SPORT FISH ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING

Monday, March 20, 2006, 6:00 P.M.

Tawes State Office Building

 

Commissioners present:

 

Michael Critzer                         Bill Carrier                                Dr. Jim Gilford, Chairman

Diane Baynard                          Richie Gaines                            Jim Smith

 

Chairman Jim Gilford called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

 

Announcements:

 

Marty Gary, of the Fisheries Service, told the Commission that there would be a meeting about the NMFS Bluefin Tuna proposal on Friday, March 24th, 6:30 p.m. at the Ocean Pines Public Library.  This proposal eliminates school fishing; school fishing constituted over 60% of last year’s catch.

 

Old Business:

 

Chairman Gilford asked Mr. Gary for new information on the problem with the catch card data that NMFS had refused to incorporate; a problem brought to the Commission at the February meeting.  Mr. Gary told the Commission that one significant problem was that Maryland and Delaware data are together as one in the NMFS database; they are trying to separate them to compare Maryland data to LPS.  NMFS is putting together an ad hoc committee to look at this problem and hope to have some answer within two months.  Chairman Gilford asked him to please mention the SFAC and the Department’s concern at the March 28th NMFS meeting of State Directors and Saltwater Sport Fishermen so it is entered into the official record.

 

Chairman Gilford mentioned that the NRP enforcement policy of yellow perch that the Fisheries Service promised to forward to the Commission members had not yet been received, nor had the bi-weekly bulletins that are sent to the Governor’s office.  He asked that Mr. Gary be sure to have them sent to the Commissioners.

 

Additions to the Agenda:

 

Commissioner Bill Carrier – Inland Fisheries Marketing Committee

Commissioner Diane Baynard – Fyke netting in Nanjemoy

Commissioner Richie Gaines – Charter boat logbooks and surveys

 

NRP Report:

 

Sergeant Beth McVeigh went over recent NRP activities of interest to the Commission:

  • NRP continued their oyster saturation patrols throughout the state
  • Performed gill net saturation in the Choptank
  • There were three complaints of illegal takes in Charles County
  • A fish kill of 40-50 white carp was reported
  • In the EEZ case, 8,000 pounds of striped bass were seized in conjunction with NOAA.  Offenders were charged federally; the case is still pending
  • Scallops – 25 boats working in the area
  • LNG facility – many factors will affect NRP participation; their entire role is unknown at this time.

 

Chairman Gilford asked why the striped bass violations were not mentioned at the last TFAC meeting; Mr. Gary told him that Sergeant Rob Kersey was on vacation, so no NRP report was given.  Rich Novotny, of the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association (MSSA), asked the name of the boat involved in the violation.  Sgt. McVeigh said the name of the boat was the Rita Diane; the magazine, Proptalk had an article in their January issue on the incident.

 

Inland Update

 

Don Cosden, of the Fisheries Service, told the Commissioners that walleye in tidal waters was declared in need of conservation.  The draft document is finished and is currently in Gina Hunt’s office for review.

 

At Thorpe Woods there was a brook trout in Maryland meeting.  The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, funded by the EPA coincides with the Department’s management plan.  The draft plan is almost complete; it will go to review in April.  Public comment is expected in June; the plan will be brought to the SFAC at the May meeting.  He then gave the Commission a quick overview of the plan’s goals and procedures.  Chairman Gilford felt that this is an opportunity to get money for work that needs to be done in this area and suggested that the Department join on as a partner in the Joint Venture.  Mr. Cosden told him that Alan Heft, of Inland Fisheries’ Statewide Operations, attends all the Joint Venture’s meetings and will come to present the plan to the SFAC.

 

At this time, Mr. Cosden and Howard King, Director of the Fisheries Service, presented Ed Enamait with a framed citation, thanking him for his 34 years of service to the Department of Natural Resources.  Mr. Enamait was responsible for the rivers and reservoirs program in Inland Fisheries and worked to restore the small mouth bass fishery in Maryland waters.  Chairman Gilford read a letter from the SFAC that he asked to be attached to the meeting minutes.

