DATE: Sunday, September 28, 1997            TAG: 9709280211

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C13  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR 

DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS                      LENGTH:   38 lines

COMMISSION SEEKS COMPROMISE AGAIN FROM ANGLERS, GILL-NETTERS

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission is giving speckled-trout anglers and gill-netters one more chance to see if they can work out their differences.

Almost 40 speckled-trout fishermen appeared at the commission's August meeting to request extending the June 1-Oct. 1 ban on gill nets around bayside creek entrances. When netters opposed the plan, the commission asked the two sides to come to a compromise.

The netters agreed to some expansion of the areas but in return asked rod-and-reelers to allow reopening of areas off Cape Charles that closed several years ago because of conflicts with black-drum anglers.

This week, the commission asked the two sides, plus others involved in black-drum fishing, to meet once again to work on a compromise. If the differences can be worked out, the matter will come before the commission for a third time in October.

In other action at its September meeting, the commission allowed commercial rod-and-reel fishermen, who legally sell their catch, to exceed existing recreational bag limits for three popular species: flounder (10 a day), gray trout (4) and bluefish (10).

But it denied the commercial rod-and-reelers' request to exceed the six-fish recreational bag limit on spadefish.

Additionally, commercial fishermen will not be allowed to fish for flounder, gray trout and bluefish after established overall commercial quotas have been reached.

The commission delayed until its October meeting a decision on several complex aspects involving commercial fishermen holding special striped-bass permits. Presently, these fishermen are allowed to catch their allotted fish on rod-and-reel.

Open to anyone, the commission's Oct. 28 meeting will be at noon at agency headquarters, 2600 Washington Ave., Newport News.

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