National Hunting and Fishing Day to be Celebrated Sept. 27

AUSTIN, Texas — Hunting and Fishing Day in Texas and across the nation is slated for Sept. 27 and every outdoors person is encouraged to extend a natural invitation to family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to step outside and share the values and the fun of the outdoors.

That invitation is being extended to Texans on Oct. 4-5 during Texas Parks & Wildlife Expo at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s headquarters complex.

A wide range of activities will mark Hunting and Fishing Day nationwide sponsored by sportsman’s clubs, conservation groups and civic agencies. Texas Parks & Wildlife Expo, while scheduled for Oct. 4-5, is working toward the same end, introducing the young and old to the outdoors.

Dozens of outdoor-related events will be ongoing throughout Expo, including demonstrations, adult and youth shooting, casting clinics and demonstrations, youth fishing derby, seminars and others.

Texas Parks & Wildlife Expo is designed to create public awareness to the importance of hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation; focus public attention on the contributions hunters, fishermen and other outdoor users have made to preserve the abundant wildlife and natural resources of Texas; inform new generations of Texans about the history of hunting, fishing and the outdoors; and underscore the critical role of hunting, fishing and the outdoors in wildlife management and conservation.

At the urging of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Congress designated National Hunting and Fishing Day on the fourth Saturday of every September as a public reminder that good conservation depends on hunters, anglers and shooters. In fact, through licenses and excise taxes, these outdoor enthusiasts generate $100,000 every 30 minutes for fish, wildlife and habitat programs.

In Texas, hunting and fishing contribute more than $14 billion annually to the state’s economy, according to data in the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.

Findings from the report indicate the economic effect from Texas hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers was estimated to be $14.4 billion

Hunting and fishing play an important ecological role by managing wildlife populations and creating a healthy environment.

It has been more than a century since America’s first environmentalists — hunters and anglers — established the conservation tradition in our nation. These early environmentalists warned that the population growth and industrial development that offered prosperity for our nation also created serious threats to the future of our wildlife resources. Hunters and anglers fought for the laws and regulations that created a new system of wildlife management that would rescue many species of wildlife from near extinction and would set aside millions of acres of important habitat to help ensure future wildlife abundance.

In Texas, efforts by anglers helped create protection of red drum and other aquatic resources from commercial over-harvest, as well as conservation of aquatic habitat such as seagrasses and the control of invasive exotic aquatic vegetation.

Salmon Fishing Opportunities Increase Along the Washington Coast Beginning Aug. 26

OLYMPIA – Anglers will be able to fish for salmon seven days a week along most of the Washington coast beginning Tuesday, Aug. 26, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.

The new rules will increase fishing opportunities at Westport (Marine Area 2), La Push (Marine Area 3) and the portion of Neah Bay (Marine Area 4) that lies east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line. Ocean waters west of that line in Marine Area 4 will be closed to all salmon fishing beginning Aug. 26, said Doug Milward, WDFW ocean salmon manager.

“Angler participation has been down along the coast likely due to higher gas prices,” Milward said. “For that reason, we can provide anglers who are fishing at these three ports with additional opportunities without exceeding recreational harvest quotas.”

Fishing had been restricted to five days a week since the season opened.

Anglers fishing at Westport and La Push may retain two chinook salmon as part of their daily limit, but those fishing in Neah Bay may retain only hatchery coho salmon, Milward said. All wild coho must be released in all three areas.

Salmon fishing is scheduled to continue through Sept. 13 if sufficient numbers remain in the quota, Milward said.

Although salmon fishing in Ilwaco (Marine Area 1) closed Aug. 17, fishing continues for hatchery coho at Buoy 10 just south of Ilwaco, Milward said.

South Carolina Weekly Saltwater Fishing Trends - 8/25/2008

Little River - Grand Strand - Charleston - Hilton Head - Tides - S.C. marine recreational fishing regulations (PDF file). Saltwater Fishing License site.

Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.

Little River

• Flounder: Very good. Even though the water is starting to get very warm flounder continue to be caught in Cherry Grove and 53rd area creeks using mud minnows.
• Spottail bass: Very good. Fish Clark Spoons or other heavy, fast dropping lures deep against the rocks at the jetties for big red drum.
• Spanish mackerel: Very good. Look for feeding birds and motor slowly towards the fish; throw Gotcha Plugs, Hopkins Spoons, or anything else with a treble hook to land fish.
• Cherry Grove Pier: Whiting up to half a pound and black drum up to three pounds are both being caught on cut pieces of shrimp. A few small sheepshead are also being reported caught, and occasional 16 inch flounder are being landed.

