Chesapeake Bay News

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Service has proposed a new penalty system to deter natural resource violations, including commercial poaching. The new proposal will impose penalties on first time offenders, based on the severity of their crime, as well as repeat offenders.

“These valuable and fragile marine resources are part of the public trust. They belong to all citizens and we must protect them from those who would willfully break the law,” said DNR secretary John Griffin.

Current law requires several convictions to generate a suspension and suspension time is minimal. The 2009 General Assembly directed DNR to create a penalty system for a single violation and provide tougher penalties for repeat offenders.

“We believe the proposed increased penalties remain reasonable and will provide a greater deterrence to people thinking about breaking the law,” said Fisheries Service Director Tom O’Connell.

DNR has been working with the Penalty Workgroup, Tidal Fisheries and Sport Fisheries Advisory Commissioners and the Attorney General’s Office to create the new commercial penalty system.

The new enforcement system:

• assigns points to violations based upon the gravity of the offense;

• has increased penalties for repeat offenders and special protection for certain species; and

• includes provisions for automatic suspension for certain violations.

This proposal was submitted on Nov. 13, 2009 and will be in the Maryland Register on December 18, 2009.

The proposal is currently available on Fisheries Service’s Proposed Regulations Web page, at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/proposedregulations.asp.

Public comment will begin on December 18, 2009 and end on January 19, 2010.  Public hearings will take place on January. 7, 2009 at 6pm, at the Talbot County Library – Main Library, 100 West Dover Street Easton, Maryland 21601 and on January 13, 2009 at 6pm in C-1, Tawes State Office Bldg., 580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401.

source: DNR press release

The 2010 East Coast Commercial Fisherman’s and Aquaculture Trade Exposition is fast approaching, and this year’s show will once again be offering young chefs a chance to show off their skills. This year’s expo will mark the 12th year of the East Coast Junior Waterman’s Show, and all chefs between the ages of 7 and 17 are encouraged to enter their best Rockfish recipes in the 3rd Annual Junior Chefs Rockfish Cook-Off. The top ten finalists will compete in the Cook-Off on Saturday, January 30 in Ocean City, Maryland.

The contest will consist of two age groups, 7 to 12 and 13 to 17. Five finalists will be selected from each age group to compete for cash prizes and plaques. First place will receive $200 and a plaque, second place will receive $100 and a plaque and third place will receive $50 and a plaque. All finalists will receive Rockfish pins, aprons and certificates.

All entries are due by Friday, December 18, 2009. Finalists will be notified by Thursday, January 7, 2010. A daytime phone number is required on all entry forms in order for finalists to be notified. The recipe should be an original entree or main dish. Each finalist will receive two pounds of rockfish fillets to use the day of the competition. All other ingredients and cooking utensils are the contestants’ responsibility. Judging will be based on originality, predominance of Rockfish, taste and texture. Parental permission and supervision must be provided.

The Cook-Off is sponsored by University of Delaware Sea Grant Program, University of Maryland Sea Grant and the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Seafood Marketing Program. For a list of all official rules and regulations, as well as an entry form, please email Doris Hicks at dhicks@udel.edu.

source: mdseafood.org press release

Sandy Point State Park will once again be the host site for Lights on the Bay, a holiday light show presented by Anne Arundel Medical Center. The show will be held November 21 through January 3, 2010 and features 60 animated and stationary holiday displays located throughout the park.

Lights on the Bay is open each evening from 5:00 until 10:00 p.m. and costs $14.00 per vehicle. Several area businesses and publications offer coupons for a $2.00 discount valid on weekdays, excluding holidays.

All proceeds from Lights on the Bay will benefit Anne Arundel Medical Center. For additional program details, call 410-481-3161.

Sandy Point State Park is located just off Route 50, exit 32 next to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

source: DNR press release

Anglers from Maine to North Carolina made their way to Maryland to test their skills and promote recreational fishing on the Chesapeake Bay as the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association (MSSA) hosted the 17th annual Chesapeake Bay Fall Rockfish Tournament.

Nearly 200 boats carrying over 1000 anglers took to the water to try to reel in the big one for their share of the prize money.  The MSSA set up 7 weigh stations from Sandy Point state park to Point Lookout for anglers to bring in their top fish.

“This tournament, like our others, lures anglers from Maryland and other states to the Bay and gives our local communities a little economic boost and of course gives our members one last chance to participate in a tournament this year,” said Dave Smith, Executive Director of the MSSA.

This was the final tournament in the 2009 MSSA Tournament Series which consists of four total events including the largest spring rockfish tournament in the country.

