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Tournament Rules Kent Narrows Catch and Release

May 31, 2011 By

Coastal Conservation Association Maryland (CCA MD) – Kent Narrows Fly & Light Tackle Striper Tournament Official Rules

 

1. Entry Fee:  $40.00 per angler

 

Payment Options:

 

  • Online registration (preferred form of registration) – Registration can be made on the CCA MD website, http://www.ccamd.org .  You can also pay by cash or check at the captains meeting.

 

2. Date of Tournament:  Saturday, June 4th, 2011.  Tournament boundaries are the Sassafras River to the north and Cedar Point to the south.

 

3. Eligible Fish:  Rockfish.  All must be caught on hook and line.

 

4. Captains Meeting:  A captains meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 3rd, at 5 PM. at Shore Tackle, 3100 Main St., Grasonville, MD to review rules, distribute rulers and pass out tournament shirts.

 

5. Weather:  Participants enter the Tournament at their own risk and discretion.  Captain and crew must decide on each individual boat capabilities to fish on June 4th.

 

6. Measure-In:  This tournament will be Catch and Release only.  While participants may keep fish of legal size, you must bring in a digital camera, media card or other type of digital image of the fish you caught on top of the official measuring device to enter your catch.  All captains will be issued a CCA-approved ruler to use in the photo.  Bring your digital image to the The Jetty Restaurant at Kent Narrows on Saturday, June 4th by 3:30 PM at the latest. You must be in line at the deadline.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  Largest fish will be determined by length only.  All fish will be measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. In case of a tie the fish measured first will be the winner.  (REMEMBER –DO NOT BRING ANY FISH TO THE MEASURE-IN.) You MUST take your photo with the official measuring device (that will be given out at the Captains’ Meeting).  See instructions for measuring the fish in the Skipper’s Package. Put the special measuring device that you are given on the deck of your boat. Lay the fish on top of the measuring device.   Put the snout of the fish on the zero (the end of the measuring device) and the tip of the tail on the higher number.  You are responsible for getting the snout of the fish exactly on the zero end of the measuring device.  If a fish is longer than the 48 inch yardstick, the first photograph presented to the judges will be declared the winner.

 

7. Digital Cameras, media cards, or other types of digital images that fail to clearly show the length of the fish, with the official measuring devise, will be disallowed.

 

8. Minimizing Fish Mortality:  We discourage killing or harming fish for the tournament.  If an entrant has caught and killed a keeper for their own use, all efforts should be employed to preserve, revive and release subsequent fish.

 

9. Fishing Hours:  Saturday, June 4th lines may go in at 5:30 AM and the deadline for photo weigh-in is 3:30 PM.  Again, you must be in line at the The Jetty Restaurant by 3:30 PM at the latest.

 

10. Divisions:  The tournament will again feature three divisions—fly, light tackle, and kayak.

 

11. All participants and guests of participants are responsible for their own personal safety and the security of their personal property and expressly assume any and all risks to their personal safety and well being as a result of their participation in the tournament.  It is a pre-condition of participation in the Coastal Conservation Association Maryland (CCA MD) – Kent Narrows Fly & Light Tackle Striper Tournament that all participants shall release and hold harmless the Coastal Conservation Association Maryland and any sponsors from any and all claims, losses, costs and expenses, personal injuries, wrongful deaths and property damage, whatsoever, arising from or during participation in the Fishing Tournament.  By electing to participate in the Coastal Conservation Association Maryland (CCA MD) – Kent Narrows Fly & Light Tackle Striper Tournament, all participants agree to, and grant this release of liability and shall not be permitted to withdraw or disavow that release of liability.

 

12. Merchandise prizes from sponsors will be awarded as follows:

First, Second, and Third Prizes for each division (Fly, Light Tackle, and Kayak)

 

To be CCA qualified captain on a registered tournament boat, you need to be a member of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) in current standing. To join CCA go online pay when you register now or sign up online at www.joincca.org.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Ten bills signed into law

May 20, 2011 By

 

 

 

 

 

Ten bills supported by CCA Maryland were signed into law Thursday (May 19) by Governor O’Malley. Among the 10, these bills allow for

  • The revocation of an individual’s commercial license within 60 days if found guilty of oyster poaching;
  • The revocation of an individual’s commercial license if found guilty of an egregious or repeat violation against striped bass or blue crabs; and
  • A $25,000 fine and one year imprisonment for a commercial angler found guilty of fishing violations while their license was suspended.

CCA Leaders Ed Liccione, state chairman; Trent Zivkovich, chair, government relations committee; and Larry Jennings and Ken Lewis, government relations committee members, represented CCA MD at the signing. CCA MD was invited to the event and quoted in the Department of Natural Resources news release because of its work in fighting poaching in the Bay and the support it provided for this and other legislation.

