November 26, 2018: Closure of the fall 2018 James River seed oyster fishery effective 2pm, November 27, 2018. [Notice]
November 16, 2018: Atlantic states from Massachusetts through
Virginia have scheduled hearings to gather public comment on Draft Addenda XXXI
and XXXII to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management
Plan (FMP). As previously announced, the hearing in Virginia was held 11/14/18.
Anybody wishing to comment should submit comments directly to ASMFC by 11/29/18.
See the following web links for further information.
[ASMFC
Hearing Notice |
Addendum 31 |
ASMFC Addendum 31 Presentation |
Addendum 32 |
ASMFC Addendum 32 Presentation |
ASMFC Public Comment Guide]
November 7, 2018: The annual meeting of the Tournament Committee of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament will be held Thursday, November 15th at 2600 Washington Avenue, Newport News, 6 PM, in the Virginia Marine Resources Commission’s Library, located on the fourth floor of the building. The meeting is scheduled to start at 6 PM and the public is encouraged to attend. [Notice]
November 6, 2018: NOAA Fisheries is increasing the retention limit for
the commercial aggregated large coastal shark and hammerhead shark management
groups for directed shark limited access permit holders in the Atlantic region
from 36 to 45 large coastal sharks - other than sandbar sharks - per vessel per trip
as of November 6, 2018 [NMFS Notice |
VA Commercial Shark Possession Limits]
November 2, 2018: Closure of the commercial non-purse seine menhaden bait fishery [Notice]
October 30, 2018: The Commission met yesterday and approved one dock
project, levied fines against two projects, approved two oyster planting permits
and denied one oyster planting permit. Also of note: the Commission levied a
civil penalty of $6,000 in addition to the purchase of 1,250 square feet of
wetlands credits from a mitigation bank (estimated cost $27,500) to satisfy
compensation for an after-the-fact approval of a wetland fill. The
Commission also modified the oyster harvest season in the James river to better
distribute effort. The modification should not result in any major changes to
harvest levels. In addition, the Commissioner ceased granting out of state
transfer permits for the James river seed area to avoid localized depletion. [Meeting
Summary]
On Tuesday October 30, 2018, the Virginia Marine
Resources Commission voted to increase the vessel trip limit from 18,000 pounds
to 28,500 pounds for the commercial offshore scup Winter II period fishery. This
change will affect the Winter II period of October 1 through December 31, 2018.
[Notice]
Closure of the fall 2018 James river seed oyster fishery [Notice]; The issuance of out of state seed transfer permits. [Notice]
October 25, 2018: ASMFC
and States Schedule Public Hearings on Draft Addenda XXXI and XXXII and
Management Board Seeks Input on Options for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea
Bass Management. The Virginia hearing will be 6PM, 11/14/18, at 2600 Washington
Ave, 4rth FL, Newport News, VA 23607. [ASMFC
Notice]
October 11, 2018: Due to
inclement weather associated with Hurricane Michael Commission offices will
close early today at 2:30PM, Thursday, October 11, 2018.
September 25, 2018: The Commission met and approved 5 habitat projects, an oyster lease, a permit for floating shellfish cages, and projects from the Recreational Fishing Advisory Board totaling $616,454. Also, the Commission approved a habitat permit that will result 483 linear feet of living shoreline and 2,972 sq feet of wetland enhancement and creation. [Meeting
Summary]
September 19, 2018:
the temporary crab pot time of day allowance,
announced on 9/11/18, and related to last week's severe weather is no longer in
effect, as such the lawful daily time period for the commercial harvesting of
crabs by crab pot or peeler pot shall be from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. All other
pertinent commercial crabbing regulations are in effect as well.
September 11, 2018:
Due to inclement weather related to Hurricane
Florence, all Commission Offices will be closed on Thursday, 9/13/18 and Friday,
9/14/18. Please check the agency web site at
mrc.virginia.gov
next week for any additional office schedule changes. [VA
Hurricane Preparedness Information |
Weather
Information]
September 11, 2018:
During September, the lawful daily time
period for the commercial harvesting of crabs by crab pot or peeler pot shall be
from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Crab pots or peeler pots already on board a boat at the
end of this lawful daily time period may be set during the period starting
immediately following the lawful daily time period and ending one hour after the
lawful daily time period. However, given the pending severe weather expected
from Hurricane Florence, the Commissioner is allowing crab pots or peeler pots
to be removed from the waters after 2 p.m. provided those crab pots are returned
to shore. This is a temporary allowance, until the severe weather subsides.
