Printer Friendly Version - Citizen Science Looks Well Into the 21st Century

Pictured is the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting, recently held in Charleston, South Carolina during Hurricane Helene, to address Fiscal Year 2025 Atlantic states’ and partners’ proposals and grant requests. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

John Dusza of Madison caught and released this fresh 36” striped bass while fishing a live mackerel at Popham Beach (a 1607 English colonial settlement) in Phippsburg, Maine, near the mouth of the Kennebeck River. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

This time around, Gabe Acampora (10) of Clinton put a chunk of bunker to use on this armful of a dogfish shark caught in Long Island Sound. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

Enhancing and modernizing recreational fisheries data collection through crowd-sourced citizen science, remote sensing, and emerging AI technology via a well thought-out and developed fishing app are big steps into the future.

In the words of the developer, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-based PhD Research Fishery Biologist, “we stand at the convergence of two transformative trends: seismic advances in multimodal AI technology and the rapid adoption of mobile apps by recreational anglers. This presents a unique opportunity to revolutionize fisheries management and science by leveraging cutting-edge AI models and crowd-sourced data from angler apps to fill in key gaps in our understanding of coastal fisheries and stocks.”

Beginning in the late 1930s, the 15 coastal states from Maine to Florida took steps to develop cooperative mechanisms to define and achieve their mutual interests in coastal fisheries. The most notable of these was their commitment to form the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in 1942 and to work together through the Commission to promote the conservation and management of shared marine fishery resources.

In keeping with that thought, the annual Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASFMC) Operations and Advisors Meeting kicked off in Charleston, South Carolina on Sept. 24 with a full agenda. How to prioritize grant requests from Atlantic state fisheries conservation and management partners was of prime importance and deliberated accordingly. Several grant proposals were presented to the body in detail, including their investigative results, technical data, budget analyses, substantiating documentation, etc., all of which focused on justifying funding.

How to split up the multi-million dollar grant money based on the many criteria when considering a wide range of proposals generates a lot of substantiation, verification, and discussion. When the range of management topics covers data collection, creel surveys, observer programs, port sampling, vessel tracking, trip reporting, citizen science, recreational release data, fishery research, harvesting, socio-economic impacts, etc., there is a lot to cover.

Think about it. Having a fishing app, assisted by AI, being able to document meaningful recreational catch data such as species, size, location, time, tide, moon phase, and angler from a photo by one touch of a button is an advancement that can fill a lot of gaps. Missing data that fisheries management cannot otherwise obtain, like biological and discard data for priority species, is a plus. Is this project worth the funding investment? Will the data be accurately validated? Can enough data be obtained to make a difference in stock assessments? Will this live working app become a standard for recreational fishing data that holds a key to better management in the future? Does this effort adhere to protocol standards even though it ranks high in innovation and merit? The list goes on, imploring answers to questions like these so that funds may be distributed to an array of projects that best represent the goal of ASMFC and ultimately NOAA Fisheries.

Unseasonably prolonged high pressure finally weakened and gave way to an approaching area of low pressure. The low hovered offshore for a few days then proceeded to move a little farther away from the region, but not before prompting small craft advisories. Low pressure pushed further south before high pressure built in from the northeast. Unsettled weather caused gusty easterly winds to kick up to 25 knots, creating seas of around two feet while water temperatures held to the low 70s. During this period of clouds and intermittent rain, the sun managed to poke through, breaking up the pattern. Daytime air temperatures rallied from low to high 70s, while after-dark temperatures dipped into the mid to high 50s and rose into the low to mid 60s, not hampered much by remnants of Hurricane Helene that pounded the south and mid-Atlantic.

Recently touched down from a week of ASMFC fisheries management meetings in the Carolinas and a little extra, shore anglers may have been fishing for shallow-running redfish, drum, specs, and flounder before the storm hit. Up north in home waters, albies, bonito, bass, and blues were fired up. Many eyes were on hardtails, or at least attempting to put a fix on them. Whether stripping flies through the rips or casting them to flurries of fish that popped up, and then jigging for them after they sounded, catching them was taking priority. Keep an eye on the near-shore rips and scattered reefs throughout the Sound.

Break out your topwater plugs and/or flashy spoons to accommodate bluefish blitzes that have been occurring anywhere from mid-Sound to near-shore. Atlantic menhaden has been pushed in and corralled, creating sustained feeding. This has caused an over/under effect with blues slashing and thrashing on top, while stripers snap up pieces down below. Either quietly drifting into the action or letting it come head-on to meet up with a chunk, jig, or spoon can turn out be an apex chain of events. As it has been all season, weakfish are still biting, as more adults approaching 30” are being caught while a mix of fluke sizes are badgering fishers until a keeper is hooked. Timing and location is the key.

It is the season to see schools of bottlenose dolphin feeding on Atlantic menhaden, ocean sunfish, a few visiting shark species, and, of course, to hookup with slab porgies and black sea bass that will be migrating into deeper water - but not just yet. All of this will take place while we await of the return of blackfish (tautog) season on Thursday, Oct. 10. Scooping blue crabs is still occurring in many of the estuaries, but not all are good numbers. Long Island Sound near-shore water temperatures have dipped to around 68 degrees, and gusty winds have recorded seas from about two feet to under a foot.

Inland fisheries continue in its above-par run, as anglers successfully work the lakes, ponds, and rivers. All species found in our waters are feeding aggressively as water temperatures and conditions have been good - with the exception of needing rain. Mid to upper tidal rivers are also quite productive, mostly with bottom feeders, although a few more top water hits have awakened some anglers. If you have a favorite, it will most likely be cooperative if and when fished accordingly.

Shark Encounters: Submit your photos of shark vs. striped bass (or other fish) encounters while reeling in a fish. From a nip or a serious bite to the gills, all photos are of interest to further this season’s research efforts. A snapshot of a fish after the fact and/or one being pursued in the water has importance. Submit email to captainmorganusa@hotmail.com and include name, approximate depth, and location.

Tightlined Slam: Save Oct. 11-13 for this fly rod and light tackle catch-and-release, western Long Island Sound fishing tournament. Nine categories for team and individual competitions targeting striped bass, bluefish, false albacore, and bonito during this well-organized, multi-species event. For details and/or registrations for this popular tourney, contact: tayloringraham@tightlined.com.

Note: Email us pics of your catches to share with our USA and International fishing friends who keep up with the latest fishing news and frequent social media.

For all things fishy, including the latest gear, flies/fly fishing, rods/reels, clam/crabbing supplies, fishing trips, licenses/permits, and much more, swing by the shop (203-245-8665), open seven days, located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline's full-service fishing outfitter and Authorized Penn Premium Dealer, where we don't make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better.