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Author:
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7/6/2011 7:37 PM
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Another MVSA Blog by Dave
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By dbalon on
9/11/2019 1:05 PM
Thanks to the recent dedicated work
of Sam Hart and Chris Kennedy of TTOR and Don Scarpone and Ron Domurat of the
Martha's Vineyard Surfcaster's Association, good news from the Prez and the
Trustees can be provided as in the notes below. Please follow all rules and
guidelines, and report those who don't.
"September 9, 2019
Dear Martha’s Vineyard Surfcaster’s
Association Member and Derby Entrant,
Below please find the notice from The
Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) regarding permitted OSV travel along the
bayside trail to and from Chappaquiddick during the upcoming Derby.
As many of you are aware, the trail
along the ocean side on Norton Point is badly eroded beginning at a point
approximately two miles beyond the guard shack. Travel along the front beach is
not possible. This agreement was the result of a recent meeting between MVSA
members and the Trustees’ Island office and reflects our continuing efforts to
balance safe access with beach integrity and regulatory compliance under the MA
Endangered Species Act which we must follow.
All OSV operators should be aware that the
trail along Katama Bay is subject to flooding during periods of high tide.
Travel along the trail should not be attempted in the four hour period starting
two hours before until two hours after high tide in Edgartown. OSV operators
who attempt to travel during that window run the risk of driving through water
and should a problem arise help will not be available from the
Trustees.
As Derby anglers please respect the
Trustees wishes regarding fencing and roped off areas as any abuse of that
trust could result in the loss of whatever limited travel privileges are
available to us. Ropes are not to be cut and stakes are not to be
moved.
Thank you,
Don Scarpone, President"
"September 9, 2019
Access for Over Sand Vehicles (OSV) to
Chappaquiddick to and from Norton Point will be allowed on Friday, September 13th -
Sunday, October 19thfor the duration of the MV Striped Bass and
Bluefish Derby. Access will be limited to the Katama Bay side of Norton
Point at or near low tide only. Please note that use of the bayside trail
on Norton Point will be limited during high tides due to portions of the trail
being flooded so do pay close attention to the tides.
The Trustees greatly value their
relationship and partnership with our local fishing and hunting communities and
we look to you for help in ensuring that derby participants adhere to all beach
regulations and, in particular, confine OSV travel to the fenced-off travel
corridors provided. Failure to stay within the approved corridors may impact
the health and resilience of the beach system itself and is likely to cause
destruction of state-listed endangered species and plants, which would
constitute a prosecutable offense under the Massachusetts Endangered Species
Act. The MV Surfcasters Association and The Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby
Committee have agreed to encourage responsible beach use among their
membership. The Trustees reserve the right to close any or all
sections of the beach if regulations are not observed.
Our Mission is to “preserve, for public
use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological
value in Massachusetts." The coastal properties we own or manage on
Martha’s Vineyard are stunning examples of places where public enjoyment,
natural beauty, and ecological values coincide.
We wish tight lines to Derby
participants – but please, fish responsibly. Observe all rules,
posted and un-posted, for beach use. Confine your travel to designated
corridors and encourage others to do likewise.The Vineyard’s beaches
are a resource for everyone – and that means all are responsible for keeping
them healthy."
Please direct any
comments or suggestions to Don Scarpone:
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By dbalon on
8/28/2019 9:39 AM
We recently received this e-mail from the owner of the
Windmill house on Chappy. (08/27/19)
“Yesterday, I was delivering supplies to the
house, Dave one of my guys was an hour ahead. He ran into one of the Sport
Casters (Surfcaster) members who saw a white jeep cut the fence down in a few
spots, he told Dave he confronted them...they were not too friendly..and said
"we don't care"
I want to thank who ever it was, I
appreciate your guys making an effort to keep things friendly between the
fishing community and my efforts to keep the area accessible to fishing. There
is always one bad apple.
I think it may be time to adjust the fence
line, everyday the access changes due to tides. I will work on it this week. I
also will be adding small pieces of reflective tape on the fence posts, I think
it will help the fisherman navigate at night.