Robert Harris Jr. of Solomons, MD took home first place with his 47.95 pound rockfish, securing him $44,703 for his efforts.  Harris caught the winning fish on a crippled alewive Saturday morning near 72A.  Harris has been competing in MSSA tournaments, as well as many others all over the East Coast, for almost ten years now.

Lee Tippett of southern Maryland placed second with his 43.25 pound rockfish caught near the gas docks just in front of Solomons, MD.  Tippett will walk away with $18,000 and attributes his success to a Tyler’s Tackle parachute rig.

Third place went to James Rose of Kent Island.  Rose caught his fish near 78A on a 21 Tony early Saturday morning.  Rose and his crew will have a lot to be thankful for this holiday as they take home $4,441.
Also in the money was Frank Hagner of Baltimore who took third place in the Skill Levels with his 41.65 pound rockfish weighed in at Point Lookout state park.  Hagner will be receiving a check worth $7,560 as he entered all of the additional skill levels.  Hagner entered the tournament with his son David Hagner who just recently returned from Afghanistan.

The MSSA gave away almost $75,000 in prize money for the tournament and has increased its participation each year since 1992.

Tournament results will be posted on the MSSA’s website.  Smith said all results are unofficial until he and the Tournament Committee can check and confirm all fish weights and the winners pass their respective polygraph tests.

The MSSA, an organization of 7,000 conservation-minded members and the largest of its kind in the state, is most famous for its advocacy work protecting anglers’ rights and the largest spring rockfish tournament in the country, The Championship on the Chesapeake.  The organization uses these tournaments to promote and encourage recreational fishing in the state of Maryland, with a special focus on the state’s youth.  “We are trying to get kids and adults involved and give them the access and opportunity to get out there and fish”, Smith said.

For more information on this tournament and the MSSA you may visit www.mssa.net

The holidays are right around the corner, and that means it is time to start planning for this special time of year. Whether planning an extravagant feast for a large group of family and friends or an intimate celebration for two, make sure there is room on the dinner table for Maryland seafood!

Everyone loves the aroma wafting from the kitchen while the holiday meal is being prepared. This year, follow in a Maryland tradition of stuffing your turkey with “Skipjack Oyster Dressing” or treat guests to one of the many other delicious seafood recipes that take advantage of the savory flavors of salty oysters, sweet rockfish, and delicious fresh or pasteurized crab meat.

In addition to being tasty, Maryland seafood is also a nutritious addition to any holiday feast. It is low in fat, sodium and calories, and it contains important vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids for a healthy heart.

Make holiday meal planning easy with a recipe brochure from the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Seafood & Aquaculture Program, featuring 11 seafood recipes sure to please family and friends. From crab balls and fried oysters for appetizers to traditional Maryland oyster stew and stuffed rockfish, this brochure is essential for holiday entertaining.

The Maryland Seafood Holiday Brochure is available by sending a self-addressed and stamped envelope to: Maryland Seafood Holiday, 50 Harry S Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401, or call the recipe request line, toll free in Maryland at 888-841-5828. Outside of Maryland call 410-841-5972, or visit: www.marylandseafood.org.

A series of public forums will be held throughout December on the recently released draft strategy for restoring the Chesapeake Bay, a document required by a Presidential Executive Order issued in May 2009.  The public forums will feature officials from multiple federal agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Public feedback is important and valuable to the federal agencies. Comments may be submitted online at http://executiveorder.chesapeakebay.net by clicking on “provide comments.” The public comment period runs through January 8, 2010. The draft strategy, also available on the website, will evolve through public comments, state consultations and agency revisions before the final strategy is published in May 2010.

The public can also submit questions about the draft strategy by recording a 30-second or less video and uploading it to YouTube with a tag of “chesapeakebayeo.”  A selection of these video questions will be used at the public forums and for an online question-and-answer session with federal officials in January. People can also join conversations about the draft strategy on Facebook by visiting the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order page and clicking on discussions. Additionally, updates on Executive Order news are available through Twitter by following @chesapeakebayeo.

Public Forum Schedule

District of Columbia: Tuesday, December 1 – 7:00-8:30 pm

Penn Quarter Conference Center, 701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20004

Watch a live webcast at http://executiveorder.chesapeakebay.net

Maryland: Wednesday, December 2 – 7:00-8:30 pm

National Aquarium in Baltimore (Auditorium), 501 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Delmarva Peninsula: Thursday, December 3 – 7:00-8:30 pm

Wicomico County Civic Center (Midway Room), 500 Glen Avenue, Salisbury, MD 21804

West Virginia: Tuesday, December 8 – 7:00-8:30 pm

Holiday Inn Martinsburg, 301 Foxcroft Avenue, Martinsburg, WV 25401

New York: Thursday, December 10 – 7:00-8:30 pm

Holiday Inn Binghamton-Downtown Hotel, 2-8 Hawley Street, Binghamton, NY 13901

Pennsylvania: Tuesday, December 15 – 7:00-8:30 pm

Farm Show Complex & Event Center (Banquet Hall), 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110