“Our efforts to communicate the extent of the gill net poaching through our electronic newsletter and articles, photos and video on our website all demonstrated why steps needed to be taken against illegal commercial activity,” Liccione said. “Additionally, our government relations committee devoted many hours working with legislators to encourage passage of these bills. This is exactly the type of action that CCA must take and has been taking to support our fisheries.”

“Coastal Conservation Association Maryland believes this legislation will not only allow more effective law enforcement, but also act as a deterrent for habitual offenders that have become accustomed to a slap on the wrist for their crimes,” said Tony Friedrich, CCA MD executive director. “We commend the Governor, the Department and the leadership in the General Assembly for their support and advocacy for these bills.  CCA Maryland feels these enhanced laws highlight the need for all stakeholder groups and those they represent to do their part to promote the accountable and wise use of Maryland’s natural resources.”

“Through this legislation, we are sending a strong message in the fight to protect some of our most valued natural resources,” said Governor O’Malley. “By expanding aquaculture opportunities we are taking an innovative approach towards reviving our native oyster population, while at the same time, protecting oysters and our other fragile resources by punishing those who would wantonly disregard the law.”

More details can be found on the DNR news release,

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressrelease2011/051911c.asp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Featured, Legislation, Oysters, Striped Bass

Tight Lines May 11th

May 13, 2011 By

CCA MD unveils new website
Aiming to providing more information relating to advocacy and the interests of recreational anglers, CCA Maryland has unveiled a re-designed website, which is available at the old address, www.ccamd.org.
“While the new site has many more photos and is more attractive, our main goal was to provide information on fishery issues both on the state and national level,” said Executive Director Tony Friedrich, who designed the site. “We will still make minor improvements, but right now the new site is a major improvement. As new additions become active, we’ll alert members through Tight Lines.”
The site includes a search function to allow viewers quickly to find all articles available on the site on topics such as striped bass, menhaden, etc. The homepage includes three main areas—featured articles, advocacy, and CCA in the news—in addition to the navigation bar and a secondary menu at the right.
“Our new platform allows us to key articles by topic,” Friedrich said. “For example, anything that deals with advocacy will appear in the advocacy area, but also can be searched using the word, advocacy.”
Topics on the navigation bar include “What is CCA,” which has information on the national and state organizations; “Advocacy,” which features the Grassroots Action Center, Court Watch program, and CCA MD’s advocacy efforts in Annapolis; “Events and Meetings,” which will include information on upcoming chapter meetings and state events; “Fishing Info,” which has tips and articles from Maryland fishing guides’ and “CCA Newsroom,” which take you to the newsroom on the national site.
The secondary menu features all the CCA MD publications, links to the Careful Catch Maryland and Department of Natural Resources websites, and a quick way to contact CCA Maryland. There also is a category listing function to assist viewers in finding information.

Kent Narrows Tournament set for June 4
The annual Coastal Conservation Association Maryland (CCA MD)- Kent Narrows Fly & Light Tackle Striper Tournament will be held Saturday, June 4, with a new approach—a catch and release format. The tourney will again feature three divisions—fly, light tackle, and kayak. Tournament boundaries are the Sassafras River to the north and Cedar Point to the south. Lines may go in at 5:30 a.m., and the deadline for photo weigh-in is 3:30 p.m. at The Jetty Restaurant at Kent Narrows.

“We have moved the tournament to a catch and release style to reflect CCA’s concern for conservation of the resource,” said Friedrich. “While participants may keep fish, judging will be based on a photo. We’ll issue all captains a CCA-approved ruler to use in the photo.”
Sponsors for this year’s tournament are Under Armour, Shore Tackle, Annapolis Boat Sales, and Kent Island Kayaks. Awards will be presented for the top three fish in each division, but an angler is only allowed to win one prize.
The per-angler registration cost is $40, which includes a one-year membership for those not already CCA members. All participants will receive a tournament shirt, and there will be free food and beer at The Jetty from 3-6 p.m. Registration can be made on the CCA MD website, http://www.ccamd.org/?page_id=54.
A captains meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 3, at 5 p.m. at Shore Tackle, 3100 Main St., Grasonville, to review rules, distribute rulers and pass out tournament shirts.
For additional information contact, Friedrich, 202-744-5013, or tony@ccamd.org.

