THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, January 18, 1997            TAG: 9701180004
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A12  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                            LENGTH:   26 lines

FISHERMAN CAUSED THEIR OWN WOES

In regard to your Jan. 10 story about commercial flounder fishing in North Carolina:

People should be aware that commercial fishermen are responsible for depleting fish stocks to the point where, regulations and catch limits had to be imposed and enforced. Commercial fishermen are the cause of their own problems by overfishing; crying and complaining about appropriate controls does not gain my sympathy.

The specific method used to catch bottom fish is very destructive to marine life. The bottom sweep also captures skates, sharks, rays, conchs, small flounder and other nonkeeper fish and marine plants. It is a sad fact that a lot of these nonkeeper fish, including small flounder, are killed or injured by debris.

Recreational fishermen and commercial fishermen should work with regulatory agencies so that our children and our children's children will be able to enjoy fishing as we do.

GARY V. MORETTI

Chesapeake, Jan. 13, 1997