Fishing
The federal government will continue to foot the bill for its mandatory at-sea monitoring program for another year, after meeting with fishermen and state representatives in recent weeks and reviewing the economic impact of the costs associated with the year-old catch shares fisheries management program.
Striped bass were scarce at this year's derby, following a trend in recent years, but Vineyard fishermen may have reason for optimism after two major stock assessments have shown a record or near-record number of spawning fish in the Chesapeake Bay.
Two fishermen participating in the 66th annual Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby had their leading fish pulled from the contest on Monday, for not registering for a state saltwater fishing license. While the derby officials are not disqualifying the fishermen or sharing their names, the organization hopes that anglers participating in the contest get the message. To fish in the derby, anglers must comply with state and federal fishing requirements.
It happens every autumn; a big northeaster blows across the Island stirring the waters all along the waterfront. After the storm has passed, a tragedy is discovered. Millions of baby bay scallops are discovered washed up in the wrack line on the beach.
Every time a storm hits the Island, it takes a small army of brave volunteers to save the scallops. Or worse, there are just too many of them, so millions are left to die.
A chilly northeast breeze was no deterrent to the Kids Day Derby on Sunday morning, which drew close to 200 youngsters to the Oak Bluffs Steamship Authority wharf. Though the fishing contest proved to be more like a scup festival, it was a 21 1/4-inch striped bass caught by seven-year-old Chelsea Bouchard of Marstons Mills, in the last half-hour of the contest, that won the prize for the biggest fish overall. Unlike most other fishing contests, in the Kids Derby it is the length of the fish and not the weight that is measured.
Warming waters around Martha’s Vineyard have discouraged what once were abundant fish. Top fisheries scientists with the National Marine Fisheries Service recently released a report citing the dramatic influence changing climate has had on at least one of the fish that used to spend a lot of time in these waters: Atlantic mackerel.
Atlantic mackerel have shifted away from the Vineyard and now are found more east and northeast, according to the report.