Grand Strand

• Spottail Bass: Good. Mud minnows, live or cut mullet, and cut shrimp are all producing. Large drum continue to be caught at the jetties; fish the incoming tide right after the tide turns against the North Jetty walls.
• Trout: Sporadic. Use live shrimp, finger mullet, or mud minnows or fish Gulp. Flounder: Slow. With the very hot water flounder catching has slowed to almost non-existent. Sheepshead: Excellent. Large numbers of sheepshead are being caught at the Murrells Inlet jetty, but the bite is even hotter down at the Georgetown jetties. Fiddler crabs and live or cut shrimp on a Carolina rig fished vertically are producing.
• Springmaid Pier: Some good sized flounder have been caught, as well as fair numbers of pinfish and spots.
• Second Avenue Pier: Flounder action is pretty hot; 15 or so are being caught each day, up to 3 or 4 pounds. A few black drum are being caught as well as some Spanish by jig fishermen.
• Myrtle Beach State Park Pier: Occasional flounder are being caught, as well as whiting, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel.
• Apache Pier: Fishing has slowed, but some summer trout and flounder are being caught as well as occasional pompano. A 30.8 pound king mackerel was landed a couple of weeks ago.
• Surfside Pier: Fishing remains off, and only sharks, stingrays, and sea robins are being caught in good numbers.
• Garden City Pier: Whiting and pinfish are being caught in decent numbers, and lots of small bluefish in the 11 to 13 inch size are being landed. A few pompano are being landed and some Spanish are also being jigged up. No king mackerel have been caught recently.

Charleston

• Spottail Bass: Very good. Haddrell’s Point reports that redfish are scattered across all of the Lowcountry estuaries, and anglers continue to have best luck fishing under docks with deep holes and plenty of shade. These fish are being caught on live or cut bait, Gulp, or Rattle Traps.
• Trout: Very good. Early and late in the day topwater action is hot for spotted sea trout. Use topwater lures like Zara Spooks and “walk the dog” around oyster shells and feeder creeks on moving tides.
• Flounder: Good. Flounder fishing continues to improve over the last few weeks, and best results are coming fishing around the edges of rock piles and creek mouths. Fish live finger mullet or mud minnows on a Carolina rig.
• Sheepshead: Very good. Fish fiddler crabs, clam pieces, or cut shrimp.
• Tarpon: Good. Fish large live mullet or menhaden in 6 to 15 foot deep slews between the sandbars on the outside of most any Charleston area inlet.
• Spanish mackerel: Good. Nice catches of Spanish mackerel continue to be made in the Harbor. Fish Gotcha plugs or spoons.
• Folly Beach Pier: A mixed bag continues to be caught at the pier, including whiting, bluefish, trout, Spanish mackerel, red drum, and sheepshead.

Hilton Head

• Spottail Bass: Very good. First thing in the morning redfish are hitting topwater; when the sun is higher fish deeper with Gulp Shrimp. Tailing action is strong around high tide and will continue all summer.
• Trout: Good to very good. Early morning topwater action is very good, and some big trout are being caught on lures like Spooks. Shrimp and mud minnows fished under Cajun Thunder rattling bobbers, or Gulp grubs, are producing.
• Flounder: Good. Flounder fishing has improved slightly, and anglers are catching flounder using traditional flounder rigs with a bobber to float the mud minnows off the bottom. Best fishing is around low tide in the same areas as the spottails and trout, or in the mouths of creeks and inlets.

Oregon Sport Anglers May No Longer Retain Cabezon

NEWPORT, Ore. – Sport boat anglers may not retain cabezon beginning Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008. Fishing for other bottomfish – such as most rockfish species, lingcod and greenling – remains open.

Seven species of bottomfish, including cabezon caught by anglers in Oregon waters are managed under harvest caps – three imposed by the federal government and four imposed by the state. Cabezon harvest in Oregon is managed under a state-imposed cap, with harvest limited in recent years by ODFW because health of the stock is uncertain.

Landing data for the sport fishery indicates that the 2008 ocean boat harvest cap of 15.8 metric tons for cabezon has been met.