This kind of behavior by a member of the fishing
community on Martha’s Vineyard is unacceptable.
As Matt said, “there is always one bad apple”.
Although one bad apple doesn’t spoil the whole bunch it does give all of us a bad name and is a black
eye for the angling community in general.
Matt is an angler himself and a good guy. He takes a lot
of pride in his property and is dedicated to preserving it’s natural beauty. He
has worked with us to keep high tide access to the Gut available and he has
also agreed to open an area just south of his house for parking during the
Derby. He does not have to do this. Please be appreciative by showing respect
for him and his property and please, if you see something, say something before
we lose total access to the entire area.
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By dbalon on
8/9/2019 8:38 PM
Arlington,
VA - The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Atlantic Striped Bass
Management Board (Board) approved Draft Addendum VI for public comment. The
Addendum was initiated in response to the 2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment which
indicates the resource is overfished and experiencing overfishing. The Draft
Addendum explores a range of management alternatives designed to end
overfishing and reduce fishing mortality to the target level in
2020.
"The
Draft Addendum is a critical first step to stem overfishing as quickly as
possible and begin efforts to rebuild the biomass," said Board Chair Dr.
Michael Armstrong with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.
"Following approval of the Addendum, the Board will likely initiate a new
amendment to consider a longer term strategy to fully rebuild the
resource."
The Draft
Addendum proposes management options for both commercial and recreational
sectors in the ocean and in Chesapeake Bay in order to reduce total fishery
removals by 18% relative to 2017 levels. The proposed measures include reduced
quotas for commercial fisheries, and changes in bag limits, minimum sizes, and
slot size limits for the recreational sector. Since catch and release practices
represent a significant component of overall fishing mortality, the Draft
Addendum also explores the mandatory use of circle hooks when fishing with bait
to reduce release mortality in recreational striped bass fisheries.
It is anticipated the majority of Atlantic coastal states will conduct
public hearings on the Draft Addendum; a subsequent press release will announce
the details of those hearings once they become finalized. Fishermen and other
interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either
by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The Draft
Addendum will be available on the Commission website (www.asmfcorg) under Public
Input by August 19th. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM
(EST) on September 27, 2019 and should be forwarded to Max Appelman, Fishery
Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA
22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at comments@asmfc.org
(Subject line: Draft Addendum VI). Organizations planning to release an action
alert in response to Draft Addendum VI should contact Max Appelman at mappelman@asmfc.org or
703.842.0740.
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By dbalon on
8/5/2019 9:02 AM
If you care about rebuilding our striped bass stocks to provide
the great fishing we enjoyed in the early 2000s, please copy this
letter, add your own info in place of mine if you wish, and send it to your
state ASMFC representatives from the list down below. Please do this
immediately. The ASMFC is meeting on these issues on Thursday
August 8. Even if you only send to one of the reps, it will be helpful but
we need EVERYONE to participate in order to ensure we are successful. NUMBERS
COUNT!! Let’s not let them squander our fishery any further.
"Dear
Science
has indicated that Striped Bass are overfished and overfishing is
occurring.
Amendment
6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass requires
the ASMFC to reduce fishing mortality to a level at or below the target within
one year, and to rebuild those stocks within 10 years. We hope that you will
act accordingly and in good faith by fulfilling
your responsibilities. I am angry that the ASMFC has failed to act
before we found ourselves in our current position and I am frustrated by the
ASMFC’s lack of accountability and failure to act in accordance with their
mission and legal responsibilities.
I
ask that you move to initiate or support an addendum to the Atlantic Striped
Bass Fishery Management Plan to address these issues. We need to end
overfishing and rebuild the stocks within ten years and we need to protect the
strong Young of Year classes as they grown to sexual maturity and beyond.
I
am strongly against lowering the target and numbers through a proposed addendum
process to allow a smaller population of striped bass in our waters. We had
sufficient numbers and wonderful fishing after striped bass stocks were
declared rebuilt in the early 90’s and there is no biological reason why we
can’t enjoy the high numbers of the early 2000’s again. A restored recreational
fishery would greatly benefit the economy through increased tackle sales,
guided fishing and head boat trips, as well as the hospitality and tourism
industry and a myriad of other businesses including the hundreds of small lure
and tackle manufacturers. Lowering the bar on our striper stocks would
obviously have an inverse affect on the economy.
