THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 13, 1995 TAG: 9508130758
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB HUTCHINSON
LENGTH: Long : 107 lines
When Virginia anglers started paying for the right to go saltwater fishing three years ago, you didn't have to be psychic to predict that a lot of folks would want a slice of the $1.4 million annual license pie. But few could have predicted just how widespread and ridiculous the greed would be.
The money has been used to fund a lot of projects, some good and some bad. A complete survey of the economic impact of recreational fishing comes under the former, while launching-ramp improvement in Hampton falls under the latter, at least from this viewpoint.
But now comes the most ridiculous request yet. The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has asked for $300,000 a year for five years, a total of $1.5 million, for its shad-restoration project. The request was made at a recent meeting of the citizens' board that advises the Virginia Marine Resources Commission on spending the money.
The shad population is horrendously low. So, on the surface, this might seem like a worthwhile expenditure.
Not!
For one thing, virtually all shad taken recreationally in Virginia are caught in fresh water, well upstream in the state's major rivers. In these waters, you need a freshwater license to fish.
For another, virtually all shad caught in the state's salt waters are caught commercially.
So if public funds are to pay for a shad-restoration project, let them come from freshwater and commercial fishermen.
However, the advisory board stopped short of that, despite protests from some members. It voted to match the money being directed annually at the program from commercial license sales ($40,000 in 1995) but to limit those matching funds to $100,000 annually.
Recreational fishermen should adamantly oppose using any saltwater license money for the project when it goes before the voting members of the Marine Resources Commission on Aug. 22. It's wrong.
The only possible tie-in to recreational fishing would be the shad's value as a forage fish, which almost certainly is minuscule. But the commission already has turned down a request to fund a similar study of the menhaden, unquestionably much more valuable for forage.
The commission needs to give this one a quick boot, just as the advisory board did to a $5,000 request from the Division of Parks for an engineering study of improvements to the bulkhead at Kiptopeke State Park.
DOVE OUTLOOK: Dove hunters should encounter some fast shooting in coastal sections of Virginia and North Carolina unless the area is blasted by strong northeasters or a hurricane in the next three weeks.
The mourning dove season opens Sept. 2 in both states, with officials saying the area's population is at least as good as it was a year ago.
The nationwide population is also at or above 1994 levels, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The federal agency estimates the nation's dove population at 475 million birds.
As usual, the key to success will be getting access to a harvested grain field or a recent cutover.
Dove could scatter to the west if coastal sections are buffeted by strong storms over the next few weeks. And they could be scattered if the corn harvest runs a week or more ahead of schedule, as appears possible. Dove take to recently harvested corn fields like Br'er Rabbit took to briar patches.
Seasons in both states will be divided into three sessions, with hunting allowed from noon until sunset during the opening sessions and from a half-hour before sunrise until sunset for each of the two final sessions. The bag limit will be 12 birds per day.
Virginia's first session will run through Sept. 30, with other sessions set for Oct. 2-31 and Dec. 23-Jan. 2.
In North Carolina, the opening session will run through Sept. 30, with other sessions running Nov. 20-25 and Dec. 11-Jan. 13.
RACK TIME: The 56th annual Virginia Big Game Trophy Contest, to determine the top deer, bear and turkey killed during 1994-95, will conclude with the eastern regionals and state finals Sept. 23-24. They'll be held at James Blair Middle School, 117 Ironbound Road, Williamsburg.
The western regionals will be Sept. 9-10 at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds at Harrisonburg.
You can get details by calling Kenneth Pickin, 1-804-229-0490.
TOURNAMENT TIME: Numerous fishing tournaments will be held in Hampton Roads and Northeastern North Carolina over the next few months. A partial schedule of upcoming events:
Saturday-Aug. 20: Little Creek Marina Billfish Release Tournament, held out of Norfolk; billfish, tuna, dolphin, wahoo and cobia. Contact Little Creek Marina, 362-3600.
Aug. 26: Fish-for-Hope offshore benefit tournament, Wachapreague, Va.; billfish, tuna, dolphin and wahoo. Contact: Wachapreague Seaside Marina, 1-804-787-4110.
Sept. 9: Eastern Shore Marlin Club fall tournament, Wachapreague; species to be announced. Contact Carroll Marshall, 1-804-442-3704.
Sept. 23-24: Marina Shores Open, Virginia Beach; tuna, dolphin, wahoo, king mackerel, flounder, speckled trout. Contact Marina at Marina Shores at 496-7000.
Oct. 5-7: Nags Head Surf Fishing Tournament, Nags Head; all inshore species. Contact any club member.
Nov. 2-4: Cape Hatteras Surf Fishing Tournament, all inshore species. Contact Cape Hatteras Anglers Club, 1-919-995-4253.
SHORT CASTS: Regan Taylor of Virginia Beach has earned a citation award from the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament with a 73 1/2-pound yellowfin tuna, caught from the boat Predator. . . . Billy Allmon of Virginia Beach earned a freshwater award with a 7 1/2-pound largemouth bass, landed at Lake Wishart. . . . Morgen Fett and Jeffrey Fett of Virginia Beach earned awards from the Key West (Fla.) Fishing Tournament by boating dolphin weighing 29 and 26 pounds, respectively. They were on the charter boat Lookout III with skipper Mark Phillips. . . . Joe F. Clem of Wilmington has been named to the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission, replacing Dr. Michael K. Orbach, who resigned. by CNB