 “Cabezon have an excellent survival rate when released,” said Don Bodenmiller, project leader for marine recreational groundfish fisheries for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Unlike rockfish, cabezon do not have air bladders and therefore do not suffer from barotrauma—expansion or rupture of the air bladder when the fish are brought up from deep waters—that can cause stress, injury and sometimes death in rockfish.”

Sport boat anglers may continue to harvest other legal species, but may not retain cabezon in the saltwater boat sport fishery. Shore anglers, including shore-based divers, may still keep cabezon.

South Carolina Saltwater Fishing Trends - 8/18/2008

Little River - Grand Strand - Charleston - Hilton Head - Tides - S.C. marine recreational fishing regulations (PDF file). Saltwater Fishing License site.

Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.

Little River

• Flounder: Very good. Even though the water is starting to get very warm flounder continue to be caught in Cherry Grove and 53rd area creeks using mud minnows.
• Spottail bass: Very good. Fish Clark Spoons or other heavy, fast dropping lures deep against the rocks at the jetties for big red drum.
• Spanish mackerel: Very good. Look for feeding birds and motor slowly towards the fish; throw Gotcha Plugs, Hopkins Spoons, or anything else with a treble hook to land fish.
• Cherry Grove Pier: Whiting up to half a pound and black drum up to three pounds are both being caught on cut pieces of shrimp. A few small sheepshead are also being reported caught, and occasional 16 inch flounder are being landed.

Grand Strand

• Spottail Bass: Good. Mud minnows, live or cut mullet, and cut shrimp are all producing. Large drum continue to be caught at the jetties; fish the incoming tide right after the tide turns against the North Jetty walls.
• Trout: Sporadic. Use live shrimp, finger mullet, or mud minnows or fish Gulp. Flounder: Slow. With the very hot water flounder catching has slowed to almost non-existent. Sheepshead: Excellent. Large numbers of sheepshead are being caught at the Murrells Inlet jetty, but the bite is even hotter down at the Georgetown jetties. Fiddler crabs and live or cut shrimp on a Carolina rig fished vertically are producing.
• Springmaid Pier: Some good sized flounder have been caught, as well as fair numbers of pinfish and spots.
• Second Avenue Pier: Flounder action is pretty hot; 15 or so are being caught each day, up to 3 or 4 pounds. A few black drum are being caught as well as some Spanish by jig fishermen.
• Myrtle Beach State Park Pier: Occasional flounder are being caught, as well as whiting, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel.
• Apache Pier: Fishing has slowed, but some summer trout and flounder are being caught as well as occasional pompano. A 30.8 pound king mackerel was landed a couple of weeks ago.
• Surfside Pier: Fishing remains off, and only sharks, stingrays, and sea robins are being caught in good numbers.
• Garden City Pier: Whiting and pinfish are being caught in decent numbers, and lots of small bluefish in the 11 to 13 inch size are being landed. A few pompano are being landed and some Spanish are also being jigged up. No king mackerel have been caught recently.

Charleston

• Spottail Bass: Very good. Haddrell’s Point reports that redfish are scattered across all of the Lowcountry estuaries, and anglers continue to have best luck fishing under docks with deep holes and plenty of shade. These fish are being caught on live or cut bait, Gulp, or Rattle Traps.
• Trout: Very good. Early and late in the day topwater action is hot for spotted sea trout. Use topwater lures like Zara Spooks and “walk the dog” around oyster shells and feeder creeks on moving tides.
• Flounder: Good. Flounder fishing continues to improve over the last few weeks, and best results are coming fishing around the edges of rock piles and creek mouths. Fish live finger mullet or mud minnows on a Carolina rig.
• Sheepshead: Very good. Fish fiddler crabs, clam pieces, or cut shrimp.
• Tarpon: Good. Fish large live mullet or menhaden in 6 to 15 foot deep slews between the sandbars on the outside of most any Charleston area inlet.
• Spanish mackerel: Good. Nice catches of Spanish mackerel continue to be made in the Harbor. Fish Gotcha plugs or spoons.
• Folly Beach Pier: A mixed bag continues to be caught at the pier, including whiting, bluefish, trout, Spanish mackerel, red drum, and sheepshead.