Finally,
I find it impossible to accept a plan as proposed that has only a 50% chance of
success. That is another way of saying it has a 50% chance of failure. Not sure
about you but I would not cross a bridge if I knew in advance I only had a 50 %
chance of making it to the other side.
The
ASMFC’s lack of effective action over the last several years has led us to our
current sad state of affairs and I personally am appalled by proposals to lower
the target and threshold numbers that were set to trigger action and rebuild
our fishery. I ask you to think deeply about this and act in accordance with
the law, the mission of the ASMFC and your duty to the recreational and
commercial fishermen in the state of Massachusetts and the entire Striper
coast.
Respectfully,
Name
Physical address
Email address"
DR. MIKE ARMSTRONG ENVIRONMENTAL
ANALYST
EMAIL: MICHAEL.ARMSTRONG@STATE.MA.US
PHONE: (617)727-3336 x109
FAX: (617)727-3337
POSITION: CHAIR
REP. SARAH K. PEAKE
EMAIL: SARAHKPEAKE@GMAIL.COM
PHONE: (617)722-2210
FAX: (617)722-2239
POSITION: COMMISSIONER LEGISLATIVE
DAN MCKIERNAN DEPUTY DIRECTOR
MA DMF
BOSTON MA 02114-2119
EMAIL: DAN.MCKIERNAN@STATE.MA.US
PHONE: (617)626-1536
FAX: (617)626-1509
POSITION: PROXY, ADMINISTRATIV
RAYMOND KANE OUTREACH COORDINATOR
EMAIL: RAY@CAPECODFISHERMEN.ORG
PHONE: (508)367-1693
FAX:
POSITION: COMMISSIONER GOV. APPOINT
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By dbalon on
7/26/2019 2:50 PM
IN-HOUSE MVSA WASQUE FISHING
TOURNAMENT
AUGUST 1, 2019 5:00 PM – AUGUST 4, 2019 11:00 PM
WASQUE POINT
The
largest fish for the entire tournament will claim the prize. Sharks may also be
entered, using circle hooks only and careful catch
and release technique. Greg Skomal has shown an interest in
being present to tag any sharks caught; please be as helpful as possible to
Greg and his team.
Size will be assessed by length, not weight.
Shore fishing only from Wasque. Please respect
all bird fencing and beach regulations.
Contact Prez Don at Wasque during the
tournament to enter, for explanation of the measuring technique and rules, and
to pay your entry fee.
Please contact Prez Don in the meantime for any
questions: donaldscarpone@yahoo.com
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By dbalon on
7/6/2019 4:10 PM
Janet Messineo, the former president of the Martha’s
Vineyard Surfcasters Association, will be at An Unlikely Story Bookstore &
Cafe in Plainville, MA on Wednesday, July 10th at 7pm to discuss her new
memoir, CASTING INTO THE LIGHT. We would love it if you could share this news
with your community. The event is FREE to attend and people can sign up at www.anunlikelystory.com/event/janet-messineo.
The book gives a full portrait of Janet's fishing journey
and details everything from Janet’s obsession with striped bass, her dream of
becoming a marine taxidermist, her favorite fish recipes, and even an account
of the women anglers who came before her. At the event, Janet will discuss her
captivating memoir, answer audience questions, and sign books. Beer & wine
will be available for purchase at this event.
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By dbalon on
6/16/2019 5:34 PM
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Windmill
House Update:
Over
the past several months, some MV Surfcasters have been talking to the new owner
of the Windmill House about fishing access, passage, etc to that area of Cape
Poge.
On
Saturday afternoon, working in agreement with the new owner, a group of
MV Surfcasters moved the approximate 1 mile stretch of fence line an additional
10' to 15' inward. There is now extra room for car travel to/from The
Gut, with the usual caveat that at high tide water floods the access as it has
always done.
