Rhode Island goes with the ASMFC Striper Slot!!

There was much noise recently that Rhode Island would go with their own striper slot, allowing the harvest of larger fish, but out of the blue the conformed to the 28 - <35" slot. Props to The Ocean State. Props to Director Janet Coit for ignoring her Marine Fisheries Council play for more fish and recognizing that unless the slot is coast wide, it's meaningless. Now we have consistency from NY to Maine, but then there's NJ. If as they claim, the fish have abandoned NJ beaches and stay in the EEZ, it would be another example of what a cruel and heartless bi-atch Karma can be...

Here's the RI blurb:

The Rhode Island DEM has announced that for 2020, recreational striped bass fishermen will be allowed to keep 1 fish per day, within the slot limit of 28″ to <35″ with a season open year round. This makes Rhode Island’s rules consistent with other states from New York to Maine.

The decision, made by RIDEM Director Janet Coit, was a surprising dissent from the recommendation of the RI Marine Fisheries Council to create a special set of rules for recreational fishermen and a separate set of rules for for-hire (charter) fishermen.


“I find the coastwide measure to be most risk-averse and best suited to quickly and effectively reduce fishing mortality and rebuild the striped bass stock,” wrote Coit, in a detailed memo.

Director Coit's official memo is attached below. Lady has guts, and my utmost respect...