Category Archives: Fishing News

    The NC Marine Fisheries Committee (MFC) is meeting next weekend, and one of the issues that will be brought up for discussion is the recent striped bass kills by the trawler boats operating off the Outer Banks. I have written a series of articles about these kills, in which both legal and undersizedContinueContinue reading “Does an MFC member have a conflict of interest in the striper trawler debate?”

  The most recent striped bass kill off of Oregon Inlet was another one caused by North Carolina’s commercial trawl fishery. Hundreds, maybe thousands of fish were photographed from a helicopter being released from the nets after crews had boated their limit of 2,000 pounds. Keep in mind, that under NC commercial fishing rules, theseContinueContinue reading “More striper kills off the Outer Banks. Feds investigating”

  The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced Friday that it has shut down the February striped bass gill net season after Natural Resources Police confiscated more than 10 tons of illegally caught striped bass in two days. NRP seized the 20,016 pounds of rockfish from four illegally anchored gill nets found near Bloody PointContinueContinue reading “Md. Striped Bass Fishing Season Ending Early”

  The Department of Natural Resources is expected to make an announcement this afternoon in the wake of the 10 tons of rockfish seized from illegally placed gill nets near Bloody Point Light in the Chesapeake Bay.  DNR officials are expected to speak regarding the February striped bass gill net season as well as announceContinueContinue reading “DNR to offer reward in rockfish poaching case”

  Anglers registered 5,069 trophy-size fish for citation awards during the 53rd Annual Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, which ran from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. This was the 11th year in a row anglers registered at least 5,000 citations since the tournament began in 1958. For the second year in a row, offshore anglers registeredContinueContinue reading “Anglers register more than 5,000 citations in 2010”

  The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF), facing decreasing license sales and a budget shortfall forecast for fiscal year 2014, has proposed an increase in hunting and fishing license fees that could take affect in July. The proposals include an increase of up to $5 per license for in-state residents and asContinueContinue reading “Virginia Hunting, fishing license hikes proposed”

  Friday morning, local biologists returned a rehabilitated harbor seal to the Chesapeake Bay. The seal, named “Puddy,” was underweight and had shark bites on the left side of his body. Someone found him stranded south of the Little Island Fishing Pier in Sandbridge last month. Biologists took him to the Virginia Aquarium’s Marine AnimalContinueContinue reading “Biologists to return seal to the Chesapeake Bay”

  Commercial fishermen trawling off of the Outer Banks of North Carolina are slaughtering thousands of striped bass in “culling” operations and tossing them overboard trying to keep larger stripers and remain under their 50 fish limit. Both recreational anglers and smaller operation commercial fishermen have been aghast at the actions of the trawlers whoContinueContinue reading “Commercial trawlers slaughtering thousands of striped bass off the Outer Banks”

  Much to his dismay, Michael Wardman of Colonial Beach recently discovered that oyster gardening is illegal in the Potomac River. “I can’t believe it. I’ve talked about it with a lot of people in Maryland and Virginia and they can’t believe it either,” Wardman said. Both states encourage oyster gardening in their Chesapeake BayContinueContinue reading “Fredericksburg.com – Panel says no oyster farming – page 1 FLS”

  The Coast Guard cited several fishing boats off the North Carolina coast Friday for violating laws concerning striped bass, including one vessel that was in possession of 58 illegal stripers. The Norfolk, Virginia based Coast Guard cutter Beluga stopped and boarded the fishing boats during its patrol of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). FishingContinueContinue reading “Coast guard cracks down on illegal striped bass fishing”

  From its auspicious beginning as a combination gas station, general store, post office and tackle shop to a renowned sporting goods store, Anglers Sport Center has been a long-time fixture to the local community and for travelers on their way to Sandy Point State Park and the Eastern Shore. I recently sat down withContinueContinue reading “Our Bay: Anglers Sport Center celebrates 50 years • Environment (www.HometownAnnapolis.com – The Capital)”

