty fish/angler/day. However, the regulation for charter and party boats will be enhanced to 45 fish/angler/day from September 1 to October 31.

Tautog fishing is just starting to heat up. Mike Cardinal of Cardinal Bait & Tackle said, "We have had some nice black fish (tautog) being caught in the area along jetties." Those trying rock piles in Narragansett Bay have been having mixed results. Many say it is just a bit early and the fishing will be better in a couple of weeks as the water cools.

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shell fishing on Narragansett Bay for over 40 years. He holds a captain's master license and a charter fishing license. He is a RISAA board member, a member of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association and a member of the RI Marine Fisheries Council. Visit Captain Dave's No Fluke website at www.noflukefishing.com; his blog at www.noflukefishing.blogspot.com or e-mail him at dmontifish@verizon.net.