Digital Extra

The daily report from the pages of the Journal-Bulletin

M a r c h  1 9 9 6  S t o r i e s

3/30: State to open local waters to fishing
Governor Almond yesterday announced that the state portion of Block Island Sound closed to fishing after the Jan. 19 North Cape oil spill will reopen Tuesday to commercial draggers.

3/23: R.I. reopens prime lobster grounds off Newport
The state eased the North Cape fishing ban another notch yesterday, reopening about 15 square miles of prime lobstering grounds off Newport and permitting limited fishing in the Washington County salt ponds.

3/14: Fishing ban eased in area polluted by oil spill between Pt. Judith and Block Island
The North Cape fishing ban was eased yesterday. The action by the federal government was the first letup in a seven-week-long prohibition against all fishing in a 250-square-mile area between Point Judith and Block Island.

3/11: 3 New England states look for ways to stop oil spills
Since the North Cape oil spill, lawmakers in three New England states have been racing to draft regulations aimed at preventing similar disasters.

3/6: Fishermen wary of settlement
Despite assurances to the contrary, the Rhode Island Lobstermen's Association is worried that future claims against the owner of the barge North Cape may be denied if fishermen and others accept partial payments now.

3/3: Fishing ban tangled in bureaucracy
At first, they didn't realize they were doing something so unusual.

3/2: Reed, Kennedy seek more oil-barge controls
PROVIDENCE -- Congressmen Jack Reed and Patrick Kennedy, who last month introduced legislation to tighten federal tug regulations, yesterday proposed further restrictions on oil barges.