September 10, 2018: MAFMC-ASMFC Flounder
hearing has been re-scheduled: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission are soliciting public input on a draft amendment to address several potential changes to the management of the commercial summer flounder fishery, as well as modifications to the fishery management plan (FMP) goals and objectives for summer flounder. Ten public hearings will be held between September 10 and September 27. Virginia’s hearing will be held at the VMRC main office at 2600 Washington Ave, Newport News , VA on
Thursday Sept. 13, 2018, at 6:00pm.
-- rescheduled to Wednesday, September 26, at 7:00 p.m.
[MAFMC-ASMFC
Notice]
August 30, 2018: The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is soliciting public input on an Atlantic Cobia Public Information Document (PID) to gather input from stakeholders about changes observed in the fishery/resource and potential management measures that should be considered for inclusion in Draft Amendment 1. Virginia’s hearing will be held at the VMRC main office at 2600 Washington Ave, Newport News , VA on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, at 6:00pm. Please see attached Memos for more information. [ASMFC memo | VMRC memo]
August 30, 2018: Effective 11:59 P.M., Sunday, September 30th, 2018, the Virginia commercial cobia fishery will close. Based upon landing reports of cobia from both the state and federal level, it is projected that the states belonging to the Atlantic Migratory Group of cobia (Georgia-New York) have caught the 50,000-pound annual catch limit allocated to the commercial sector. [Notice]
August 27, 2018: The Commission agreed to lease approximately 83
acres within The Thorofare, in York County, but denied a nearby 20 acre
shellfish lease application. The lease applications were opposed by the local
yacht club and an adjacent landowner. In other action the Commission adopted the
commercial oyster harvest season for 2018-2019 and voted to modify thirteen
finfish regulations to standardize measurement of total length for size limit
regulations. [Meeting
Summary |
2018-2019
Oyster Season Summary]
August 27, 2018: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission announced plans to continue
development of a bluefish allocation amendment. Public hearings to occur after
release of bluefish operational assessment. [MAFMC
Press Release]
July 24, 2018: The Commission met and approved two habitat
permits, one lease application, put two commercial watermen on probation, and
revoked two watermen's licenses. Also of note, the Commission levied $9,000
fines against two entities for dredging without a permit. The meeting summary
has the full results of the meeting. [Meeting
Summary]
July 16, 2018: The retention limit for the commercial aggregated large coastal shark and
hammerhead shark management groups for directed shark limited access permit
holders in the Atlantic region will increase from 3 to 36 large coastal
sharks - other than sandbar sharks - per vessel, per trip as of July 18, 2018. [
NMFS Notice |
VA Commercial Shark Possession Limits ]
June 1, 2018: VMRC has created an
Artificial Reefs Map that includes detailed deployment records of
specific reef structures. Artificial reef construction is part of a
continuing effort to replenish fish populations for recreational anglers.