 

Mr. Cosden then gave the Potomac small mouth survey results.  He told the Commission that there had been small mouth bass fish kills in the Potomac that can’t be completely explained.  Similar kills had also occurred in Virginia and Pennsylvania.  He then gave a power point presentation on the status of Maryland stocks.

 

Seafood Marketing

 

Marty Gary told the Commission that legislation was passed requiring a single report by both the TFAC and the SFAC.  The purpose of the report was discussed at the last TFAC meeting.  Commissioner Diane Baynard, the SFAC representative to the TFAC, gave details to the Commissioners on the TFAC discussion.  The report is due on December 1st; the TFAC would like the SFAC to form a subcommittee to write their portion of the report.  The final, combined report will go to the governor and several subcommittees.  She asked that this be discussed at the April meeting.

 

Inland Marketing Subcommittee

 

Commissioner Bill Carrier said the subcommittee met twice last year and came up with goals.  He and Commissioner Brenda Foster have done marketing research on sport fishing and found that Maryland is not alone in the decline of license sales.  Other states are seeing the same trends.  He asked Mr. Gary to call a meeting of the subcommittee.

 

Yellow Perch

 

Commissioner Baynard told the Commission that she received a letter from Coastal Conservation Association (CCa) members in Southern Maryland about yellow perch in Nanjemoy Creek and forwarded it to Howard King.  Mr. King said the NRP responded back that they had 2 complaints about nets in Nanjemoy Creek; the nets are legal.  There is no information on whether there in an increase in netting; but the Department is looking at netting efforts in spawning reaches and its effects.  Ken Hastings, the yellow perch expert in the CCA, said the CCA conducts annual spawning counts in the Nanjemoy.  They counted 32 floats – 64 nets.  There doesn’t appear to be anything illegal about it; but there is no limit to the number of nets.

 

Chairman Gilford asked who in the Department is working on the Yellow Perch Management plan.  He indicated that he wasn’t opposed to commercial fishing as long as it does not have an adverse effect on the resource, or disenfranchise recreational users.  He said he hopes effort during spawning can be stopped.

 

Legislation/Regulation Update

 

Mr. King went over the handout given to the Commissioners:

 

SB 439 – Prohibits the setting of fike nets in the Busch River.  Bill is not out of committee at this time.

SB 128 – Allows an educational collection permit

No pending legislation is forthcoming.

 

Sherman Baynard, MD CCA, asked Mr. King if the Department has a position on terrapins.  Mr. King      said that the Department supports Terrapin Day, but does not support a legislated moratorium.  The Department proposed amendments to adopt regulations to limit the number of terrapin harvesters and to make sure that recreational crab pots have turtle exclusions.

 

Chairman Gilford asked if the Department testified on SB439; Mr. King said that Assistant Secretary Mike Slattery did.

 

Estuarine/Marine Update

 

Andy Loftus gave a presentation to the Commission on the Maryland Artificial Reef Plan.  Mr. Loftus is currently working on this plan with Dick Stone.  He worked with the Artificial Reef Committee in the 1980s; Mr. Stone will do the bulk of the work on the Maryland Plan.

Mr. Loftus gave a handout of the starting point for the Maryland plan, a guideline.  A tentative schedule has been made-- the plan outline will be complete by mid-May; on May 25th there will be a 2nd Reef Summit in Eastport; the final plan will be complete by late summer/early fall.  The implementation plan will get into specific sites. The priorities will be 1) the Chesapeake Bay, 2) the Ocean, and 3) the Coastal Bays.  He invited the Commissioners to email any thoughts, or suggestions, to Aloftus501@aol.com, or call him at 410-295-5997.

