The National Coalition for Marine Conservation (NCMC) recently teamed up with the International Game Fish Association and The Billfish Foundation to form Take Marlin Off the Menu, a campaign aimed at ending the importation and sale of Pacific marlin and sailfish within the United States (federal law has made it illegal since 1989 to sell Atlantic billfish). Billfish populations are being decimated by commercial overfishing worldwide due in part to continued consumer demand for marlin in U.S. restaurants and at seafood retailers. The campaign has hired a media team and will be reaching out to high profile chefs, restaurants, seafood vendors, anglers and consumers, asking them to go “marlin-free,” or to stop eating or serving marlin and other billfish in restaurants and food markets. The campaign web site, www.takemarlinoffthemenu.org, was launched late last week. The site includes information about who the groups are, why it’s important to remove billfish from the market, background on billfish, a how you can help section, as well as a newsroom.

The campaign plans to:

• Educate the American public and consumers about the threat to billfish;
• Involve chefs, retaurants, and seafood vendors to voluntarily remove marlin at U.S. restaurants and supermarkets;
• Build support for international billfish conservation among U.S. policymakers including domestic legislation to prohibit marlin and sailfish imports;
• Promote conservation of billfish on U.S. delegations to Pacific Regional Fishery Management Organizations.

The inshore water temperatures are still cooling, encouraging a larger class of stripers to move into lower Bay waters. And although the hogs are still yet to arrive, fish to around 45-inches are keeping anglers content in the meantime. These larger fish are not biting in a frenzy, but the outgoing tide is providing the best luck with rockfish of all sizes. School-sized fish are available to casters working the pilings of the lower Bay structures, while boats using live bait and wire-lining over the tubes and near the 4th island of the CBBT are finding bigger fish. The folks at Ocean’s East 2 report that the HRBT is holding plenty of school-sized fish, while the JRB and the M&M are giving up fish averaging up to around 32-inches. For those using eels at the high rise, the best bite is usually at night. Ben Sheppard and Rudy Levasseur of Chesapeake put their crew on several nice fish to 44-inches on a recent overnight eeling trip the high rise of the CBBT. Some folks are also finding good luck fishing the open Bay waters trolling and casting under working birds. Todd at Bayside Bait and Tackle reports that folks targeting trout and stripers in Willoughby are also catching plenty of croaker near all three of the jetties.

The first big striped bass tournament of the season is coming up on November 28th. The Kiptopeke Rockfish Riot is hosted by Chris’ Bait and Tackle, and benefits the North Hampton County Toy Closet for children. For more information, call 757-331-3000.

Tautog action is still on the rise on lower bay structures and on coastal wrecks. Even
with somewhat muddy water this week, crab, clam, and black mussels offered along the pilings and the tubes of the CBBT are rewarding anglers with limits of fish averaging to more than 6-pounds.  Folks targeting the concrete ships off Kiptopeke are also having good luck with keeper fish.

Although speckled trout action slowed a little this week within Lynnhaven Inlet, anglers fishing Rudee Inlet, the Elizabeth River, and Ocean View are still finding good numbers of fish. The larger specks are coming from Rudee Inlet and the Elizabeth River, where several citations hit the scales from both locations recently. Greg Campbell of Virginia Beach weighed in a nice five pound speck he hooked while casting a Mirrolure in Rudee Inlet this week. The best luck in the Hot Ditch area of the Elizabeth River is coming from floating minnows on bobbers. Puppy drum are still a big hit in most all shallow backwater areas, with both live finger mullet and cut mullet working well.

Flounder reports from Bay waters are hard to come by, but good hauls of flatfish are coming from coastal and offshore structures. The Triangle Wrecks area is a favorite hot spot for flounder lately, where Captain Fred Feller put his crew aboard the Rudee Mariner on more than 20 keeper flatfish up to 6.5-pounds recently. Nice seabass are also available on these offshore structures, but the trick is finding a wreck that has not been fished lately. Huge chopper bluefish pushing to over 20-pounds, continue to lure folks to the Triangle Wreck area. These fish are easy to catch and offer a great battle, especially on light tackle. Both trolling and jigging is working well lately for these toothy fish. Very good triggerfish action is also occurring on many offshore structures.

Reports of bluefin tuna sightings are beginning to trickle in. Although no schools of giants have been reported as of yet, Captain Jake Hiles aboard the Matador reports that schools of smallish bluefins are making a showing at the Triangle Wrecks and the Hot Dog area, along with scores of small false albacore. The offshore winter yellowfin tuna bite is not materializing. The hit and miss bite of a few weeks ago fizzled, with no promise of returning. Swordfish are still a possibility for overnighters when a weather window presents itself.
Until next week, good luck fishing!