Two meetings set for tonight
Kent Narrows

The May meeting of the CCA’s Kent Narrows Chapter will feature Mike Hill on “Fishing the Sea of Cortez”. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 11th at the Fisherman’s Inn Restaurant, and will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Mike will be providing a fascinating power point presentation of the angling in the Sea of Cortez in and around Isla Cerralvo based out of the small town of Bahia De La Ventana. He will explore the light tackle options from snapper and roosterfish to 50 pound tuna on fly rods.  The talk will cover the how, when and where to take advantage of this awesome fishery.

We will also share with us the latest information pertaining to recent activities (gill nets) and projects on the Bay.

Upper Bay
Please join us Wednesday May 11, 2011 @ NE VFW 7PM (come early for wings and other items).  We will speak on the newest illegal gill net found loaded with 6,750 pounds of striped bass and a sturgeon.
A round table discussion with local anglers and guides will follow providing local fishing opportunities.  New access areas, crabs, and herring will also be discussed.

7:00 PM North East VFW

North Arundel Banquet Friday May 13

Please join us for the North Arundel Banquet on May 13.  It starts at 6pm and will be held at the Maryland Yacht Club 1500 Fairview Road, Pasadena MD 21122.  Tickets are $100 per couple and it includes a year membership to CCA.  Hope to see you there

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Time to Shed a Little Light

May 13, 2011 By

By Ted Venker
Conservation Director
Coastal Conservation Association

Fishermen are notorious for having a little trouble with the truth. Whether it’s adding a few pounds to the fish you caught last week or misdirecting a buddy away from your favorite spot or calling in sick on a beautiful day with a green tide, anglers can bend the truth when they need to.

It’s all part of the game.

Unfortunately, the truth in fisheries management often gets bent and twisted until it is an unrecognizable, smoking heap of wreckage, and that is the subject of a very good column in the May 2011 issue of SaltWater Sportsman Magazine entitled, “The Great Conspiracy Theory.” Rip Cunningham traces the origins of the great catch share conspiracy theory and offers a blunt assessment: “The true conspiracy may be the effort of a few in the shadows to maintain the status quo by creating a perceived conspiracy,” he writes. “The most insidious conspiracy of all may be the effort to invent one where none exists.”

We’ve had to do our share of debunking myths about catch shares as well, and published an article called “Caught Up in Catch Shares” back in February to tell our side of the tale once and for all. Rip’s analysis is right on the mark.

The thing about conspiracies is that you never really know who is behind them or what their motives are. To be functional and effective, organizations can’t be overly concerned with that end of the equation, though. You can chase shadows and whispers all day long and accomplish exactly nothing. As Theodore Roosevelt said, “”It behooves every man to remember that the work of the critic is of altogether secondary importance, and that, in the end, progress is accomplished by the man who does things.”

If you want to know about an organization, look at the work it is actually doing on issues that matter to you.

If you care about the impact of destructive fishing gear like longlines, trawls and gillnets, CCA has game fish legislation in play right now in the North Carolina General Assembly, has launched a net-ban effort in the Pacific Northwest, is pushing to end longlining in the Gulf of Mexico, and is leading the charge against rampant poaching of striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay.

If you care about habitat, CCA’s Building Conservation Habitat Program will pour $1.5 million into marsh and reef restoration and creation over the next three years. In the inaugural project of this national program, four acres of artificial reef are set to splash down in Louisiana’s Barataria Bay in the next few weeks. The habitat projects undertaken over the last year by individual CCA state chapters are too numerous to mention here, but cover everything from oyster recycling to seagrass planting to ghost crab trap removal programs.

If you care about enforcement and research, CCA state chapters have donated hundreds of thousands dollars of equipment to state wildlife enforcement agencies. CCA is also working to defeat short-sighted efforts in New York and New Jersey to roll back saltwater recreational saltwater licenses that will de-fund those state management agencies and open the door to commercial abuses and neglect of marine resources. CCA North Carolina is fighting the commercial industry to secure a Joint Enforcement Agreement to secure federal funding that will allow state officers to enforce federal law. And CCA Texas funded $700,000 for a marine larviculture laboratory to study recreational fish species for hatchery programs in partnership with the University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas.

If you are concerned about the potential negative impacts of catch shares, CCA is the only recreational fishing group in the country that is engaged in a lawsuit over catch shares against both the federal government and the Environmental Defense Fund.

And if you care about absurd fishing regulations, like the recently announced 48-day season for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico, CCA is pursuing a strategy for reallocation at every level of federal management in an effort to have fisheries allocated based on current economic, social and conservation criteria rather than outdated past catch history.

There are many challenges in fisheries management, and unfortunately one of them is, as Rip says, the efforts of a few in the shadows to maintain the status quo by spreading mistruths. The next time a hazy shadow on a fishing chatroom whispers something that sounds outrageous, be sure to ask them where their group stands on things that matter to you, like game fish status, fishing licenses, destructive fishing gear, habitat restoration and resource conservation.