  North Carolina is halting the commercial and recreational harvesting of speckled trout to protect stocks of the fish. The state Division of Marine Fisheries will institute an indefinite halt to fishing for the trout starting at noon on Friday. Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman Rob Bizzell says the decision comes after “cold stun” events inContinueContinue reading “Cold leads NC to halt harvest of speckled trout”

  An agreement to build a boat launch in Hansville is on hold after Kitsap sports fisherman objected to a change in its design. The fishermen were upset because the change — made without public input or notification — would prevent most of them from launching their boats there. As a result of their concerns,ContinueContinue reading “Point No Point Boat Launch Put on Hold After Sport Fishermen Object »”

  On January 5, 2011 at 11:30 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged Daniel Leroy Dierker, 32 of Rock Hall, Md. with engaging in the striped bass gill net fisheries while his commercial license was suspended. Dierker was operating a commercial fishing vessel that was gill netting for striped bass in the areaContinueContinue reading “MD Natural Resource Police Blotter”

  The Virginia Marine Resources Commission is creating a registry of saltwater anglers. The Virginia Fisherman Identification Program requires anglers who are exempt from buying a saltwater fishing license to register and supply their contact information annually. Anglers who do purchase a saltwater fishing license will be registered automatically. With the creation of the stateContinueContinue reading “Va launches saltwater-fishing ID program”

The Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series, the nation’s longest-running and most popular course on recreational marine angling tactics and techniques, will take place at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on Saturday, January 22, 2011. This is the 24th year of the seminar tour, which teaches a vast array of cutting-edge and pertinent information onContinueContinue reading “The Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series, the nation’s longest-running and most popular course on recreational marine angling tactics and techniques, will take place at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on Saturday, January 22, 2011.”

  Overall, 73 percent of anglers felt fishing had gotten worse or much worse over the last five years and 46 percent felt the average size of stripers has decreased. The complete survey results are available on the Stripers Forever website. Stripers Forever wants commercial striped bass fishing banned, arguing recreational use is more beneficialContinueContinue reading “Stripers Forever survey: Bad year for anglers, fish –”

  Baltimore – The Maryland Department of the Environment is investigating the deaths of tens of thousands of small fish that have died in the Chesapeake Bay in the past week.   “An estimated 2 million fish have been reported dead from the Bay Bridge south to Tangier Sound, according to the Maryland Department ofContinueContinue reading “Massive fish kill reported in Chesapeake Bay”

  Bad actors among recreational anglers will soon be subject to tough penalties similar to the ones put in place by the state to punish rogue watermen. The penalty schedule, designed after consulting with the recreational and commercial fishing communities, law enforcement officers and charter boat captains, would allow the Department of Natural Resources toContinueContinue reading “Proposed regs will slap down recreational fish bandits –”

  The Coast Guard and partner agencies are intensifying efforts to stop the illegal poaching of striped bass off the Atlantic coast this winter season. To help ensure the health of the striped bass population, the Coast Guard is working to raise awareness of the federal regulations governing striped bass and to increase enforcement effortsContinueContinue reading “Agencies shore up efforts on poaching | striped, bass, coast – News –”

  Two changes take effect Saturday for fishermen participating in the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Saltwater Fishing Tournament. The tournament is not a competition but a longstanding certification program that recognizes outstanding saltwater catches. The tournament year runs from Saturday to Dec. 31. For 2011, the division will remove red snapper from the programContinueContinue reading “NC Tournament changes take effect for 2011”

  The Coast Guard has established an Atlantic striped bass hotline to reel in poachers.As striped bass move offshore, the guard cautions anglers that the fish cannot be caught, harvested or possessed beyond 3 nautical miles. A person caught fishing for stripers in those federal waters is subject to fines starting at $100 per fish.TheContinueContinue reading “Coast Guard establishes striped bass hotline to reel in poachers”