Virginia: Thursday, December 17 – 7:00-8:30 pm

Nauticus National Maritime Center (Auditorium), One Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510

On May 12, President Obama issued Executive Order 13508 on Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration, the first-ever presidential directive on the Bay and the first environmental Executive Order by President Obama. The order established a Federal Leadership Committee, chaired by the U.S. EPA, and with senior representatives from the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, Interior and Transportation. These agencies generated seven draft reports in September 2009 that contained recommendations for addressing key challenges facing the Chesapeake Bay and watershed.

These draft reports were integrated into a draft strategy that was released on November 9. The draft strategy contains a package of federal initiatives to restore clean water, conserve treasured places, protect fish and wildlife, and adapt to the impacts of climate change. These objectives will be accomplished by empowering local efforts, making decisions based on science and forging a new era of federal leadership and accountability. Close collaboration of efforts with the six states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the District of Columbia is also critical.

source: EPA press release

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission will buy back 359 commercial crab licenses, in a historic action to take more than 75,000 crab pots off the water as part of a multi-year species rebuilding effort.

The licenses will be retired permanently. The removal of 75,441 licensed crab pots represents an almost 20 percent reduction in the number of pots permitted for use in Virginia waters.

“This far surpassed our expectations,’’ said VMRC Commissioner Steven G. Bowman. “This is a great long-term benefit for this environmentally and economically important species.”

The license buyback program closed on Nov. 1. A total of 664 bids were received, in the first ever so-called reverse auction in which crabbers submitted non-negotiable bids and gave the lowest offer they would accept for the purchase of their licenses.

The bids were analyzed and matched to the harvest histories of each bidder. Purchase priority was given for the licenses used most often, and number of pots permitted for each license, in order to reduce the fishing effort in the most cost-efficient manner.

Acceptance letters to the holders of the 359 licenses accepted for the buyback were mailed on Nov. 20. Checks will be written within the next few weeks.

Payments will be made from a pool of $6.7 million appropriated by the federal government as part of a blue crab disaster designation by the National Marine Fisheries Service last year. The VMRC’s license buyback program was enthusiastically approved by NMFS.

License buyback offers were accepted from 59 full-time commercial crabbers, 131 part-time crabbers and 169 crabbers who had not used their licenses since 2004 and were put on a waiting list until the crab population rebounds and stabilizes at high levels for three consecutive years.

Those full-time crabbers held licenses that permitted the use of 14,299 crab pots; 27,733 pots for part-timers; and 33,409 for those on the waiting list.

“It is especially important to ensure the long-term viability of our rebuilding efforts to retire licenses held by those on the waiting list. When the overall crab population returns to abundance, those licenses could significantly undermine the stability of the stock if they were put back in use,’’ said VMRC Fisheries Chief Jack Travelstead. “This is money well spent for the future of this fishery.”

Removing 75,441 crab pots from circulation is a reduction of 18 percent of the 423,000 crab pots that had been licensed for use in Virginia waters.

Retiring 359 crab licenses from the books will leave 1,649 licenses in circulation, including 314 licenses that cannot currently be used because they are on a waiting list. The number of crab licenses issued was capped in 1998.

The bids received varied widely. Full-time crabber bids ranged from $5,000 to $600,000; part-timer bids ranged from $500 to $634,000; and bids from those on the waiting list ranged from $500 to $300,000.

The accepted bids ranged from $500 to $175,000.

Last year, the VMRC and Maryland officials confronted a dangerously low crab population and enacted a bay-wide 34 percent harvest reduction strategy in an effort to rebuild a stock in danger of crashing in the event of a single poor year of reproduction.

At that point, the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab population had plummeted 70 percent since 1993.

The VMRC banned the winter dredging of crabs last year and this year, shortened the season for harvest of female crabs, required larger escape rings on crab pots, and enacted a waiting list for inactive licenses.

Within a year, the bay-wide adult crab population doubled, according to a scientific crab population survey that has proven over decades to be highly accurate. Results of this winter’s survey will guide the VMRC in future crab management decisions.

“We are stewards of our marine resources and we take our jobs seriously,” said Bowman. “We will do what is necessary.”

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Service will hold a Regulatory Scoping Public Meeting on November 16, 2009 at 6:00 pm in Fellowship Hall at the Calvary United Methodist Church, 301 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis, MD 21401.  DNR is holding the meeting to discuss the striped bass catch and release season.