Nothing makes a hazy shadow go away like a little sunlight.

Filed Under: Advocacy, National, News Release

Gill Net Images and Video from May 2011

May 10, 2011 By

Images of illegal, abandoned gill nets found in May 2011. The nets had been fishing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since February. What a terrible waste. When is enough enough?

Filed Under: Featured, Gill Nets, Striped Bass

Gill Net Images and Video from February 2011

May 10, 2011 By

Images and Video from the illegal gill net activity in February 2011.

 

Filed Under: Gill Nets, Striped Bass

llegal gill net contains hundreds of dead stripers

May 8, 2011 By

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Illegal gill net contains hundreds of dead stripers

As reported in Monday’s Tight Lines, another illegal gill net was discovered Sunday near Tilghman Island and would be recovered when weather allowed. The M/V Sandusky returned to the site yesterday afternoon and removed from the water a 1,400-yard net with almost 7,000 pounds of striped bass. CCA Maryland took photos and video of the off-loading at Matapeake State Park, and they can be viewed at the following links.  Photos Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4
The net was originally discovered by CCA Member Chris Jacobs while fishing Sunday. Natural Resources Police (NRP) officials estimated it contained approximately 450 striped bass with an average weight of 15 pounds.
Additionally, a second illegal gill net was discovered yesterday afternoon approximately 1.5 miles south of the one found Sunday. NPR has marked it, and recovery efforts are scheduled for this week.
“The amount of rotting and dead fish in the net recovered yesterday raises a number of questions about the commercial gill net fishery,” said Tony Friedrich, CCA MD executive director. “The first question is what this continued illegal commercial activity will do to the fishery. These ghost nets clearly continue killing after being abandoned.  The end of the legal season coincides with the start of the spawning run.  Can we afford to have these abandoned ghost nets in the bay? ”
“Secondly, is the cost of the managing the gill net industry. This recovery effort required two days use of the M/V Sandusky and three days of work by the NRP. Earlier in February, NRP officers spent numerous days on the water, and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff supervised check-in stations—all to assure that additional illegal activity did not occur. It’s not right to expect Maryland taxpayers to foot this bill because the commercial industry cannot respect the law.”
“Finally, we are seeing that when gill nets are deployed illegally, it’s not a clean fishery.  The net found this week, in addition to the 6,750 pounds of striped bass, captured a sturgeon and an earlier illegal net contained sea ducks both of which are federally protected. So, these nets are not just catching their intended target.
“What is especially troubling is the blatant disregard for the resource these individuals are showing. Many of the fish in the net recovered yesterday were rotting while others appeared to be freshly caught. Additionally, the sturgeon was alive and released. It’s reasonable to believe that the net was set early in the year, and when the illegal netting was discovered by NPR, the owner of this net chose not to recover his gear. He simply left the net in place to kill more fish, rather than risk being caught while removing it.”
Friedrich again commended the NRP and DNR for their “determined commitment” to stop this illegal activity.
These discoveries highlight the importance of the study of the commercial gill net fishery’s management structure and viability announced in February by DNR Secretary John Griffin.  The Secretary also said that if the commercial industry didn’t help police itself, the state would need to consider whether or not to phase out gill nets in the bay.  Those responsible for these nets and those who may have known about them could have anonymously reported their location to the NRP long ago.  Regrettably, they decided not to do that, allowing these nets to catch and kill for months.
Friedrich again urged anyone with information on illegal gill nets to contact DNR. There is now a reward of $30,500 being offered for leads that result in finding the perpetrators. The poacher hotline is 1.800.635.6124

Join CCA, www.ccamd.org

Filed Under: Featured

Hundred of dead striped bass in illegal gill net

May 8, 2011 By
By Candus Thomson, The Baltimore Sun5:36 p.m. EDT, May 2, 2011 

bs-sp-striped-bass-0503-20110502
ABOARD THE M/V SANDUSKY ——

The Chesapeake Bay’s bounty was turned into a macabre tableau Monday morning as an illegal net at least 600 yards long and filled with decaying striped bass and other fish was partially pulled from the waters off Tilghman Island.

As a crane whined and strained against the load, the net broke the surface and revealed a tangled web of large silver fish and brightly colored lures both caught up in the poacher’s gear. A recreational angler whose fishing lines became ensnared in the mess Sunday morning alerted Natural Resources Police.

“The officers attempted to pull it up but it was so full of fish that they had to call for the Sandusky,” said NRP Sgt. Art Windemuth.

