THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 3, 1996 TAG: 9603030202
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB HUTCHINSON
LENGTH: Long : 165 lines
If you haven't already caught a big bluefin off Hatteras, N.C., this season, you're out of luck.
Effective at 11:30 p.m. Feb. 28, the National Marine Fisheries Service banned keeping tuna with a ``curved fork length'' of 73 inches or more. The measurement is from the tip of the nose down the side of the fish to where the tail begins to fork. Fish of that size generally weigh about 200 pounds.
Until then, anglers had been allowed to keep one fish per boat per year of 73 inches or more. Overall, there was a quota of 4 metric tons (8,818.4 pounds) for the East and Gulf coasts combined.
However, because of the tremendous winter bluefin fishery that has developed off North Carolina in recent years, virtually all of that quota has been consumed by boats running from Hatteras.
That's not the only impact the Hatteras fishery has had on bluefin regulations.
Effective March 11, anglers will be limited to keeping one fish per boat between 27 and 73 inches. Fish under 27 inches have been illegal for several years.
This change certainly isn't going to sit well with anglers along the Middle Atlantic. In the past, each angler has been allowed two fish between 27 and 59 inches per day, although limited to one fish per boat between 59 and 73 inches.
Unfortunately for Virginia tuna fishermen, many of the bluefins caught off the state's shores later in the year are under 59 inches.
There's a possibility the rules will be liberalized this spring, said John Kelly, a tuna specialist with the National Marine Fisheries Service.
``But there's no guarantee,'' Kelly said. ``The bottom line is that if we change the rules to give some people more fish, we're going to have to take it from someone else. And a lot of people aren't going to like that, especially the folks in the Northeast, where the fishing season doesn't even get going until June or July.''
The incredible Hatteras fishery aside, scientists still consider the bluefin, which can reach 1,500 pounds, a species in serious trouble from excessive fishing throughout its wide North Atlantic range.
So stay tuned. The one thing we've learned about bluefin tuna regulations is that you can never take anything for granted.
ROWING REGATTA: This year's Crawford Bay Crew Classic, a collegiate rowing event, should prove a wide-open affair. Neither the University of Virginia, the 1995 winner, nor runner-up George Washington will make a return appearance.
Nevertheless, a highly competitive field including Old Dominion, American, Catholic, George Mason, Indiana, William and Mary and Maryland-Baltimore County is expected when competition opens at 9 a.m. March 16 in the Elizabeth River off the Portsmouth Seawall.
The races will be presented by Ports Events and the city of Portsmouth and sponsored by radio station Q94. For details, call Ports Events at 393-9933.
LUCKY PELICAN: Thomas Tye and his son Russell were fishing for speckled trout on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River recently when they spotted a pelican in obvious trouble.
They caught the bird and removed three sets of treble hooks that had snared its beak and wing, rendering it unable to fly or eat.
They released the bird after also removing a numbered band from its leg. The following day they called a game warden to report the band's number.
Only then did they learn of a local group, Wildlife Response Inc. (telephone 543-7000), which has skilled personnel to respond to such situations.
``Had we known of Wildlife Response, we would have called them as soon as we found the pelican,'' Thomas Tye said. ``Anyone finding a hurt animal can call this organization to ensure that wounded wildlife receive proper care and treatment.''
STRIPER SEASONS: The recreational season on striped bass in North Carolina's Roanoke River Management Area will open March 16.
Stripers will be legal from 12:01 a.m. Saturdays through midnight Sundays, and from 12:01 a.m. until midnight Wednesdays. The minimum size will be 18 inches, with a three-fish possession limit.
The fishery has a quota of 29,400 pounds and will be closed when that is reached. Additionally, stripers between 22 and 27 inches will be off-limits between April 1 and May 31.
In Virginia, the spring striper season will run May 16 through June 15 in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The minimum will be 18 inches, with a 28-inch maximum and a two-fish bag limit.
Additionally, a trophy season will run May 1 through May 15, with a 32-inch minimum and a one-fish bag limit. During this season, anglers will be required to report their catches to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
Virginia's coastal season is open through March 31 and will reopen May 1 through Dec. 31, with a 28-inch minimum and a two-fish bag limit.
North Carolina ports will close to commercial landings of flounder at midnight tonight. By them, some 70 percent of the year's quota of 3,049,589 pounds will have been landed. The remaining 30 percent will be held for the fall and winter season.
