Claude sent out the 2007 press release, here it is:
Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament
968 S. Oriole Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 491-5160
For Immediate Release
December 20, 2006
Tournament Celebrates 50th Anniversary in 2006
The Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, which opens January 1st and runs throughout the year, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2006. During its inaugural year in 1958, 15 species of fish were eligible for Citation awards, and the program was open from May – November. During the first year, anglers registered 500 fish with the program. The tournament now operates all year, has 35 eligible species, and has issued more than 155,000 Citation awards – an average of almost 3200 awards per year.
Blueline tilefish will be added to the list of species eligible for Citation recognition next year. Tilefish weighing a minimum of 10 pounds will qualify for a tournament award, but anglers will not be able to earn recognition for released fish.
“Blueline tilefish were added in recognition of the growing recreational interest in the species. That interest is likely to continue and may spill over into the headboat and charter industries,” stated Tournament Director Claude Bain. “A release award was not considered advisable by the Tournament Committee due to the stress and survivability problems associated with landing fish that are caught in such deep water,” Bain added. Blueline tilefish are generally caught in waters depth of 50 fathoms, or more.
The addition of tilefish also prompted the Tournament Committee to clarify rules about the type of equipment used to catch fish entered for awards. Tournament rules will be changed to specifically prohibit the use of Electramates and any other power assisted reels or rods.
Anglers will find it easier to earn Citations for spot next year. The minimum qualifying weight was lowered to 1 pound. Changes to the release program include the addition of awards for spot (13 inches) and Spanish mackerel (26 inches), and the removal of yellowfin and bigeye tuna from release eligibility.
Three new species of fish will be eligible for state record recognition in 2007. Blueline tilefish debut on the eligibility list with a minimum qualifying weight of 17 lbs., 8 oz., snowy grouper with a 38-pound minimum, and golden tilefish with a 40-pound minimum.
The popular Junior Angler Program, which challenges children under 16 years of age to catch and release six species of saltwater fish, and the Expert and Master Angler Programs will return in 2007. To qualify as an Expert Angler a fisherman must register fish in at least six
different species for Citation awards during the year. Master Angler requirements are 25 Citations (with a maximum of one per species per year) in at least five different species over an unlimited period of time starting with 1996.
Anglers should remember to purchase a 2007 Virginia saltwater fishing license prior to fishing in the new year and should pay attention to all 2007 fishery regulations when they are announced. All applicable fisheries regulations must be adhered to and a saltwater fishing license is required for Tournament participation. Anglers fishing the territorial sea south of the Virginia border for striped bass after January 1st are advised that they are fishing in North Carolina waters and must have the new North Carolina saltwater fishing license. Virginia does not have a reciprosity agreement with North Carolina and the Virginia saltwater license will not be accepted in that state.
The Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament is a program of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission funded with revenues from Virginia's saltwater fishing license. For more information, contact Claude Bain, Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 968 S. Oriole Dr., Virginia Beach, VA 23451, (757) 491-5160, (757) 491-5172 (fax), or mrcswt@visi.net (e-mail).
Julie