Julie
Dr. Julie Ball
IGFA Representative,Virginia Beach

Virginia’s Eastern Shore Fishing Report
Covering Inshore and Offshore Fishing out of Wachapreague, Chincoteague and Assateague
by Kevin of Lyn B Sportfishing – TidalFish.com Correspondent
Kevin must be into some good fishing right now. Kevin of Lyn B Sportfishing, a 34ft custom sport fisherman Captained by Bill Bowen. They offer inshore, wreck and offshore fishing adventures. Fishing from the Wachapreague, Wachapreague . Call 757-787-1074 to book a trip.

Luckily we have some reports from the Virginia Saltwater Review covering this region.
Chincoteague – No report this week.
Wachapreague – No report this week.

Virginia’s Middle Bay Fishing Report
by Jerry Thrash From Patriot Charters and Queens Creek Outfitters
Jerry writes: “Schooling stripers varying in size from 16-24” have been common this past week on moving tides at the Hole-in the Wall, Windmill Bar and in Fleets Bay above the bar.  Activity dies with the tide.  A few scattered big fish in the 40” range have been caught but these fish are isolated, not in schools yet.  Chilly nights should bring great striper fishing in the next week or so with big fish to come by Thanksgiving. Storm-type lures fished on bottom bouncing rigs and up high are working as are bucktails with grubs or shad.”

Commercial gillnet fishermen in North Carolina have been put on notice that regulations will take effect this week impacting times and places they are required to stay within 100 yards of and ready to work their small mesh gill nets.

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Director Louis Daniel issued a proclamation that implements attendance requirements passed by the Marine Fisheries Commission last week in conjunction with the adoption of an updated Red Drum Fishery Management Plan. The new attendance requirements become effective Thursday.

The new regulations will:

-  Require year-round attendance in the lower Neuse River for nets smaller than 5-inches stretch mesh set within 200 yards of shore from the N.C. 17 bridge to the mouth of the river;

-  Lengthen a small mesh gill net attendance season so that it runs from May 1 through Nov. 30 in all primary and permanent secondary nursery areas and modified no-trawl areas;

-  Implement a May 1 through Nov. 30 attendance requirement for small mesh nets set within 200 yards of the shore in the Pamlico, Pungo, Neuse and Bay rivers and bays;

-  Require May 1 through Nov. 30 attendance of small mesh gill nets set within 50 yards of shore in Pamlico and Core sounds and in waters south to the South Carolina state line, except for Core Sound and waters south during October and November;

-  Modify the small mesh gill net attendance line in the area between Rodanthe and Gull Island to straighten a line and allow for non-attended nets in areas of deeper water;

-   Modify the attendance line in the area of Oliver Reef near Cape Hatteras to allow for non-attended nets in deeper water.

Daniel had received more than 300 letters from the public asking him to immediately implement the small mesh gill net attendance requirements once the commission adopted the updated Red Drum Fishery Management Plan. The commission voted 6-1 to ask Daniel to issue such a proclamation.

Permanent rules implementing recommendations in the Red Drum Plan will not be finalized until at least February. Other permanent rules approved by the commission as recommended in the Red Drum Plan include:

-   Establishing a 3,000–yard-per-vessel limit on large mesh gill net used in inshore waters;

-   Requiring the use of circle hooks, short leaders and fixed weights when fishing at night with natural bait using large hooks (greater than 4/0) in the Pamlico Sound and its tributaries from July through September;

-   Splitting the annual commercial red drum harvest limit into two periods: 150,000 pounds allotted for Sept. 1 – April 30 and 100,000 pounds allotted for May 1 – Aug. 31.

The governor has appointed (in October) a new VMRC Vice-commisoner, William E. Laine, Jr. of Smithfield, VA as the “recreational” representive on the VMRC replacing Commissioner Mclesky (who served 8 years as “recreational ” representataive). . 

Bill Laine served on the VMRC Finfish Advisory Committee for several years  and I got the impression that VRMC Director, Col. Steve Bowman had slected him to co-chair the Finfish Advisory Committee with Ernie Bowden, a strong commercial advocate and sole chairman of the Finfish Adv Committee for the last couple of years. 

Fishing Club officers should make every effort to invite ,recreational angler,  Bill Laine to Club functions and each Club may consider inviting Commissioner Laine to a monthly meeting so that he may be introduced to local recreational anglers. 

You may reach Mr. Laine, by calling or sending an e-mail to Jack Trvelstead at VMRC.   He will re-direct your inquiry to Mr. Laine, or may give you a telephone number or forwarding address.