Meanwhile, commercial fishermen will be allowed to land up to 100 pounds of ocean-caught flatfish a day in fisheries not directed at flounder, such as shrimp trawls.
TALKING TURKEY: Turkey will be the order of the evening March 29, when the Tidewater Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation holds its annual fund-raising dinner.
Open to anyone, the soiree will be at the Holiday Inn Executive Center on Greenwich Road in Virginia Beach, beginning at 6 p.m.
Admission will be $40, including a membership in the national group. Couples' tickets will be $60. Attractions will include silent auctions for wildlife art, collectibles, guns and other outdoor equipment.
For reservations, contact Dan Arris at 554-0477 or Pete Costenbader at 340-2006.
To correct an error published earlier, the turkey-hunting seminar being staged by Bob's Gun Shop in Norfolk will be March 20 at the Howard Johnson Hotel across from Scope. A previous column gave an incorrect date. For details, contact Bob's Gun Shop at 627-8311.
BOATING BARGAIN: Once again, the map people at ADC have published a winner aimed at the boating set.
It's the ``Chartbook of the Chesapeake Bay,'' an updated version in full color and laminated to make it waterproof.
The charts show Loran C lines, locations and numbers of new buoys, local names of waterways and fishing areas, marina facilities and one-minute latitude-longitide grids.
The chartbook features magnetic courses and distances between important buoys and points of interest, as well as locations of wrecks and artificial reefs. The lamination makes it possible to write on the pages with easily removed grease pencils.
The publication retails for $39.95 and may be ordered by calling: ADC, The Map People, 1-800-ADC-MAPS. The firm donates a part of the proceeds to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
SCATTERGUNNING: Here's a reminder that Virginia's spring turkey season opens April 13 and runs through May 18.
Another reminder: You will need a special free permit to fish for any type of tuna, including yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack, this year. But if you already have a bluefin permit, you're covered. Otherwise, they're available from: National Marine Fisheries Service, Tuna Permit Section, 1-508-281-9370 or 1-301-713-2347.
Meeting March 11-14 at the Norfolk Airport Hilton, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will have a full plate of topics, ranging from tautog to weakfish, striped bass to horseshoe crabs. The coalition of East Coast states regulates fisheries in state waters. For details or a schedule, call 1-202-289-6400.
The study group looking into rewriting North Carolina fishery regulations will meet at 9 a.m. March 14 at the Nags Head Fire Station on U.S. Route 158 South. Known as the Fisheries Moratorium Steering Committee, it has been meeting for 17 months and will present its report to the North Carolina General Assembly in 1997.
SHORT CASTS: The $475,000 BASSMASTER MegaBucks fishing tournament begins Monday on Richland-Chambers Reservoir at Corsicana, Texas, shifting Friday and Saturday to White Rock Lake in Dallas. Virginia contestants include Rick Morris of Virginia Beach, Dave Dudley of Lynchburg and Woo Daves of Spring Grove. First place will be worth $70,000. . . . Jim Turner of Chesapeake, Andy Mooney and Jim Blucher of Virginia Beach and Frank Chester of South Mills, N.C., released sailfish recently out of Fort Pierce, Fla. They were with skipper Chip Shafer on the Temptress, which berths at Oregon Inlet, N.C., during the summer. . . . The Virginia Association of Marine Industries will present its fifth annual Boat Show and Sale Friday through Sunday at the Hampton Coliseum. Powerboats up to 32 feet will be displayed. Hours will be 5 to 10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission will be $4 for adults, $1 for those under age 11. For details, contact Chuck Guthrie at Lynnhaven Marine at 481-0700. . . . Earl Brinkley of Manteo has been named officer of the year by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. . . . Kim Merriwether, Maria Parker and Laquita Dunn received top honors as the Virginia Beach Sand Witches, an all-female angling club, held its annual banquet. . . . The Tidewater Anglers Club of Norfolk presented its top awards to Greg Cooner, Charlotte Wright, Jim Wright, Carl Herring, Eric Harwell and the late Draper Goolsby. . . . The Portsmouth Anglers' top awards went to Roy Cahoon, Danny Davis, Mike Jones, Drew Thomas, Gene Cooper, Jessica Brannon and the late Lisa Colsanti. . . . Top honors at the Eastern Shore of Virginia Anglers Club soiree went to Adam James, Beth Smith, Nina Matthews, George Phillips, Charlie Russell and William Edward Hall Jr. All four events were Saturday. by CNB