Chesapeake Bay News Freshwater Fishing NewsVirginia recreational anglers caught and released 2.5 million red drum in 2013, according to the federal Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). By comparison, anglers reported 61,330 in 2011 and 28,000 in 2010. Virginia’s 2012 red drum harvest is estimated to be nearly 300,000 fish. Anglers harvested less than 3,000 red drum in 2010 and 2011. [...]
In April, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) announced that enthusiasts have downloaded its free HuntFishVA mobile app more than 25,000 times. The application is available for the iPhone®, iPod Touch®, and Android &trade platforms. The HuntFishVA app was designed with hunters and anglers in mind, allowing users to search for a [...]
The National Marine Fisheries Service is taking two actions regarding the recreational Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) Angling category fishery: (1) closure of the southern area trophy BFT fishery (73″ or greater) effective 11:30 p.m. local time, Thursday, April 4, through the remainder of 2013; and (2) adjustment of the daily retention limit that applies to [...]
Virginia has scheduled a hearing to gather public comment on Draft Addendum XXIV to the Summer Flounder Fishery Management Plan. The date, time, and location of the scheduled meeting is: Virginia Marine Resources Commission March 26, 2013; 6 PM 2600 Washington Avenue Fourth Floor Newport News, Virginia Contact: Rob O’Reilly at 757.247.2248 The Draft Addendum [...]
The Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) recently announced new recreational flounder regulations for the 2013 fishing season. The Commission lowered the recreational angling minimum size limit from 16.5 to 16 inches. The recreational creel limit for summer flounder is (4) fish, with no seasonal closures. According to VMRC, recreational anglers are subject to lowest minimum [...]
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved Addendum XXIII to the Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Addendum allows for the use of regional measures to manage the 2013 black sea bass recreational fishery. The FMP, adopted in the 1996, only allowed for the [...]
The ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board recently initiated the development of Draft Addendum XXIV to the Summer Flounder FMP. The Draft Addendum will propose a mechanism to allow states access to recreational harvest limits (RHL) that are projected to not be harvested in 2013. source: ASMFC
Members of the fishing industry and other stakeholders are invited to attend public listening sessions in North Carolina and Virginia with John Bullard, the NOAA Fisheries Regional Administrator for the Northeast Region. The first listening session will be held in Manteo, North Carolina on February 11 at the North Carolina Aquarium. The second listening session [...]
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) is soliciting public input as part of the scoping process for Amendment 5 to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan. Amendment 5 would revise management parameters such as Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), Annual Catch Limits (ACLs), sector allocations, and other values for dolphin and wahoo based on updated [...]
At its December meeting in Baltimore, MD, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council considered a number of issues related to the recreational black sea bass fishery. The fishery closed on November 1 after preliminary landings estimates indicated that the harvest limit had been exceeded. The closure prompted concerns related to the black sea bass stock assessment [...]