BoatU.S. Chairman and Founder,  Richard Schwartz, and U.S. Fish  and Wildlife Service Director H.  Dale Hall signed an agreement  in September to use “The Ethical  Angler” creed to remind the public  of the great tradition of fishing and  its role in conservation. The creed’s  responsible fishing practices are  based on the word “ANGLERS”:

• Avoid spilling and never dump  gasoline, oil or other pollutants – on  land or in the water.
• Never leave trash behind, including  worn line, old hooks and bait, and  practice recycling.
• Gain knowledge about aquatic  nuisance species and how to help  prevent their spread.
• Learn and abide by all fishing  regulations and boating laws.
• Educate fellow anglers and especially  new participants about fishing ethics.
• Respect private property and the  rights of other anglers and outdoor  recreationists.
• Save fish for tomorrow by practicing conservation and learning proper catch-and-release techniques.

Tell me how insane it is to have nice pound nets in this small area. Sustainable harvesting? Uh, no. A navigational hazard given how much traffic this area gets. Uh, yes.

VMRC has received permit applications for two additional pound nets in the Lynnhaven-Cape Henry area of the lower Chesapeake Bay. See details below. These are in addition to two other applications submitted on October 9 (see CCA VA InfoNet October 17).

These pending applications, and the five existing area pound nets, could bring the number of active pound nets between Lynnhaven Inlet and Cape Henry to nine. In addition, there are two more active pound net licenses in the area which are held by an individual who is setting them aside as part of the grey trout management plan.

In general, CCA VA understands that pound nets are an important part of the commercial fishery.  However, the placement of such structures may have some negative impacts on the use of the waters local to the sites.  Whether you support the permits, or feel that the proposals will have a substantive negative impact on the public use of local waters, you may wish to express your opinion by sending your comments to:

E-mail:  jack.travelstead@mrc.virginia.gov
Fax: 757-247-8101
Mail:
Attn. Jack Travelstead
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor
Newport News, VA 23607

The public has 30 days from the date of application to submit comments to the VMRC.

Gregory Application
October 31, 2008:  Notice is hereby given that Charles Gregory of Virginia
Beach has applied to the Marine Resources Commission to license and locate a
pound net in the southwestern portion of Chesapeake Bay, along the shore
between Lynnhaven Inlet and Cape Henry. The net is to be located 300 yards
from the nearest shoreline, at Latitude 36° 55¹ 17² N, and Longitude 76° 04¹
06² W, and 435 yards upstream and 345 yards downstream of existing adjacent
pound nets. The net is proposed to run in an approximately northerly
direction and is 1200 feet in length.

Sanford Application
October 31, 2008:  Notice is hereby given that Mark T. Sanford of Cheriton
has applied to the Marine Resources Commission to license and locate a pound
net in the southwestern portion of Chesapeake Bay, along the shore between
Lynnhaven Inlet and Cape Henry. The net is to be located 170 yards from the
nearest shoreline, at Latitude 36° 55¹ 25² N, and Longitude 76° 03¹ 33² W,
about 660 yards upstream and 320 yards downstream of existing adjacent pound
nets. The net is proposed to run in an approximately northerly direction and
is 1200 feet in length.

Back in the early 1990′s was when I first learned that there is a strong  correlation  between the percent of impervious surface a watershed has and the ability for trout to live/exist in streams. I believe it was the work of Dr Bob Bachman who after serving as a biologist served as the Sectary of the Department of Natural Resources of Maryland. Recently a revised  version of that study was released suggesting the percentage of impervious service is much less then once thought. Researchers led by Maryland Department of Natural Resources biologist Scott Stranko found that brook trout have literally disappeared from some Baltimore County watersheds in which impervious surfaces  cover less than 4 percent of the land.It was once thought that the number was 10%.  So now we have been planning and allowing development using a wrong piece of data. It makes me wonder what the number is as it coordinates to having a healthy Chesapeake Bay and even healthy oceans. I find it also a good lesson as it relates to the management of many species, like striped bass.  Something to think about….

Atlantic river herring populations (alewives and blueback herring) have fallen by more than 95% over the last two decades, prompting the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to list them as “species of concern.” Since river herring spend most of their lives at sea, bycatch in industrial trawl fisheries for Atlantic herring, mackerel and other small pelagic fish is suspected to be a significant source of mortality, but adequate data collection, monitoring, and reporting programs to control bycatch have yet to be implemented. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) reports, “Preliminary analyses indicate that, in some years, the total bycatch of river herring species by the Atlantic herring fleet alone could be equal to the total landings from the entire in-river directed fishery on the East Coast.”

In response to the river herring decline, the ASMFC released Draft Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Shad and River Herring for public comment. Hearings are being held throughout the Atlantic states until mid-December, and written comments will be accepted through January 1, 2009.

At-sea bycatch must be minimized if we are to restore river herring runs. Please see NCMC’s web site for full story and instructions on how to comment.

Remember if we do not have a sufficient about of forage fish like herring to feed the bigger fish like Striped Bass, Bluefin Tuna, Bluefish, and the list goes on then the bigger fish can not live.