‘Bay of the Future’ at the Hamilton Family Aquarium

Our ocean, bays and estuaries have absorbed much of the heat created by global warming due to the burning of fossil fuels and the creation of greenhouse gases. The result is that the ten warmest years in history have all occurred in the past decade, according to Climate.gov.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island anglers have caught more warm water fish, such as black sea bass and scup, as well as exotic warm-water fish such as cobia, wahoo, mahi-mahi, and increasing numbers of bluefin and yellowfin tuna. Tarpon have even been caught from Massachusetts and Rhode Island beaches.

So, I was happy to hear from Steve Miller, a fellow Saltwater Anglers Association member and volunteer at Save the Bay’s Hamilton Family Aquarium in Newport, that the aquarium had a ‘Bay of the Future’ exhibit. Fish in the exhibit are caught by museum staff or caught and donated by commercial and recreational fishers.

It is great to have new fish to catch and/or observe in our waters, but science tells us all is not rosy. Our estuaries may not be able to support them, they may have a new set of predators here, they may be predators themselves to fish already here, and/or they may not be able to survive once the water gets cold again. Additionally, warming water has been proven to hamper fish spawning ability.

So we need fishing laws and programs that help protect fish that are relocating due to climate impacts.

Most fish in the ‘Bay of the Future’ exhibit are exotic warm water fish that hitched a ride on the Gulf Stream and got off at Rhode Island when our waters were warm. The aquarium has the largest display of tropical strays in the northeast.

The exhibit includes the buffalo trunkfish, a triangular shaped fish that releases an extremely toxic liquid when threatened; the scrawled cowfish; the Atlantic moonfish and a host of other exotic fish that I have never seen before but are simply beautiful. Thinking these fish are here now and will occupy our estuaries, bays, and ocean in greater abundance in the future is exciting and frightening all at the same time.

The aquarium also has touch tanks for children and a special ‘Feeding Frenzy’ program where you can step up to the tank and feed the aquarium’s residents right alongside their animal care team.

“We are dedicated to aquatic education,” said Jennifer Dufuid, operations manager at Save the Bay’s Hamilton Family Aquarium. “Know more and you will care more. We put this belief into practice with Rescue, Breeding and Nursery programs.”

Save the Bay’s Hamilton Family Aquarium is at 23 America’s Cup Drive, Newport. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Admission is $15, seniors $13 with children two and under free. Visit Save The Bay’s Hamilton Family Aquarium - Save The Bay.

Squid invasion explained

Ryan Collins of ‘My Fishing Cape Cod’ (MFCC) said, “The Cape was inundated with squid this past weekend. Reports of stripers chasing squid along the beaches of Cape Cod Bay, the Canal, in the Sounds and in Buzzards Bay have been trickling in.”

“Last weekend saw an enormous school of large squid enter the Canal from Cape Cod Bay, as well as silversides as far as I could see. The calamari dream squirted in close on the mainland side and out to almost the center of the Ditch (Canal) for the entire 7 miles,” said East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author.

“The Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown shared a video to their Instagram account that showed a large number of squid chasing baitfish and beaching themselves in the process,” said Jimmey Fee, On-The-Water magazine editor.

Warming waters, a climate change impact, are thought by some to be impacting fish abundance, relocation and migration patterns. “Shortfin squid usually live out their short lifespans (less than a year) over depths of 500 to 1,000 feet over the continental shelf. Some years, however, massive schools of these squid appear inshore, possibly due to Gulf Stream currents. The squid sometimes end up inside Cape Cod Bay, and it is common for marine life to end up trapped and stranded in the Bay,” said Fee.

Visit “Why are thousands of squid beaching themselves on Cape Cod?” - On The Water for the article and video.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater. This is an exciting time of year for freshwater fishing too, as our waterways have come alive with all types of insects. Trout fishing is very good in ponds restocked in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In Massachusetts visit Trout stocking report | Mass.gov and in Rhode Island visit Designated Trout Waters | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

Striped bass and bluefish

Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box, Warwick, said, “The warm weather this weekend shut down the striped bass shore bite, however some anglers were hooking up with fish along the channel pads in the East Passage around the islands fishing with eels or trolling umbrella rigs as well as tube and worm.”

Declan Donnell of Breakaway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown, said, “The striped bass bite continues to be very good. Fishing out front, in the bay, and around Block Island has remained consistent. Bass are still moving around and migrating through; they haven’t completely settled into their summertime patterns yet. The breachways and beaches continue to produce, but the bite has transitioned more into an early morning, evening, and nighttime game.”

Summer flounder (fluke) and black sea

Tom Olson of Ponaug Bait & Tackle, Warwick, said, “Anglers had difficulty hooking up in the Warwick Neck area this week. The summer flounder and black sea bass usually there this time of year are not being caught, no reports of squeteague being caught either.”

The black sea bass off Newport had been good on ledgers earlier in the week but the weekend saw a slow fishery for fluke and black sea bass. Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box, said, “We now have large scup to 14” and 15” being caught in the Bay at the Rocky Point Fishing Pier.”

Angler Matthew Haczynski on the R.I. Saltwater Anglers Association blog said, “Last Saturday four of us caught a handful recreational keepers at the mouth of Narragansett Bay and the Sakonnet River in 25’ to 45’ of water. Fluke were tossing up large sand eel and some very small squid. The keeper to short ratio was not good.”

Dave Monti holds a master captain’s license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business focusing on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy, and fisheries related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net  or visit www.noflukefishing.com .