But the 80-foot Sandusky and its crane was no match for the heavy winds and seas that pushed the boat around and made walking treacherous. The crew marked the site with a buoy and will return when conditions improve.

Baltimore businessman Chris Jacobs, who was fishing in a baywide tournament Sunday, said 15 rods on three boats snagged the net.

“I knew exactly what we had. I cut my lines free and punched the GPS to mark the position. I called the Poacher Hotline and stayed in the area. Less than two hours later, NRP arrived with grappling hooks,” Jacobs said. “I know it wasn’t the first time and unfortunately I don’t think it’s going to be the last time.”

Windemuth said the net appeared to be from earlier this year. The commercial gill net season has been closed since the end of February and isn’t scheduled to reopen until December.

This is spawning season on the Chesapeake Bay, the nursery for at least three-quarters of the striped bass population on the East Coast. State fisheries managers put many safeguards in place to protect the fish, but there’s nothing to stop the unmarked, submerged nets.

In February, officers hauled in 5.5 miles of illegal nets off Kent Island holding 12.6 tons of striped bass. The Department of Natural Resources closed the commercial season for two weeks to assess the situation before allowing watermen to fish the final two days.

“When is enough, enough?” said Tony Friedrich, executive director of Coastal Conservation Association Maryland. “Illegal nets continue to be a drain not only on natural resources but also on Maryland’s taxpayers. The mounting costs of enforcement are only overshadowed by the costs to our environment. How much longer must Maryland citizens support this illegal activity?”

DNR is offering a $30,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the poachers.

Windemuth said federal agencies are involved in the investigation. Several search warrants and subpoenas have been issued.

candy.thomson@baltsun.com

Filed Under: News Release

Poaching problem still leaves a stench

May 8, 2011 By


Published 05/05/11

Talk about a disgusting mess: The crew members of the icebreaker M/V A.V. Sandusky deserve hazard pay for their two-day effort, eventually successful, to pull up some 1,400 yards of illegal gill nets loaded with about 3 tons of rotting fish.

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This nasty discovery – first reported on Sunday by recreational fishermen whose lines were being snagged – brings to 16 the total tonnage seized from illegal nets since February.

The find demonstrated that state legislators, who took a pass on most other environmental issues in this year’s session, were right to toughen penalties on poaching, passing laws enhancing the state’s power to revoke poachers’ permits and require fines of up to $25,000 for repeat violations.

But the latest find calls into question whether the new laws are tough enough – and whether it makes sense for the state to allow gill-netting of rockfish at all.

These poachers are extremely hard to catch and endanger a resource that belongs to all Marylanders. The fish they take, when their nets are discovered, come right out of the quotas allowed to law-abiding watermen.

And the contempt for the law demonstrated in the latest incident is equalled only by the stupidity involved – having planted a huge unattended net right in the middle of the bay, the poachers either couldn’t or wouldn’t get back to it, pointlessly killing some 400 rockfish as well as other marine life.

The prospects for substantially increasing the personnel of the Natural Resources Police aren’t good. And as Ed Liccione, state chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association, pointed out in yesterday’s story, poaching investigations take a lot of money, as does having state workers staff watermen’s check-in stations at the end of the winter netting season.

A ban on taking rockfish by gill nets might not end poaching, but it would make violators easier to find. Even though we don’t like the thought of impinging on the livelihoods of responsible people because of the actions of a few irresponsible ones, protecting the state’s rockfish population must come first.

Filed Under: Gill Nets, News Release

TightLines 5.2.11

May 2, 2011 By
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Another illegal gill net discovered
Maryland’s Natural Resources Police (NRP) Sunday afternoon learned of another illegal gill net found near Tilghman Island. The net was approximately 600 yards in length, and the NRP determined that a larger vessel than its 25-footer would be required to remove it. A second attempt was made this morning with the 80-foot M/V Sandusky, but heavy seas prevented a successful recovery. Another attempt is being scheduled for later in the week.
CCA Maryland Executive Director Tony Friedrich was informed of the net Sunday afternoon by CCA Member Chris Jacobs, a recreational angler fishing in a weekend tournament, and confirmed the situation with the NRP and the Department of Natural Resources. He plans to monitor the recovery of the illegal net and its catch and a second Tight Lines will be distributed with more information and photos once they are available.
“This discovery is a reminder that these illegally-set nets continue to plague Maryland’s fishery,” Friedrich said. “It also forces Maryland’s citizens to ask if the gill net fishery can be economically viable if it requires extreme levels of law enforcement on the water and at check stations. We urge anyone who has information about these acts to share it with the proper officials. There is now a reward in excess of $30,000 for such information.”

 
Filed Under: Advocacy, Featured