Hilton Head

• Spottail Bass: Very good. First thing in the morning redfish are hitting topwater; when the sun is higher fish deeper with Gulp Shrimp. Tailing action is strong around high tide and will continue all summer.
• Trout: Good to very good. Early morning topwater action is very good, and some big trout are being caught on lures like Spooks. Shrimp and mud minnows fished under Cajun Thunder rattling bobbers, or Gulp grubs, are producing.
• Flounder: Good. Flounder fishing has improved slightly, and anglers are catching flounder using traditional flounder rigs with a bobber to float the mud minnows off the bottom. Best fishing is around low tide in the same areas as the spottails and trout, or in the mouths of creeks and inlets.

South Carolina Saltwater Fishing Trends - 8/11/2008

Little River - Grand Strand - Charleston - Hilton Head - Tides - S.C. marine recreational fishing regulations (PDF file). Saltwater Fishing License site.

Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.

Little River

• Flounder: Very good. Even though the water is starting to get very warm flounder continue to be caught in Cherry Grove and 53rd area creeks using mud minnows. Flounder are also being taken at the Little River jetties.
• Spottail bass: Very good. Fish Clark Spoons or other heavy, fast dropping lures deep against the rocks at the jetties for big red drum. Fish can be caught on most any tide - the key is getting the spoons deep. Cut mullet or menhaden weighted down may also work.
• Sheepshead and black drum: Excellent. The sheepshead bite has gotten hot. Sand fleas and fiddler crabs are both very productive around the jetties and any inshore pilings.
• Spanish mackerel: Very good. Big Spanish mackerel are being caught near the jetties. Look for feeding birds and motor slowly towards the fish; throw Gotcha Plugs, Hopkins Spoons, or anything else with a treble hook to land fish.
• Offshore: Wahoo and king mackerel are both being caught when boats can get offshore. The dolphin bite has really slowed.
• Cherry Grove Pier: Whiting up to half a pound and black drum up to three pounds are both being caught on cut pieces of shrimp. A few small sheepshead are also being reported caught, and occasional 16 inch flounder are being landed.

Grand Strand

• Spottail Bass: Good. Slot sized spottails are being taken at the south end of Murrells Inlet in the backwaters and creeks as well as by flounder fishermen drifting or trolling the main inlet. Mud minnows, live or cut mullet, and cut shrimp are all producing. Large drum continue to be caught at the jetties; fish the incoming tide right after the tide turns against the North Jetty walls.
• Trout: Sporadic. Occasional reports continue to come in of some very large trout being caught at the jetties, but these are few and far between. Use live shrimp, finger mullet, or mud minnows or fish Gulp.
• Flounder: Slow. With the very hot water flounder catching has slowed to almost non-existent. Some anglers continue to troll Murrells Inlet, but few fish are being landed.
• Sheepshead: Excellent. Large numbers of sheepshead are being caught at the Murrells Inlet jetty, but the bite is even hotter down at the Georgetown jetties. Fiddler crabs and live or cut shrimp on a Carolina rig fished vertically are producing. Perry’s Bait and Tackle reports that sheepshead sell as fast as they can catch them.
• Surf report: Snapper bluefish are prolific as well as good numbers of whiting. Pompano are also around in good numbers - August and September are traditionally the best months for sheepshead in the area. Large, 5 to 7 pound Spanish mackerel are abundant in the surf.
• Springmaid Pier: Some good sized flounder have been caught, as well as fair numbers of pinfish and spots. Ribbonfish have been prolific, and no kings have been caught recently. Second
• Avenue Pier: Flounder action is pretty hot; 15 or so are being caught each day, up to 3 or 4 pounds. A few black drum are being caught as well as some Spanish by jig fishermen. Pinfish, whiting, and croaker are also around.
• Myrtle Beach State Park Pier: Occasional flounder are being caught, as well as whiting, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel.
• Apache Pier: Fishing has slowed, but some summer trout and flounder are being caught as well as occasional pompano. A 30.8 pound king mackerel was landed a couple of weeks ago.
• Surfside Pier: Fishing remains off, and only sharks, stingrays, and sea robins are being caught in good numbers.
• Garden City Pier: Whiting and pinfish are being caught in decent numbers, and lots of small bluefish in the 11 to 13 inch size are being landed. A few pompano are being landed and some Spanish are also being jigged up. No king mackerel have been caught recently.
• Offshore: Offshore fishing has slowed down, but some grouper are being reported caught at the wrecks and reefs. The hottest bite is big king mackerel - a 35 pounder was recently caught trolling a reef 15 miles out, and lots more approaching that size are also being taken.