Chairman Gilford asked who would select the sites; he feels that this is an important consideration that should be included in the plan.  Mr. Loftus assured him that the process would be outlined in the plan.  Chairman Gilford reemphasized the importance of the sites being selected by people who know the area.  He then asked Mr. Gary to provide the names, numbers and email addresses of the principals in the reef program to the Commissioners.

Commissioner Gaines asked if the plan will consider additional sites, as well as, existing sites.  He felt that they should concentrate on evaluation of current sites and their effectiveness.  Mr. King suggested that Mr. Loftus schedule meetings with stakeholders to increase efficiency.  Mr. Gary said that funding should also be discussed.  They are still in discussion with Cove Point LNG to fund reefs in the Bay.

Chairman Gilford had two other considerations he felt needed to be addressed in the plan, 1) the replacement of essential fish habitats by reefs and 2) the general impression that they are fish attractors and what are the impacts on fishing.  Mr. Loftus assured him that these would be considered.

 

LNG Plant recommendation to Secretary Franks

 

Mr. Gary told the Commission that the Administration has not come forward with a position; the Department will wait until that happens.  Chairman Gilford told him that the Commissioners want the Secretary to have the SFAC recommendation in his hands so he can make the Administration aware of the SFAC’s concerns.  Mr. King told him that he will prepare a letter for the SFAC to the Secretary stating their opposition to the AES LNG Plant at Sparrows Point and ask him to relate their concerns to the Governor on the severe impact this plant will have on recreational fishing and boating opportunities.

He told the Commission that there was a public meeting on March 15th at the Solomon’s Island Holiday Inn on the Dominion extension of Cove Point LNG.  There was strong opposition by people.

Commissioner Carrier asked if the letter would be circulated to the Commissioners for review.  Mr. King said it would be after Chairman Gilford approves it.  He said he would try to have the draft letter in two to three days.

 

Loss of Fishing Opportunities on the Bay

 

Commissioner Richie Gaines told the Commission that fishing opportunities are almost non-existent above the Choptank River; there are no croaker, trout or flounder in this area.  He feels that water quality is a severe problem and these fisheries seem to be dying.  He suggested that the SFAC send a letter to the Administration, Legislators and other stakeholders to let them know that the Bay is dying – the water quality is very poor.  Chairman Gilford said the SFAC, the CCA, the MSSA and the Charter boat Association should get together as a unit to make this problem visible; they can start with the upcoming Sportsmen’s Conference.

Commissioner Jim Smith felt that the Department’s response to the Washington Post article on striped bass health was not strong enough.  He asked that a press release be sent out to counteract this bad press.  Mr. King told him that a press release had gone out, but it is hard to undo harm done the an article like that.  He told him that at 12:30 pm on March 21st, the Governor is taking reporters into the Governor’s house kitchen where striped bass will be prepared and eaten.  That is the second step in the Administration’s response.

 

New Business

 

Mr. Gary gave a handout on the Conowingo Proposed Recreational Enhancements.  He hopes to bring the blueprints of the plan to the April meeting to show to the Commission.  He applauded Exelon’s cooperation in this endeavor.  Mr. Baynard felt that the Department and regional fishing organizations should also extend their thanks to Exelon.  Mr. Gary said he would like to schedule a press event upon completion of the project.

 

Striped Bass Survey Form – Mr. Gary said the form is very simple, but will provide significant data for regulation and management.  This form gives length/frequency to both legals and sublegals caught; information not available in the MERF’s data.  He would like to get feedback from the Commission for an April 15th to May 15th timeline.  Thirty forms and a postage paid return envelope will be mailed out to logbook holders; he extended that offer to both the MSSA and the CCA.  Commissioner Gaines said if Mr. Gary sent him an electronic copy, he would forward it to the Guides’ Association.  He suggested that the survey go all summer to get chumming data.  Rich Novotny asked that Mr. Gary also send him a copy for the MSSA members.

 

      The next scheduled SFAC meeting is on April 17th.

 

      The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm.