Where we are with this year's flounder regulations:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) adopted 15.77 million pounds as the total allowable landings (TAL) for summer flounder in 2008. This TAL is associated with a 75% probability of achieving the target in 2008. Coast-wide, the recreational limit is 6.21 million pounds. Virginia was slightly under the 2007 target but needs a 21.6 % reduction because of the TAL reduction for 2008 and rule changes to make the regulations coast wide more conservative. These changes include using a projected average weight instead of the prior year’s average weight and a performance adjustment to reflect the accuracy of summer flounder measures imposed in for the 2001-2007 fishing years.

In order to meet the 21.6% reduction a summer flounder ad hoc committee was appointed by VMRC made up of saltwater fishermen. The ad hoc committee met on January 16th to identify options to meet the 21.6 % reduction for Virginia. The ad hoc committee chose the following options as representative of the best options available under a tough set of restrictions.

The options are:

3 fish @ 18.5 with closed season from 1/1 - 4/15 and 7/21 - 8/16
3 fish @ 18.5 with closed season from 7/21 - 8/25
3 fish @ 19 with closed season from 1/1 – 3/29
4 fish @ 19 with closed season from 7/21 – 7/28
5 fish @ 19 with closed season from 7/21 – 7/30

On February 7th the ASMFC Flounder Committee will meet to consider these options for Virginia and if they are approved then they will come back to VMRC for public comment.

On February 19th the Fisheries Management Advisory Committee appointed by VMRC will consider the options and they will make a recommendation to the Commission.

On February 26th the Virginia Marine Resources Commission will hold a public hearing to consider the summer flounder options in Virginia for the 2008 season. After hearing public comment, VMRC will approve one of the options for the Virginia Summer Flounder Season for 2008.

The ASMFC technical committee has already approved all 5 options so the Feb. 7 meeting is likely to do the same.

The next meeting in Virginia is on the 19th. The Fisheries Management Advisory Committee will discuss the options and make its recommendation to the commissioners. Let the committee members know which option you prefer.

The members are:

Mr. Jeff Deem Lorton, VA Mr. Russell Gaskins Irvington, VA
Mr. Andy Hall Reedville, VA
Mr. Wynston Holbrook Midolothian, VA
Mr. Douglas F. Jenkins, Sr Warsaw, VA
Hon. William Laine, Jr. Isle of Wight, VA
Dr. Ken Neill Yorktown, VA
Mr. Peter NixonNorfolk, VA
Mr. Tom PowersPoquoson, VA
Mr. Walter Rogers Reedville, VA
Mr. Samuel Swift Bloxom, VA
Mr. Robert Weagley Providence Forge, VA
Mr. Chris Vaughan Tappahannock, VA

The FMAC meetings are in the evening which may make it easier to attend. The Commission meeting on the following Tuesday will be in the middle of the day.

The third option:

3 fish @ 19 with closed season from 1/1 – 3/29

I fish for flounder mostly in the summer/fall so I dislike any option with a summer closure. A week I can live with but almost a month?

I like the last option. A 19 in., 5 fish limit. Closed from 7/21- 7/30 . I definately don't like ANY closed time, but this option allows the most meat on the table! I know that we all had to throw back quite a few 18 1/2 and 19 inchers last season, but , the challenge to consistently catch bigger and better fish , is what motivates us to become better anglers!

Ken,
To provide an input, do you have an e-mail address for the committee members?


Thanks,
Wayne

Jack Travelstead


If you send your comments to Jack, they will be gotten to the Finfish Members and the Commissioners. I have some individual emails but not all. The comments posted here will all make it to VMRC. If you know any of the commissioners or any VMRC staff, talk to them. Live conversations are very effective.

I'd go for option #5, 19", 5 fish limit, Closed from 7/21- 7/30. We had no problem last year getting plenty of keepers up to 30+inch flounders. It was one of my best flounder fishing years for Big Flounder with more citations then I can remember, even had several days with multiple citations. One day we had 4 citations with two of them over 9 1/2 pounds. I believe the records show that with the larger size limit each year we are catching larger and larger flounder. I would want the 5 fish per person and only being closed for ten days in the middle of the summer when there are plenty of other species to target, I believe would have the least impact on the economic flow for the summer time recreational fishery.

5 fish @ 19 with closed season from 7/21 – 7/30


Caught my best cobia last year that "off" week.......................