Bass Population Increase Hurts Local Fishermen

  In Deephole, Matunuck, just after casting an eel at midnight, former South Kingstown High School graduate Kevin Babcock, hooks onto a monster bass. Babcock fights the fish relentlessly for about ten minutes.

  Finally, after making its third run, the striper gives in.  Babcock ends up catching a 35 pound striped bass.

  Babcock said, “I’m souped I caught that big of a fish. Me, my brother and my dad ended up catching 35 pounders that night.”

  Babcock is one of the many bass fishermen who have been enjoying great fishing this fall.

  Each  fall, striped bass form into schools and migrate along the beaches to the south from September to later November.

  In fact, bass fisherman have not only been benefiting from the “schoolies” running along the local beaches but also the increase in the bass population over the last 20 years.

  In July 2008, local fisherman Peter Vican caught the mother of all bass, the state record. Vican’s fish tipped the scales at seventy-six pounds and stretched fifty-five inches.

  To the average person, a growing bass population appears great for fishing and the ecosystem.

  However, many commercial fishermen believe the higher bass population contributes to the decline of many fisheries, specifically, local lobster and eel fisherman. Due to the population of striped bass, many commercial fisherman who have earned their living for decades the water, have been prematurely forced into retirement.

  One local lobsterman, Steve Northup, believes striped bass and other fish contribute to the downfall of the lobster industry.

  “Definitely the last ten years have been horrible,” Northup said.  “This year is the worst year I have ever had.” 

  As a lobsterman for fifty-eight years, Northup has experienced a severe decrease in the amounts of lobsters he harvests each year.

  Striped bass and many other fish feast on lobsters of all sizes. As a result, lobster populations are on the decline.

 Typically, striped bass congregate along rocks and other structures along the shoreline.

However, Northup has been seeing bass where he ordinarily has never seen them before.

   He said “I have seen bass in the mud hole, south of sharks, ledge, and even at depths of 250 feet.”

  Striped bass normally roam in areas closer to the shoreline, in about 60 feet of water. However, now bass have been spotted as far as 15 miles of shore, in 250 feet of water.

  As a result, striped bass are eating more lobsters and hurting lobsterman like Northup.

  Many days throughout the past summer Northup bypassed on fishing, due to the fact that he was earning such little money for his arduous work.

  Northup said “This year I haven’t made any money. I am just finished paying off my slip and I still owe over a thousand dollars for my bait. If next year is as bad as this year I will definitely be forced into retirement.”

   That’s what happened to local eel fisherman Richard Hopkins who retired last April.

  Hopkins, previous owner of RH fisheries, sold his business last spring. Hopkins used to distribute eels to bait shops ranging from Providence all the way to New Haven, Connecticut.

  From the 1984 to 1990, Hopkins caught all of his eels in local ponds and rivers. It used to be enough for Hopkins to fish the local rivers and ponds to supply the bait shops with enough eels.

  However, Hopkins said “as the population of the striped bass rose, I watched the eel population decline.” This forced Hopkins to travel longer distances from Virginia all the way to Canada in order to adequately supply his bait shops

 with enough eels. Hopkins would drive countless of hours, day and night, in order to make his business survive.

  Eventually, Hopkins said he had enough. “I decided to retire due to my age and the extensive traveling,” he said.

  Essentially, striped bass forced Hopkins to retire because they diminished the local eel population, which his business relied upon.

  Northup, Hopkins and other commercial fishermen say something must be done in order to end the madness, and ultimately save the careers of local fisherman. They say the striped bass population has spiraled out of control, which equates to more bass preying upon other fish and other sea life.

   Both commercial and recreational fishermen recognize policies and regulations must be implemented in order to control the local catches of striped bass.

  Currently, there are strict commercial and recreational regulations placed on the harvesting of striped bass.

  Previously, from 1984-1990, The Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act was implemented. The Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act contained laws in which both commercial and recreational fishermen were not able to sell or keep striped bass. These laws aimed to bring back the striped bass population until 95 percent of female bass from 1982 were able to reproduce once.

  Now, commercial fisherman are allowed to sell striped bass in two short 1-2 week seasons in Rhode Island,  in the middle of June for about two weeks and in mid September, which only lasts about five days.

  The amount of bass caught in relation to the state quota determines how long the sale of commercial striped bass will be open for. Fisherman can sell five fish per day in June and two fish per day in September. This quota limits the how long the two commercial seasons are open during June and September.

  Recreational fishermen, who fish as a hobby, are able to keep striped bass year round. However, they are strictly limited to being able to keep two fish per day.

  Commercial and recreational bass regulations differ from state to state. Oddly in Massachusetts, commercial fisherman can sell twenty eight fish per day. However, in Connecticut, Maine, and New Hampshire, commercial fisherman are not allowed to sell striped bass. Clearly, there is a wide range in regulations from state to state.

  Northup, Hopkins, and other commercial fisherman suggest to raise the state quota on striped bass. This would result in commercial fisherman catching more striped bass, which would lower the population.

  Hopefully, they say, a lower striped bass population would equate to more lobsters, eels, and other fish that the bass feed on.

  If nothing is done to restrict the striped bass population, Hopkins simply believes: “fisherman will be put out of business.”