DNR is looking for public comment on regulatory ideas designed to reduce the impacts of catch and release trolling for large pre-spawn striped bass between March 1 and April 15.  DNR believes conservative management is needed with catch and release pre-season striped bass fishing, as a spokesman told the Sport and Tidal Fish Advisory Commissions on October 20.

Fishing effort has increased during March and April, and the impacts of catch and release on the ability of fish to successfully spawn are uncertain. DNR will post the proposal on the Fisheries Service Web page at www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries by November 13.

All interested parties are invited to attend the meeting and give their views. Sign language interpreters and other accommodations will be provided upon request.

source: DNR press release

Three winter striped bass tournaments are coming up in Hampton Roads Virginia.

They are:

ASA National Striper Tournament

Long Bay Pointe Marina
2109 W. Great Neck Rd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(321) 287-6351
Start Date: 12/12/2009
End Date: 12/12/2009

Tournament Headquarters
Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub
30th and Pacific Ave
Virginia Beach, VA
757-417-7701

ASA National Striper Tournament American Striper Association, the Nation’s largest Striped Bass Tournament Series, is hosting its 2009 National Tournament to Virginia Beach. The Chesapeake Bay is known as the premier Striped Bass fishery on the East Coast. Expected payouts will exceed $100,000 for the tournament and Angler of the Year awards.
*All boats fishing the Virginia Beach National Tournament will qualify for a $5,000 bonus to be awarded at the Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout.

Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout

828 High Point Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 319-5146
Start Date: 1/07/2010
End Date: 1/09/2010

Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout The 7th Annual Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout returns to Virginia Beach January 7th to the 9th. Get ready to reel as the largest Rockfish Tournament in the country comes to the Beach. Over 1,000 anglers will battle it out for the top bragging rights and a guaranteed CASH prize of $100,000. This year will have two divisions – one for live bait and one for artificial bait.

2nd Annual Virginia Beach Rockfish Frostbite Challenge Tournament

P.O. Box 6807
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
(757) 689-2694
(757) 576-4013
Start Date: 1/14/2010
End Date: 1/17/2010

Thursday, January 14th: Registration 4:00pm until 7:00pm, Captains Meeting at 7:00pm with the party rolling until 9:00pm. Awards Banquet will begin at 6:00pm on Sunday, January 17 and run to around 10:00pm, with awards presented at approx. 8:30pm. Give-Aways start at 7:00pm and will continue throughout the night. All events will be hosted by and take place at HOOKS at Rudee Inlet in Va Beach. Weigh scales are at Fisherman’s Wharf Marina and Long Bay Pointe Marina.

Governor Martin O’Malley congratulated Drs. Walter Boynton and Michael Kemp of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science for receiving Odum Lifetime Achievement Award from the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF). The award recognizes both the individual accomplishments and the combined contributions the two scientists have made over the last 30 years.

“Drs. Kemp and Boyton have spent a lifetime seeking a greater understanding of coastal ecosystems like the Chesapeake Bay,” said Governor O’Malley. “Their contributions have not only helped advance the work of other scientists internationally, but also helped provide the scientific foundation for the State of Maryland’s efforts to restore our own Chesapeake Bay.”

Throughout their career, Drs. Boynton and Kemp have demonstrated outstanding abilities to identify and tackle difficult questions and provide insightful analyses of a wide range of issues including eutrophication, oxygen depletion, nutrient budgeting, and food web structure. They have developed approaches and tools for addressing real world questions that are widely used today.

In addition to their scientific achievements, Drs. Boynton and Kemp have consistently displayed a commitment to putting science to work. Their interactions with and contributions to the coastal management community in the Chesapeake Bay and beyond have been of immense value. They have served on scientific advisory committees, helped develop and cultivate robust environmental monitoring programs, and effectively interacted with the public and media to advance the use and respect of science in addressing estuarine issues.

“Walter and Michael’s involvement with the Bay restoration community has helped ensure that comprehensive science has always been the cornerstone of the State’s Chesapeake Bay restoration programs,” said Department of Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin. “Their work is a perfect example of how sound science leads to sound public policy.”

In their more than 30 years of collaboration, they have been jointly awarded at least 35 grants and contracts and produced more than 50 joint peer-reviewed publications together. Dr. Kemp began his career with the UMCES Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons in 1977, before moving to the UMCES Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge a year later. Dr. Boyton has worked at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory since 1980.

The researchers were presented the award on November 2, 2009 in Portland, Oregon.

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is the University System of Maryland’s environmental research institution. UMCES researchers are helping improve our scientific understanding of Maryland, the region and the world through its three laboratories –Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, and Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge – and the Maryland Sea Grant College.

Founded in 1971, CERF is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing human understanding and appreciation of estuaries and coasts. Membership consists of approximately 1,650 academic researchers, public-sector managers, teachers, consultants and students.