The
WMH owner likes to fish and understands there is often good fishing in this
area. In short, he is friendly to us fisherman. For our part, we
need to respect his property, the dunes and wildlife, the same as we do for the
rest of Cape Poge.
Most
importantly:
Please
respect the fence lines (yes, even at high tide when your car will get wet).
Do not drive "behind the lines", there is plenty room between
the shore and the rope fence for passage. Note that the first breach (east,
before reaching the house) has created a basin and will be flooded at high
tide, hopefully with time this fills in with more sand.
Please
don't make it a beach day along his stretch of property (it's not a typical
"beach" spot anyway). Depending on the tide there is room for
2-3 car widths room for passage, same as it has been historically. If
there are breaking fish, stop and catch them, then move on. Be respectful of
access/passage to and thru this area for all.
I've
been very encouraged by the discussions to date - he's done an amazing job
cleaning up the area (there was tons of junk in and around the house that he
has removed).
Thanks
to Ron, Jack L, Brad, Jonathan, Joe, Jack, Ralph, Jason and everyone else that
helped move the fencing, it went smoothly and quickly.
Click this link to see photos.
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By dbalon on
4/16/2019 12:49 PM
On Earth Day, Saturday
April 20, 2019, there will be an island-wide beach clean-up.
The event is sponsored
by the Vineyard Conservation Society (VCS), but our club has traditionally been
responsible for clean-up of Norton Point and South Beach. In recent years, only
a few dedicated members of our club have been showing up.
Men & women of the
club: can we do better this year? It’s one of our ways of giving back to the
community, and of supporting our ecologic mission.
Just show up (no need to register in advance)
at the left fork restroom/changing area on
Saturday April 20, 2019 at 10 am.
Gloves and bags are provided; many
members bring their own gloves. Clean-up lasts until 12:00pm, or earlier if the
work is completed. A lot of volunteers will make for a good time and short
work.
And free food afterwards from the VCS at the MV
Sailing Camp Park in OB from 12:00 – 2 pm! The clean-up after party
will include a raffle. (see below)
"VCS Earth
Day Beach Clean-Up After Party
Join the Vineyard
Conservation Society (VCS) at the Oak Bluffs Sailing Camp for great food, a
free raffle, and to compare your treasure hunting stories. There will be plenty
of soups, salad and pizza for all. And of course there will be treats. No
hardworking beach-cleaner should go without some refreshments.
This year’s event
will feature two raffles, one for adults and another for the kids. We will be
giving out prizes all party long. Another fun prize comes courtesy of the
MV Shellfish Group, who are holding their fundraiser extravaganza later that
night: show your selfie from the Beach Clean-Up at the door and get $5 off of
admission. Finally, many thanks to Coral Shockey from Featherstone Center
for the Arts for bringing some art education to the event, sharing the joy of
creative garbage-craft with kids of all ages.
Saturday, April 20 at 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Sailing Camp Park
177 Barnes Road, Oak Bluffs, MA
02557"
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By dbalon on
4/16/2019 12:35 PM
The March MVSA Newsletter is out and Spring is well underway with some nice warm days ahead. The Stripers will be here soon so don't get caught dusting off your equipment when the bite is on. In this edition, there is a special section for Ken Beebe's Alaskan Fishing trip too...so awesome!
Other great topics are included such as the club monthly meeting updates, Beach Cleanup (April 20), Beach Picnics, Used Tackle sale, Calendar of Events and more.
Click on the link below to go directly to the March 2019 Newsletter.
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By dbalon on
3/6/2019 11:42 AM
The February MVSA Newsletter is out as we edge out of winter and closer to the 2019 fishing season! Mother Nature threw 16+ inches of snow on the mainland but that just gives everyone more time to get their fishing gear ready. In this edition, there are also some great pics from the January MVSA Banquet and Raffle. It was an awesome event!
Other great topics are included such as the club monthly meeting updates, 2018 MVSA In-House Derby awards, MVSA Angler of the Year 2018 (Hint: Think of a fancy drink), MVSA Club Library update, MVSA Annual Dues, Calendar of Events and more.
Click on the link below to go directly to the February 2019 Newsletter.
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