/BillyInItToWinIt-750.jpg)
Billy Chesser caught this one trolling off Cedar Island Saturday photo courtesy of Capt. Paul.
/shane2rock-750.jpg "Shane and dad Elvie were rocking on Sunday with these 2 nice stripers!")
/shanew-750.jpg "Shane and dad Elvie were rocking on Sunday with these 2 nice stripers!")
Shane and dad Elvie were rocking on Sunday with these 2 nice stripers!
/shne2-750.jpg "Shane and dad Elvie were rocking on Sunday with these 2 nice stripers!")
Shane and dad Elvie were rocking on Sunday with these 2 nice stripers!
I can not believe we are in January and still having some great weather. It will not be long before the Spring Flounder will be here. I am getting thing set up as we speak and will comtinually post to our upcoming event some mark your calandars for May 11 - 20th. We have been getting in some new fishing tackle some orange mylar EC flounder rigs. Also some custom made snelled spinner bladed in chartruce, white, and pink. We are still around the shop and hours are cut back but we have the regulars in for coffee every morning and still some good cooked family meals. Thats the report for now. Tight Lines! Look for us at the Frederick Md fishing flea market Jan 21st, we will be traveling to the New Market, Md to sell some tackle.
Letter from VMRC on flounder proposals
Last night the recreational summer flounder ad hoc committee met at VMRC to discuss 2012 management measures and Rob and I want to provide you with information on that meeting.
While landings in Virginia were 53% under target in 2011, we are still held to an 18% decrease in our 2012 target (quota) due to coast-wide issues with overfishing. The good news is that the population’s spawning stock biomass has reached the restored target of 132.4 million pounds. The 2012 target has been established as 466,000 summer flounder. Because the 2011 landings are estimated at 268,684 fish, we are able to liberalize our landings by 74% in order to attain the 2012 quota. In 2011, Virginia’s recreational management measures included a 17 ½” minimum size limit, a 4 fish possession limit, and no closed season.
Please see the attached word document, with detailed information about tables and files presented at last night’s meeting. Also attached is the zip file containing the files presented in last night’s packet, labeled by page number.
At last night’s meeting, attendees expressed their concern that Virginia landings continue to fall short of our targets (2011 marked the fourth consecutive year of being under quota). While the group understands that paybacks will occur beginning in 2013, should the coast-wide ACL (annual catch limit) be exceeded, everyone was in agreement that perhaps being less conservative than in the past can serve Virginia well in 2012. Effort trends were also an important topic of this meeting.
The four options recommended by the ad hoc committee members to go forward are as follows, with the most support for the 16 ½” option:
16 ½” min. size, 4 fish possession limit
17” min. size, 5 fish
17” min. size, 4 fish
17 ½” min. size, 5 fish
All options assume no closed season in 2012.
State draft proposals are due to ASMFC technical committee on the 18th of January. The Finfish Management Advisory Committee (FMAC) will meet on January 23rd, and these options will be explained to that group for their input as well. On the 24th, a request for public hearing will be made at the VMRC Commission meeting. The proposal will be presented to the ASMFC technical committee at its meeting on the 25th in Baltimore. The ASMFC Management Board will review the TC recommendations at its Alexandria meeting on February 8th, and the final option(s) will be presented to the VMRC Commission at a public hearing on February 24th.
We will continue to seek any additional input or advice from the ad hoc group leading up to the ASMFC meeting, as discussions continue. Thank you to everyone who came out last night or sent a proxy.