  Gulp lures have revolutionized the soft bait lure market, and can be deadly when used to target game fish like striped bass. Although many people know about the effectiveness of Gulp baits on speckled trout and redfish, anglers are just now learning how deadly they can be when used where stripers prowl. Here areContinueContinue reading “Top 5 gulp lures for striped bass fishing”

  This year, the model successfully predicted a poor year even though many fishery biologists – including Martino – thought it would be good. But that predictability may contain a hint of problems on the horizon for striped bass. Although the coastwide population remains above target levels, striped bass recruitment in Maryland has been belowContinueContinue reading “Chesapeake Bay Journal: Link between striped bass, weather suggests stormy times ahead for fish”

  Most of the work scheduled for the Rudee Inlet bridge will be performed at night until the end of the ocean striped bass season. Work to the fender piles, timber wales and hardware that protect the two center channel sets of pilings will begin in mid-January. The project is supposed to be completed byContinueContinue reading “Work on Rudee inlet bridge set for nighttime”

  There is less than a month for anglers to catch one of the state’s top angling awards. The Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament runs with the calendar year that will end Dec. 31. Following are the current standings of the tournament: Black Drum — James W. Johnson Jr., Gloucester (90-0), Bluefish — Ray Bryan, LowryContinueContinue reading “Less than a month remaining to make final standings”

  It took 8 years and several agencies to unravel a network responsible for poaching millions of dollars worth of striped bass from the Chesapeake Bay December 04, 2010|By Candus Thomson, The Baltimore Sun Amy Davis, Baltimore Sun For years, crooked Maryland and Virginia watermen went to local courts and paid their fines for illegalContinueContinue reading “An unusual task force sends message to poachers”

  I hear stories every once in a while about someone fishing and latching onto a fishing rod that another angler has dropped overboard. I just heard a story about a fisherman not only reeling in a rod, but a fish on the end of the line, too. Ted Moore sent me a message tellingContinueContinue reading “NJ Fisherman catches not only fish, but rod”

  In its barely disguised campaign to tear a chunk from the hides of watermen under the guise of conservation, the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association is asking the governor and Department of Natural Resources officials to slash the annual commercial striped bass harvest from 42.5 percent of the state’s total take to 10 percent. TheContinueContinue reading “Maryland’s billion-dollar recreational fishing industry–times 11”

  Angler is a real jet-setter Sometimes, the best ideas are the simplest ones, the kind that make people slap their foreheads and lament that they didn’t think of them. Brian Lockwood gets that all the time. About 10 years ago, living on the water in Poquoson, Lockwood started using his Jet Ski to catchContinueContinue reading “This angler is a real jet-setter”

  In order to protect the red snapper population in the South Atlantic, NOAA’s Fisheries Service will extend the ban of commercial and recreational fishing for the red snapper in federal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and the Atlantic coast of Florida. NOAA – NOAA Extends Fishing Ban for South Atlantic Red Snapper

  Illegal rockfish scheme investigation results in USD 1 million fines Ocean Pro Ltd (Profish) plus its vice-president and its fish buyer were sentenced recently in US District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, for illegally harvesting striped bass for over a decade from the Potomac River. This has been called the largest ever commercial fish poachingContinueContinue reading “FIS – Worldnews – Illegal rockfish scheme investigation results in USD 1 million fines”

  Take notice trout fishermen. There are now new regulations in effect for both recreational and commercial fishermen in the coastal waters of North Carolina. The recreational bag limit for spotted seatrout, as of Monday, decreased from 10 fish to six fish per person per day, and no more than two of the six fishContinueContinue reading “New NC regulations, pier hours have fishermen on their toes”

  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of  Law Enforcement has busted a “vast criminal conspiracy” that included the illegal harvest, sale and purchase of more than one million pounds of striped bass with a market value of up to $7 million. The bust, the result of a seven-year sting operation, happened in theContinueContinue reading “The Largest Black Market Fish Bust Ever?”

  Anglers in two states and two federal jurisdictions that do not have saltwater angler registries or licenses will be required to pay a $15 fee next year so that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration can collect information about the health of the fish populations. While 22 coastal states either had licenses or establishedContinueContinue reading “NOAA sets National Saltwater Angler Registry at $15”

  Under a new state registry, Virginia saltwater fishermen will be spared a $15 fee to register with the National Saltwater Angler Registry. The fee kicks in Jan. 1 but Virginia fishermen will be exempt because state regulators will collect the data and deliver it to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA announced theContinueContinue reading “Va. anglers to be spared NOAA saltwater fee”

  Pollution is costing the Chesapeake Bay region millions and possibly billions of dollars in lost jobs, seafood declines and other problems, a new report says. Credit: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Today is the deadline for Virginia and five other states to send bay cleanup plans to the EPA. While some people are raising concerns overContinueContinue reading “Report: Chesapeake Bay pollution an economic ‘disaster’”

    Recycling, it turns out, is not reserved for inanimate objects. An increasingly popular Chesapeake Bay program is sending oyster shells collected from restaurants, which save the shells from customers’ meals, back into the bay, where they form homes for new oysters. Saving the Oyster, and the Bay: Shell Recycling Program Replenishes Endangered OysterContinueContinue reading “Saving the Oyster, and the Bay: Shell Recycling Program Replenishes Endangered Oyster Population”

  On November 24, the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged Jerome William Janda, Jr., 55, from Tilghman, Md. with multiply striped bass (rockfish) violations after an investigation relating to illegal fishing activities in the Tilghman area. On November 10 at approximately 2:35 a.m., NRP officers observed Janda Jr. and his fishing vessel exit Knapp’sContinueContinue reading “Waterman Charged with 35 Counts of Striped Bass Violations”

  Two Maryland seafood dealers and the largest fish wholesaler in Washington will have to pay fines and restitution of nearly $890,000 for their part in what prosecutors and a federal judge have labeled the largest commercial fish poaching scheme in the history of the Chesapeake Bay. U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte sentenced OceanPro IndustriesContinueContinue reading “Two OceanPro employees sentenced in striped bass poaching scheme”

  “While trying to bring in the big fish on his hook, the 56-year-old man leaned over the boat’s side, lost his balance and fell overboard,” the spokesman said. Luckily for the banker in distress, a border service boat was passing by the flailing fishing enthusiast and rescued him when they saw him vainly strugglingContinueContinue reading “Fish yanks banker from boat in Russia’s South | STRANGE BUT TRUE”

  The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) will meet Dec.13-16 in Virginia Beach, Va. to discuss proposals for 2011 fishery regulations. The public is invited to attend and the meeting will be held at the Hilton on Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach. The meeting agenda is available on-line at http://www.mafmc.org. Or for more information callContinueContinue reading “Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to meet in Virginia Beach”

  In a follow-up to a story we ran in September on animal rights group PETA’s latest campaign targeting fishermen – ‘Do anglers have small rods’ (read story here) – comes news the campaign has been refused billboard space in a Tasmanian airport.   In the lead-up to this weekend’s opening of the National Fly FishingContinueContinue reading “Fishing World: PETA anti-fishing campaign gets the boot in Tassie”

  When fishing for big red drum from the end of a pier, an angler is at the mercy of the fish more so than ever. Fish either swim by and bite, or they don’t. You can’t exactly go hunting for them. Wayne Fowlkes, 67, of Virginia Beach holds a red drum he caught whileContinueContinue reading “Off the hook: Angler back on piers doing what he loves | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com”

  In the time since, the rockfish stock has expanded, especially in the over 18″ category. This rebound, however, has created a false sense of security about their future. A five-year study by the Chesapeake Bay Ecological Foundation has measured increased malnutrition and disease in rockfish and has determined the cause to be ecological depletionContinueContinue reading “State should work to protect menhaden”

  If you’re a recreational angler, Catch Shares are coming to a fishery near you. As it did with creation of the National Ocean Council, the Obama Administration is following an agenda set by green groups. This time around, that means expanding a management strategy for ocean fisheries that critics say is inherently anti-fishing andContinueContinue reading “Catch Shares get mixed reviews”

  In a letter dated Nov. 11, Dave Smith, executive director of the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association–the state’s largest recreational angling group–took the first step. Here’s his letter to the governor, Department of Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin and Fisheries Service Director Tom O’Connell: On behalf of the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association (MSSA) and recreationalContinueContinue reading “MSSA takes first step in rockfish/game fish battle –”

  This year’s Maryland Fishing Challenge and Diamond Jim contest will be featured Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on MPT’s Outdoors Maryland. Cameras follow anglers at Deep Creek Lake and Savage River in Western Maryland, as well as at the Bill Burton State Park Fishing Pier on the Choptank River who are trying to reel inContinueContinue reading “Diamond Jim stars in MPT show”

  The stripers are here! The stripers are here. Sean O’Donnell From the fishing boat Got Walls. He participated in Osprey Landings Fall Festival Striper Tournament this past weekend and weighed in one whopper of a bluefish. He won top youth angler prize. He is pictured with one of the Tournament sponsors Big striped bassContinueContinue reading “The Fishing Line: NJ Fall Tourneys”

  The commercial fishing quota for striped bass for the region will remain the same next year and beyond. At a meeting in Charleston, S.C., on Tuesday the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission striped bass management board voted to keep the quota the same. The commission had been poised to raise the quota. Earlier thisContinueContinue reading “Striped Bass Quotas Unchanged”

  Many consider kayak fishing environmentally responsible because there’s no gas, no fumes and no noise. Others like the sport because it’s relatively inexpensive once you get the craft and gear. “As soon as the fishing kayaks come in, they are sold,” says Chase Simmons, who works in the boating department at Bass Pro inContinueContinue reading “Kayak fishing helps anglers take it easy”

  At its annual meeting in Charleston, S.C., the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted, 11-3, to maintain the status quo. Maryland, which had voted earlier this year to get public opinion on increasing the commercial harvest, voted in favor of the motion. The shrinking commercial industry hasn’t had an adjustment in quota since 2003.ContinueContinue reading “Outdoors Girl: Commission opposes increasing commercial striped bass catch”

  Some are concerned about the cost to clean up our rivers and the Bay, and in some cases have conflated spending on current or already planned projects with those needed for Bay cleanup, perhaps intentionally exaggerating the expense. Regardless, Congress has acknowledged cost concerns and is now considering the Chesapeake Clean Water Act, whichContinueContinue reading “Cleaning up our rivers and bay is Virginia’s responsibility”

  Unfortunately, it’s getting to be the new norm. For the third consecutive year, the Chesapeake Bay has produced fewer striped bass babies than what is normal. Three years of a nursery being half full, or less. Could it be the weather–massive winter snowstorms followed by runoff? Or water temperature? Could fishing pressure be toContinueContinue reading “Putting the brakes on more striped bass fishing”

  Kimbro said work commitments meant his bass fishing was done in the evening, and “you had to put a lot more action in the lures.” When he moved to Kent Island and began fishing for striped bass five years ago, he also transferred his technique. “When I’m fishing on the bottom, the objective isContinueContinue reading “New technique lands plenty of striped bass”

  Wann failed a polygraph test about the incident and was cited by NC officials for fishing without a license. Wann pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by the judge today. Tournament directors spent three days consulting with NC’s attorney general and other state officials before deciding to withhold the money. The Big RockContinueContinue reading “Mate who cost boat $1 million prize found guilty of fishing without a license – Charlotte Fish and Wildlife Policy | Examiner.com”

  Former President George H.W. Bush, whose 38-foot Fountain center console grounded during the summer, recently took delivery of a new boat. Fidelity IV ran aground July 12 on Gooch’s Beach in Kennebunkport, Maine. The 86-year-old Bush was returning to the Kennebunk River in heavy fog with several family members aboard when the boat groundedContinueContinue reading “George H.W. Bush and his new go-fast fish boat”

