Symposium Seeks to Address Future of Fisheries Management in Chesapeake Bay

Annapolis, MD- On October 3, 2006, Coastal Conservation Association Maryland (CCA MD) will sponsor a symposium, Saltwater Fisheries Management for the 21st Century, to promote the evolution of fisheries management in Maryland. In order to explore new and creative options, the symposium will gather national experts to discuss progressive strategies for the management of Chesapeake Bay fisheries.

Interested parties including elected officials and candidates, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) personnel, commercial fishermen, tackle shop owners, charter boat captains and recreational anglers have been invited. The symposium will begin at 7:00 pm and feature 5 speakers. It will conclude with a one hour question and answer forum from 9:00-10:00pm. This free event, to take place at the Loews Annapolis Hotel, 126 West St, is open to the public.

“It has become increasingly obvious to concerned anglers that the DNR’s management of our marine resources is stuck in the practices of the last century and a better balance of priorities is needed to satisfy the growing recreational and environmental interests of our residents and economic benefits for the state,” said Robert Glenn, Executive Director of CCA MD.

Decades ago, commercial hunting and fishing were outlawed throughout Maryland with the exception of the saltwater fishery, which helped shape the State’s development, particularly on the Eastern Shore. The early predecessor agencies of DNR were formed to address user conflict and to manage stocks for commercial fishing interests. With population growth and development, citizens increasingly looked toward the Bay for recreational activities such as fishing and boating. This has created additional challenges for DNR fisheries managers tasked with managing the resource for user groups with divergent needs.

“The Bay’s productivity is in an advanced downtrend. Many of our marine resources are in decline while Maryland’s Fisheries Service is under-funded and under-manned,” explained Sherman Baynard, Chairman of CCA MD’s Fisheries Committee. “Commercial fishermen struggle with overcapitalization and shrinking profit margins and the social and economic value of recreational fishing is not being fully recognized.”

Featured speakers include Brad Gentner, Economist with the National Marine Fisheries Service, Steve Early, Assistant Director of DNR’s Fisheries Service, Dick Brame, CCA’s Atlantic States Fisheries Director, Russell Nelson, PhD, Fisheries Scientist with Nelson Resources Consulting, Inc. and Sherman Baynard. For details about the symposium including the speakers’ topics, visit CCA MD’s website, www.ccamd.org. For further inquiries or to RSVP, contact CCA MD’s Annapolis office at 888.758.6580 or info@ccamd.org.