Currently, Virginia has 23 artificial reef sites (18 inshore and 5
offshore). [Artificial
Reef Map]
May 2018
May 29, 2018: Fish On! Free Fishing Days Established for
Recreational Fishing in Virginia Saltwater areas for June 1-3, 2018. If you’ve
always wanted to try fishing, now is your chance! You may recreationally fish
without a license again this year, during the first weekend in June. Take
advantage of the free fishing days, June 1, 2 and 3, 2018, and enjoy the great
outdoors with your family and friends without having to spend money for a
fishing license. [Press Release | Saltwater
Proclamation |
Freshwater Fishing Too]
May 25, 2018: Commission constituents are encouraged to
participate in Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week during the first full week of June,
June 2nd through 10th. Bay Awareness week is an opportunity to celebrate the
Chesapeake Bay and to promote Bay conservation activities. Participants in
awareness activities can post pictures of their participation on social media
sites under hashtags #CleanTheBayDay and #AreYouBayAware. Click on the following
links to learn about Awareness Week events and Bay resource facts. [CBF
Clean the Bay Day |
ACB Back to the Bay |
CBP Bay
Facts]
May 22, 2018: The Commission heard a contentious case regarding
a proposed commercial aquaculture operation in the Rappahannock River near
Locklies Creek in Middlesex County. The application was denied on a vote of
5-2-1 after a three hour hearing, with concerns expressed for SAV impacts and
potential conflicts of use for the proposed site. In other action, the
Commission designated an area within the Poquoson River as Public Clam Grounds. [Meeting
Summary]
May 17, 2018: The horseshoe crab dredge gear fishery will close at sunset, Thursday, May 17, 2018. [Notice]
May 14, 2018: Landing limit reduction for the 2018
horseshoe crab dredge fishery is effective sunset, Tuesday, May 15, 2018. [Notice]
May 12, 2018: NOAA Fisheries is reducing the
retention limit for the commercial aggregated large coastal shark and hammerhead
shark management groups for directed shark limited access permit holders in the
Atlantic region from 25 to 3 large coastal shark other than sandbar sharks per
vessel per trip as of 11:30 p.m. local time May 12, 2018. [NMFS Notice]
May 9, 2018: Resilient Blue Crab Stock Weathers Harsh Winter Conditions. [Press
Release]
May 8, 2018: NOAA Adjustment Made to Daily
Retention Limit for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category Fishery. The daily
retention limit is now three fish per vessel, per day, for large, medium, or
giant bluefin tuna (measuring 73" or greater). [NOAA
Notice]
April 30, 2018: Effective Sunset, Monday, April 30th, 2018, the
Virginia horseshoe crab general category permit commercial fishery will close. [Notice]
April 24, 2018: The Commission heard three habitat permit cases,
three contested lease applications, and adopted regulations related to
commercial crabbing and recreational tilefish season and possession limits. See
full meeting summary for more. [Meeting
Summary]
April 23, 2018: ASMFC announces State public hearings to gather
public input on Draft Addendum V to the American Eel Fishery Management Plan. [ASMFC
Notice]
NOAA Fisheries is adjusting the Atlantic bluefin tuna daily
retention limits effective April 26, 2018, through December 31, 2018. [NOAA
Notice]
April 20, 2018: Effective 11:59 P.M., Eastern Daylight Time
(EDT), Monday, April 30, 2018, the Directed Virginia Offshore Summer Flounder
Fishery will close. [Notice]
April 2, 2018: Effective 2PM, Friday, April 13, 2017, the Virginia James River Seed Area, including the Deep Water Shoal State Replenishment Seed Area will be closed by VMRC to the harvest of Seed Oysters.
[Notice]
March 27,
2018: The Commission voted 5-2 to authorize an alternative plan
to reduce the loss of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) for a permit for
the National Park Service to fill State-owned submerged land as part of the
Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve Marsh Restoration/Protection Plan, in Fairfax
County. The Commission also established a 16 1/2-inch minimum size limit for
the 2018 recreational summer flounder fishery in Virginia waters,
established new commercial restrictions related to cobia, set the 2018
recreational cobia season, and eliminated the prohibition on gaffing cobia
while fishing recreationally. See the full meeting summary for more. [Meeting
Summary | More on
Cobia Regulations]
March 23, 2018:
The State
will be transitioning to a new email system over the weekend. Our employee
State email addresses have not changed. If you are corresponding with any
Commission employee via email between 6PM Friday and the end of next week ,
please be aware that email delivery could be delayed, and if important be
sure to verify with your intended recipient that your email has been
properly received. Likewise if you are expecting email from one of our
employees feel free to contact the employee by phone to check the status of
an email. Our staff directory has employee phone numbers.
[Staff
Directory] [MRC
User Initial Login |
VITA Gmail
Support]
March 16, 2018: Results of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline Hearing held today have been posted. [Meeting
Summary]
March 13, 2018: Mid-Atlantic Council
Seeking Applicants for Advisory Panels: The Council is soliciting
applications from qualified individuals to serve on eight advisory panels.