Charleston

• Spottail Bass: Very good. Haddrell’s Point reports that redfish are scattered across all of the lowcountry estuaries, and anglers continue to have best luck fishing under docks with deep holes and plenty of shade. These fish are being caught on live or cut bait, Gulp, or Rattle Traps. Fishing in the flats is also strong, and spottails are in schools of 5 to 30 fish and being caught on flukes fished on flutter hooks. Bull drum are also schooled up in the harbor, and fish up to 40 pounds or more can be caught on bottom rigs with cut bait. The same method also works at the jetties.
• Trout: Very good. Early and late in the day topwater action is hot for spotted sea trout. Use topwater lures like Zara Spooks and “walk the dog” around oyster shells and feeder creeks on moving tides. Strong action is also coming fishing shrimp, minnows, or artificial shrimp under a popping cork at high tide. Good action is also coming fishing around points with oyster beds on tides where bait is being pulled in or pushed out; trout will ambush prey from the back side of these points.
• Flounder: Good. Flounder fishing continues to improve over the last few weeks, and best results are coming fishing around the edges of rock piles and creek mouths. Fish live finger mullet or mud minnows on a Carolina rig.
• Sheepshead: Very good. Most any structure, from nearshore wrecks to the jetties to inshore piers and bridges, is holding hungry sheepshead right now. Fish fiddler crabs, clam pieces, or cut shrimp.
• Tarpon: Good. Decent numbers of tarpon are still hanging around the inlets and jetties, and shark fishermen report picking some up accidentally. Fish large live mullet or menhaden in 6 to 15 foot deep slews between the sandbars on the outside of most any Charleston area inlet.
• Spanish mackerel: Good. Nice catches of Spanish mackerel continue to be made in the Harbor. Fish Gotcha plugs or spoons.
• Folly Beach Pier: A mixed bag continues to be caught at the pier, including whiting, bluefish, trout, Spanish mackerel, red drum, and sheepshead. Anglers are not having hot action on any one species, but action is pretty consistent for something.
• Offshore: Grouper and snapper action is good using butterfly jigs and cigar minnows in 85 to 150 feet of water. King mackerel fishing is hot from the shipping channel out to 120 feet of water. Snakes are abundant in 60 to 90 feet; troll sea witches with small ballyhoo, drone spoons, and diving plugs to ensure plenty of action. Dolphin fishing has generally slowed, but Ryan Riggs landed a new state record dolphin weighing 77.5 pounds and measuring 65 inches aboard the “Daymaker” on July 24 while fishing the Governor’s Cup out of Bohicket Marina. He caught the fish just inshore of the 226 hole trolling a naked ballyhoo rig on a circle hook. A few wahoo continue to be caught in 130 to 180 feet. The hottest bite continues to be billfish and particularly sailfish. Sailfish are balling bait in 250 to 300 feet of water, and boats heading deep are getting 5 to 10 shots a day at them. Blue marlin are being sighted less frequently, but several boats have released them in the last few days.

Hilton Head

• Spottail Bass: Very good. First thing in the morning redfish are hitting topwater; when the sun is higher fish deeper with Gulp Shrimp. Tailing action is strong around high tide and will continue all summer. On the incoming tide fish the edges of the grass with rattle floats and natural colored Gulp Shrimp to catch slot sized fish as well as larger ones. Also use brown Gulp Swimming Minnows or mud minnows.
• Trout: Good to very good. Early morning topwater action is very good, and some big trout are being caught on lures like Spooks. Good fishing is coming under docks or on the outgoing tide where feeder creeks are emptying into bigger water. Shrimp and mud minnows fished under Cajun Thunder rattling bobbers, or Gulp grubs, are producing.
• Flounder: Good. Flounder fishing has improved slightly, and anglers are catching flounder using traditional flounder rigs with a bobber to float the mud minnows off the bottom. Best fishing is around low tide in the same areas as the spottails and trout, or in the mouths of creeks and inlets.
• Tarpon: Read about tarpon fishing in the Beaufort report.
• Offshore: High fuel prices and windy conditions have slowed offshore fishing. Nearshore Spanish mackerel, bluefish and jack crevalle are being caught just outside the Port Royal Sound and at the Gaskins and Whitewater reefs. For more offshore information read the Beaufort report.

