THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 7, 1996 TAG: 9607070293
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB HUTCHINSON
LENGTH: 122 lines
Gov. George Allen has slighted Virginia's estimated 500,000 saltwater fishermen in naming five new members to the board of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
There will be no recreational fishermen among the board's nine voting members, which includes three carryovers and VMRC commissioner Bill Pruitt.
And that's unfortunate.
The agency administers the recreational fishing license, decides how its approximately $1.4 million annual income will be spent and operates the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament. More important, it allocates fish between commercial and recreational fishermen.
The new members are:
Shepherd H.C. Davis of Virginia Beach, owner of SHCD Corp., an equity and real estate investment company. He replaces Timothy G. Hayes of Richmond.
Laura Belle Gordy of Accomack County, a homemaker who lost her seat on the county Board of Supervisors last November. She replaces George S. Forrest of Poquoson.
Dr. H. Grant Goodell of Albemarle County, who replaces Dr. Jane Webb of Newport News. Goodell is a professor and chairman of the marine affairs program at the University of Virginia. He is also an environmental consultant.
S. Lake Cowart Jr. of Northumberland County, part-owner of Cowart Seafood and Lake Farms, and a close friend of Pruitt's. Cowart, whose father served on the board, replaces William Hudnall of Northumberland County.
C. Chadwick Ballard Jr. of Norfolk, president of Ballard Fish and Oyster Co. His family owns Cherrystone Aquafarms and Cherrystone Family Camping Resort on the Eastern Shore. He replaces Peter W. Rowe Jr. of Machipongo.
The remaining members are Jack White of Cape Charles, a retired businessman; Gordon Birkett of Essex County, owner of Garrett's Marina and a partner in B&G Shellfish Enterprises; and Tommy Leggett, a clammer from Gloucester County.
There's no quarrel here with the quality of the new members. It's that none had the backing of any group of recreational fishermen and none has a history of saltwater angling.
While there is a citizens board to advise the commission on spending the license money, the commission doesn't always do what the board recommends.
Besides, the acting chairman of that citizens board, George W. Roper II of Norfolk, holds not only a commercial-fishing harvester's license but also a commercial rod-and-reel license, allowing him to sell his catch.
Meanwhile, it's going to take months to get some of the new VMRC members up to speed on the myriad problems facing marine resources. For some, it's going to be a learning process.
If nothing else, the appointments should sound a warning to recreational fishermen, especially those who share in the estimated $400 million generated from the sport: If you want a voice on the VMRC, you had better become involved in the process, especially the political side. That's what the appointments are all about.
FIRST TASK: The first thing I'd like to see the new commission do is set a bag limit on spadefish, restricting anglers to three or four a day.
Frankly, some anglers are taking more of this inshore wreck, reef and structure creature than they need. I've heard of boats keeping as many as 30 a day.
There's no scientific data to show that spadefish, which look lke giant angelfish, are overfished. But there's been a tremendous increase in fishing pressure this year.
Already, 181 anglers have earned citation awards from the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament for catches weighing at least 7 pounds. At least four weighed 11 pounds or more. That compares with two winners, none over 11 pounds, in 1995, when citations were first available and the minimum was 9 pounds.
That was too high. But 7 pounds is too low. Eight sounds just right.
The problem with spadefish is that they live in small, almost-closed environments, which makes you wonder if it isn't easy to fish them out. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, have been pulled from the old degaussing cell off the lower Eastern Shore this year. Certainly, the area's population has been severely impacted.
If the VMRC waits until a scientific study is approved, financed, conducted, presented and acted upon, it may be too late.
Besides, why should anyone want to keep more than three or four a day? That seems to border on being a fish hog.
The VMRC should set a limit, study the fishery and, if the study reveals that fishermen can keep 10 or even 20 a day with no damage, adjust or eliminate the limit.
But for the moment, this is a chance for the VMRC to act for the good of a public resource.
N.C. LICENSES: Because of a printing delay, agents selling North Carolina hunting and freshwater fishing licenses did not receive their new permits on time for the July 1 effective date. So the Wildlife Resources Commission has announced that 1995-96 licenses will be honored until the middle of the month. By then, all agents should have the new licenses.
North Carolina sells about 700,000 licenses a year. The new ones will be good for a year, regardless of when purchased. So a license obtained Oct. 1 will be good until Sept. 30, 1997.
TOUGH TROUT: Gray trout apparently are a lot tougher than some folks, including some fishery managers, had thought.
A recent mortality study of small trout caught on rod-and-reel in deep water off Kiptopeke State Park on the Eastern Shore revealed a mortality rate of only 2 percent. Some scientists had indicated that mortality could be 20 percent to 25 percent.
During the study, conducted by scientists for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 360 fish were caught and held in cages. Seven died within 61 hours. Afterward, there was no mortality. Some 150 fish were held for seven days, 60 for 15 days and 150 for 23 days.
A similar study in New York State last year showed a mortality rate of 2.6 percent.
The conclusion of both studies: Mortality is quite low, and catch-and-release programs are unlikely to help rebuild stocks of the beleaguered trout.
KING'S CROWN: The winner of a king mackerel tournament out of Teach's Lair Marina in Hatteras, N.C., will be crowned with a $7,000 check. That's the top award in the contest, sanctioned by the Southern Kingfish Association and being held for the first time.
Dates will be Aug. 17-18, and the entry fee will be $250 a boat, $300 after Aug. 1. The deadline will be 10 p.m. Aug. 16. You can get additional details by calling the marina at (919) 986-2460.
SHORT CASTS: It's not too late to sign up for Wednesday's annual youth fishing tournament at Nags Head. It's being hosted by the Nags Head Surf Fishing Club and the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association. For details, contact Joe Monroe at (919) 261-2145. . . . A free tree-identification booklet is available from the National Arbor Day Foundation. Send your name and address to: What Tree Is That, National Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City, Neb. 68410. . . . A delightful little booklet on rigging plastic worms and other artificials is available postpaid for $5 from: Vlad Evanoff, Catchmore, Box 770036, Coral Springs, Fla. 33077. . . . Richard Welton IV of Virginia Beach has been named president of the Coastal Conservation Association of Virginia, a federation of recreational fishermen. by CNB