THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 17, 1995 TAG: 9509170189
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB HUTCHINSON
LENGTH: Long : 142 lines
A new group, the Alliance to Save Fisheries, has declared war on commercial fishing and has decided that the first battle will be staged in New Jersey.
This isn't just another group of disgruntled sport fishermen who want to chase the last commercial fisherman off the face of the planet.
Rather, it's a nationwide alliance of 1,600 boat builders, marine manufacturers, marine trade organizations, and the 600 tackle-manufacturing firms that make up the American Sportfishing Association.
In other words, it's a group with a lot of clout and a lot of money behind it.
It's announced goals:
Identify fish species vital to sport fishing and work to achieve gamefish (no commercialization) status for them.
Urge restrictions on nettings in bays, estuaries and state waters where such restrictions would improve management and abundance.
Promote improvements in fish habitat.
Curtail the depletion of large pelagics (surface-feeding species) such as sharks, billfish and tuna.
The alliance has targeted New Jersey as the first state for its efforts, saying that a plan is to be developed to shut down much of the commercial fishery there. New Jersey apparently was targeted, an alliance member said, because it has a great number of recreational fishermen compared to most other states.
There has been no mention of any action in Virginia or North Carolina, states at almost opposite ends as far as relations between commercial and recreational anglers.
The two groups get along relatively well in Virginia and even have worked hand-in-hand on a number of issues. However, there is a major chasm between recreationals and commercials in North Carolina that, if anything, continues to widen.
``This alliance bothers me,'' said a North Carolina fisheries official who asked not to be identified. ``We already have a lot of hard feelings and this could really make things a lot worse.''
DOUBLE LEADER: Jimmy Kolb of Virginia Beach recently earned his 10th citation of the year from the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament. It was for a 1-pound spot, boated at Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach.
It gives the electrical contractor a clear-cut lead in the chase to become both angler of the year and release angler of the year in the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament.
Kolb actually has earned citations in nine categories, since two of his winners were for cobia, one released, the other a 72-pounder.
Kolb leads the release division with five citation winners: cobia, amberjack, blue marlin, black drum and red drum. He also has a 6-pound, 12-ounce flounder, a 30-8 dolphin and a 13-9 tautog.
Last year's double winner, Denny Dobbins of Portsmouth, is second in both categories. He has six citation-winners, including four releases. In 1994, Dobbins has 14 total winners and nine releases.
The contest runs through the end of the year, so it could be that the winner will be decided on striped bass, usually the last fish available as the tournament closes.
DEER DANDY: Virginia's deer herd is in dandy shape and hunters can expect another banner season, with a kill of 200,000 or more. So says deer specialist Matt Knox of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, echoing earlier predictions by Bob Duncan, head of the agency's wildlife division.
After climbing sharply for many years, the annual kill has stabilized for the past three years at just slightly more than 200,000, with 1994-95 setting a record at 209,373.
That could climb slightly this year, Knox said, because hunters in several counties will be allowed to kill either bucks or does during the entire season for the first time. In Southeastern Virginia, these counties include Surry, Sussex, Southampton, Greensville and Isle of Wight.
Additionally, the bonus black-powder or ``muzzleloading'' season, Nov. 6-18, is expected to produce more kills because more hunters will be using the primitive weapons and scopes will be allowed for the first time.
``Where the statewide kill finally ends up will depend a lot on the weather,'' Knox said, ``especially weather conditions in the mountains during the two-week general season. Bad weather can break us; good weather can make us.''
While the general statewide deer season will open Nov. 20, hunters in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and the eastern section of Suffolk will get a early start. Continuing a tradition begun decades ago, that season opens Oct. 1 and runs through Nov. 30. The early start originally was granted because most of the area is in the Dismal Swamp, where icy conditions make it tough to use dogs later in the year.
DRUM COMEBACK? The black drum may be the next species to show that prudent management can reverse declines in fish populations.
Of course, the greatest example of this has been the renaissance of striped bass following several years of severe catch restrictions.
Anyway, hordes of small black drum, many between 5 and 8 inches, have been appearing this summer throughout the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
Harry Martin of Mount Nebo, near Onancock, has caught ``at least 2,000'' in his crab traps on Pungoteague and Onancock creeks.
``I'm sure I've caught the same fish more than once,'' he said, ``but I've had days when I had 100 or more.''
For the record, it's illegal to keep black drum of less than 16 inches, except for scientific purposes.
``There's certainly been a population explosion in the Chesapeake Bay this summer,'' said Claude Bain, director of the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament, who has tagged an released about 100 baby drum.
TUNA BAN: As of 11:59 tonight, it will be illegal for recreational fishermen to keep bluefin tuna anywhere in waters of the United States.
The action was ordered by the National Marine Fisheries Service, which said the quota of 324 metric tons would have been reach by then.
Most commercial fishing for bluefin, except those taken by harpoon, was closed Tuesday because the 527-metric-ton general-category quota had been reached. The purse-seine quota was reached earlier.
Bluefin have been strictly regulated for several years. However, the overall population continues to decline. Scientists estimate that the catch has dropped by 90 percent since 1975.
SPECIAL HUNTS: Hunting will be allowed this fall on several state wildlife management areas, state parks and federal wildlife refuges. Here's a partial listing:
False Cape State Park, Virginia Beach: Deer and feral hogs, by permit. Contact the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 1-804-253-4180.
York River State Park, Yorktown. Deer, by permit. Contact the park ranger at 1-804-566-3036.
Princess Anne Wildlife Management Area, Virginia Beach. Waterfowl, by reservation. Contact the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 1-804-253-4180.
Hog Island Wildlife Management Area, Surry. Waterfowl, by permit. Contact the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 1-804-253-4180.
Barbours Hill Wildlife Management Area, Virginia Beach. Waterfowl, by reservation. Contact the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 1-804-253-4180.
Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge. Deer hunting, by permit. Contact the refuge manager at 1-804-331-2670.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Chincoteague. Siki deer, by reservation. Contact the refuge manager at 1-804-336-6122.
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia Beach. Deer and feral hogs, by reservation. Contact the refuge manager at 721-2412. This refuge will be closed to other visitors during the open hunting season.
SHORT CASTS: Gov. George Allen has designated Saturday as National Hunting and Fishing Day. Events to introduce the public to outdoor sports and activities are planned around the state. . . . Susan Owens of the Tidewater Bass-N-Babes finished 38th and out of the money in a field of 176 at the organization's recent U.S. Invitational on Lake Penkiller in Oklahoma. Her catch weighed 21.7 pounds. Penny Berryman of Arkansas took the $25,000 top prize with 42 pounds of fish. Nan Palmer of Windsor was 100th at 13-11. . . . Northampton County's supervisors have approved the use of scopes on black-powder rifles for deer hunting this fall. by CNB