  Really enjoyed fishing with troop 36 from Washington, Va.  Was a great group of kids; and father’s, and I really enjoyed fishing with ya’ll.  Hope ya’ll had a great learning experience, and look forward to seeing  you again real soon. Pretty redfish kept the boys busy most of the morning. Congrats to Main HutchesonContinueContinue reading “Midnight Sun Charters Take Boy Scout Troop 36 from Washington, Virginia”

  Nearly a dozen big-money offshore tournaments have been held since. And the Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament starts Wednesday out of Rudee Inlet. Polygraph tests costing between $150 and $600 are used in all of them, almost always without incident. They’ve become a necessary tool to keep the playing waters fair. "Oh… you have toContinueContinue reading “Lie detectors put fishermens’ tales to the test”

  The "smart buoys," placed throughout the bay and on the Potomac River and other rivers, deliver real-time data on temperature, turbidity, water quality and more through the Web, a mobile application or by phone.   Chesapeake buoys provide data on the bay

  http://totaltackle.com/

  Having adventured enough for a while, Pete Bethune is settling into the quiet life of an author. And what a story he has to tell: the perils of a record-setting voyage around the world on his 78-foot biodiesel-fueled trihull Earthrace, then a year’s stint with an anti-whaling organization that ended with Earthrace’s sinking andContinueContinue reading “Odyssey of an eco-warrior”

  In comments made today at a public hearing convened by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), Coastal Conservation Association New York (CCA NY) condemned a proposal, officially designated as the Draft Addendum II to Amendment 6 to the Atlantic Striped Bass Interstate Fishery Management Plan, which would increase the coastal commercial striped bassContinueContinue reading “CCA NY blasts plan to increase commercial striped bass quota”

  But when you ask those who favor the increase about some of the unknowns–the decreasing number of juvenile striped bass, the projections that show a decline in the number of fish age eight and older, the disturbing reports that two-thirds of the stripers in the Chesapeake Bay are infected with a wasting bacteria–the conversationContinueContinue reading “Outdoors Girl: No striped bass for you!”

  It’s been some time since recreational anglers and commercial interests had an OK Corral-style dust up. That changes tonight, when the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission takes testimony on a plan to increase the striped bass commercial catch on the Eastern Seaboard. The get-together is scheduled to start at 5:30, not exactly convenient forContinueContinue reading “Feds forcing Annapolis faceoff on Striped Bass”

  Want to really thank Chris Timberlake, and all of the dad’s of Reedville for coming together and making the third annual DOR’s fishing tournament a success.  The weather was great, the fishing was good, and couldn’t think of a better way for dad’s to spend a day than fishing with their little ones. ChipContinueContinue reading “Midnight Sun Forums: All about the kids”

The American Sportfishing Association is launching a renewed effort to unite the sportfishing industry and the country’s 60 million anglers with one united voice to keep the nation’s public waters open, clean and abundant with fish. Sportfishing group pushes for more access

  Only about half the study group attended. Labor and watermen’s groups did not attend, nor did the NAACP. Many of Omega’s fishermen are African-American. Much of the science discussed Thursday played down the value of menhaden as a filter fish for the bay and concerns that Omega boats scoop up forage fish key toContinueContinue reading “Menhaden fish panel meets in Va. for 1st time”

  The recent adjustments to bluefin tuna regulations are sure to have an impact on many tuna fisherman this season. As it stands, the recreational sector may harvest one bluefin measuring from 27 inches to less than 59 inches per trip, per vessel. I am sure has the regulations have their reasoning, but has commonContinueContinue reading “Chris Gatley: Bluefin tuna – ESPN”

  According to NOAA Fisheries, Virginia saltwater anglers are lagging far behind other coastal states when it comes to a national law that requires registration with the National Saltwater Angler Registry. In its first year, the registry is designed to help fisheries managers compile better catch information that is important to determining quotas and bagContinueContinue reading “Virginia saltwater anglers behind on registration”

  Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, attended last week’s America’s Great Outdoors Conference to highlight recreational fishing as an important part of America’s outdoor legacy and future.?"We’re talking about how we can collect best ideas on conservation; how we can pursue good ideas that local communities embrace; andContinueContinue reading “FishingWorld.com – News Center”

Fishbites inventor Dr. Bill Carr will be at Ocean’s East-2 in VA Beach on Saturday April, 24 taking questions and talking Fishbites.    www.fishbites.com   Oceans East 2 Tackle Shop‎- more info » 5785 Northampton Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA‎ – (757) 464-6544‎

  Preliminary approval has been received from the Marine Resources Commission, the Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Virginia Beach for the necessary permits to repair the Pier. Progress has been made in securing a bank loan to provide construction funds for the repairs. Princess Anne Pile and Lumber has done a fantasticContinueContinue reading “Lynnhaven Fishing PierRepairs to Begin in March; Opening “On Time” in May”

  Gov. Bob McDonnell’s push to drill for gas and oil off Virginia’s coast faces two formidable obstacles: the Navy and NASA. Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval base, and the space agency’s Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore have activities – some potentially hazardous – throughout the vast leasing area 50 milesContinueContinue reading “NASA, Navy will have say on offshore Va drilling”

Richmond, Virginia, USA’s Fred Murray, landed a blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) on Feb. 10 while fishing the nearby James River. Using cut bait on 2 kg (4 lb) class line and following a five minute fight the fish was weighed in at 24.04 kg (53 lb 0 oz). The current IGFA line class record isContinueContinue reading “International Game Fish Association (IGFA) March Hot Catches”

  Now, state officials are mulling changes to creel and size limits for flounder this summer after complaints from local fishermen, like Hawkins, claim a recently proposed rule is too restrictive. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Service this week said it had all but settled on a five-month season, from April to September,ContinueContinue reading “Possible flounder limits irk anglers”

  The catch-and-release area extends from the Brewerton Channel at the Patapsco River to the Virginia line, including Tangier Sound and Pocomoke Sound. The Department of Natural Resources hopes the restrictions will reduce the stress on pre-spawn female fish, and will evaluate the situation before the 2011 season. Until then: Each trolling boat may haveContinueContinue reading “What are the new rules for catch-and-release striped bass fishing in Md.?”

          For years, it was thought that menhaden also helped by filtering out a lot of algae that otherwise would foul the bay. But the study by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science suggests menhaden have little net effect on the bay’s overall water quality. Menhaden probably not bay cleansers | delmarvanow.com | The DailyContinueContinue reading “Menhaden probably not bay cleansers”

  A report out Wednesday says it will cost $800 million to make Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed rivers environmentally friendly. The report was done jointly by the University of Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.  While the cost is high, it would be partially offset by the creation of more than 11,000 jobs, and theContinueContinue reading “Report Reveals Virginia Environmental Issues”

A federal official said he’s preparing to fine the owner of a trawler for illegally catching nearly 3,000 pounds of striped bass. The penalty is likely to be the first – and largest – in a series of recent violations against fisherme n for catching stripers in protected federal waters off North Carolina and VirginiaContinueContinue reading “Feds to issue steep fine over illegal stripers”

  The United States would direct more than $200 million over five years to fight harmful algal blooms under legislation approved Friday by the House of Representatives. The bill, which could help reduce dead zones in the Chesapeake Bay, awaits action in the Senate. The Deadrise – dailypress.com

  The cost of a Virginia saltwater recreational fishing license will increase $5, or 40 percent, according to a compromise reached Wednesday by state lawmakers. The Deadrise – dailypress.com

A Queen Anne’s County District Court judge has found a Rock Hall waterman guilty of possessing oversized rockfish, a ruling that suspends for one year the tidal fish license of 45-year-old John Franklin Riggs, 45. Shore waterman banned from fishing for a year | delmarvanow.com | The Daily Times