Applications are due by April 20, 2018. [MAFMC
Press Release]
February 27, 2018: The Virginia Marine Resources Commission
Board today declined to curtail recreational speckled trout season or catch
limits and decided not to further extend the oyster season. Unseasonably
cold temperatures in early January resulted in some mortality in the
speckled trout stocks and iced in oyster harvesters for a time, but the
board noted the lack of science to show whether management changes would
have any impact on the stocks and pointed out the oyster season already was
extended in five hand scrape areas for seven work days earlier this month to
compensate for reduced weather-related harvests.
[Meeting Summary]
February 26, 2018:
Attention
all Interested Parties: At the request of the National Park Service, the
Dyke Marsh proposal will NOT be heard by the Commission board at its Feb.
27, 2018 meeting. This matter will not be addressed at this month’s meeting.
It will be rescheduled for the Commission’s March 27, 2018 meeting. Our
apologies for any inconvenience.
February 22, 2018:
NOAA has announced changes to the Federal Reporting System for For-Hire
Fisheries. Starting March 12, 2018, vessels issued a federal charter/party
permit for a Mid-Atlantic managed fishery will be required to submit
electronic vessel trip reports for all trips carrying passengers for hire. [Notice
|
NOAA Web Site]
February 16, 2018: The Commission's Virginia
Saltwater Fishing Tournament announced today that there will be no changes
in citation rules or citation requirements for 2018. [Press
Release]
February 15, 2018: Effective 12:01 A.M. Eastern
Standard Time, Thursday March 1, 2018, the Directed Virginia Offshore Summer
Flounder Fishery will open for vessels with a Virginia Summer Flounder
Endorsement License. [Notice]
January 31,
2018:
NOAA Fisheries announced today that a voluntary vessel
speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area - DMA) has been established 54
nautical miles east-southeast of Virginia beach, Virginia (see map in
NMFS Notice) to protect an aggregation of 3 right whales sighted in this
area on January 26, 2018. [NMFS
Notice]
NOAA Fisheries also announced a February recreational season in
2018 for the black sea bass fishery. The current black sea bass recreational
management measures of a 12.5-inch minimum size and 15-fish possession limit
apply during the February 1-28 federal season. Federal measures for the rest of
the 2018 recreational black sea bass fishery will be developed through a
separate action to be implemented later this spring. [NMFS
Notice]
January 25,
2018: The Finfish Management Advisory Committee will meet at the VMRC
Main Office on the 4rth Floor on February 12 at 6 pm to discuss cold stun events
and impacts on Virginia finfish species. The discussion will not be limited to
speckled trout, but that is the key species affected by this winter’s
temperature regime. Interested parties are welcome to attend.
January 23,
2018: Due to recent unseasonably frigid weather conditions, the
Virginia Marine Resources Commission board today voted unanimously to extend the
oyster season by seven days for the five hand scrape harvest areas that were
scheduled to close on Jan. 31. As a result, those area will remain open through
Feb. 9. The agency’s Shellfish Management Advisory Committee will meet on Feb.
1 to make recommendations on whether to similarly extend the oyster season in
harvest areas scheduled to close Feb. 28. In other action, the board voted 7-1
to approve the Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline with 10 permit conditions
designed to minimize the construction impacts to 18 water body crossings.
[Meeting
Summary]
January 22,
2018:
The scheduled Jan. 23, 2018 public hearing on the National Park Service’s
proposal concerning Dyke Marsh in Fairfax County will
NOT be heard by the
Commission Board at this meeting, due to the partial shutdown of the federal
government. The hearing will be rescheduled for the Feb. 27 regularly
scheduled monthly Commission meeting. The agency regrets any inconvenience
to any and all interested parties. This public hearing will
NOT be held on
Jan. 23, 2018.
January 19, 2018: The ASMFC held a public hearing at the Commission Offices on January 16, 2018 to gather public comment on Draft Addendum XXX to the Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. Written comments on Draft Addendum XXX can also be sent to Caitlin Starks, ASMFC FMP Coordinator using the email address, comments@asmfc.org, with Subject line:
'Draft Addendum XXX Comment' or mailed to 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200A-N, Arlington, VA 22201. [ASMFC Notice]