Registration Closes Friday for Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program Aug. 22-24 In Delaware

The signup deadline is fast approaching - Friday, Aug. 1 - to join the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife staff at the 12th annual Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program on the weekend of Aug. 22, 23 and 24, 2008 at Camp Arrowhead in Lewes.  Registration spots are still available for interested participants who would love to ride the exciting BOW wave!

While Becoming an Outdoors-Woman is aimed primarily at women, it offers an opportunity for anyone 18 or older to learn skills that allow them to participate in numerous outdoor activities. Since the first BOW was held in Wisconsin in 1991, this exciting international program has expanded to 46 states and seven provinces with more than 80 workshops offered each year.

The main goal of the BOW program is to provide women the opportunity to learn skills that encourage and enhance participation in outdoor activities, such as hunting and shooting, fishing and boating, and non-harvest activities.

The BOW Weekend features four half-day training sessions that begin on Friday afternoon. Participants have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of course offerings during each of the sessions. Included among the many hands-on courses during the weekend are target archery, surf fishing, camping, shotgun shooting, basic boating, canoeing, fly-fishing, saltwater fishing, nature photography, and various other outdoor activities. The instructors of these courses have been selected for their expertise as well as their ability to provide instruction in a safe, supportive, and non-competitive atmosphere.

This workshop is for you if:

• You have never tried these activities but have hoped for an opportunity to learn.
• You are a beginner who would like to improve your skills.
• You have some experience but would like to try your hand at new activities.
• You are just looking for camaraderie with like-minded individuals.

The cost of the three-day program is $200, which includes lodging, meals, instruction, and the use of all necessary equipment and supplies. No refunds will be given for cancellations.

For more information, contact Trina Cale-Rosario, Volunteer Services Coordinator at the Aquatic Resources Education Center, by calling 302-653-2882 ext. 104, or e-mail  trina.rosario@state.de.us.

Registration packets are also available online at:  www.fw.delaware.gov/HunterEd/Pages/BOWHome.aspx

Connecticut DEP Says Success of Lobster “V-notch” Program Postpones Increase in Minimum Size

Effort involved lobstermen and students at three high schools

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said today that the lobster “V-notch” program has achieved the level of success needed to delay – for at least one year – an increase in the current minimum legal size for lobsters that are taken from the waters of Long Island Sound.

Under the “V-notch” program – which was designed to monitor and improve the Long Island Sound lobster population – fishermen from Connecticut and New York returned the equivalent of more than 58,000 mature female lobsters to the Sound between December 2007 and July 2008. This represents more than 100% of the goal established for the first year of the program.

As a result of an agreement with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the “V-notch” program was approved as a viable alternative to an increase in the minimum size for purposes of attempting to restore the Sound’s lobster population. The Commission had agreed to certain milestones – and delaying an increase in minimum size for a year was the recognition agreed to once at least 90% of the goal of the initial phase of the “V-notch” program was achieved.

DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy said, “We are working to show that the ‘V-Notch’ program can serve as a viable alternative to increases in the minimum legal size and a valuable educational opportunity for the students involved. Completing the first year’s v-notch goal means Connecticut and New York lobstermen fishing in the Sound will not have to endure a gauge increase for at least another year.”

“This is something people in this industry felt was critical for their businesses, given the high costs of fuel and bait and low catches in recent years,” Commissioner McCarthy said. “The achievements of the “V-notch” program were possible only as a result of the support of Governor Rell and the state legislature and the hard work of the Lobster Restoration Advisory Committee (LRAC), the city of Bridgeport, local lobstermen and the state’s three marine-themed technical high schools.”

Having fulfilled the first year goal, the “V-notch” program has delayed – by at least one year – action by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission that would have increased the current minimum legal size by 1/16″ from 3 5/16″ to 3 3/8″ on August 1, 2008. This fall, students are expected to begin v-notching for “year two,” and this work will continue until the funding is exhausted. Under the current management plan the next scheduled increase in the minimum legal size would take place in 2010.

Barbara Gordon, Executive Director of the CT Seafood Council said, “I would like to congratulate the staff of the DEP, the three participating schools and the lobstermen who have spent many hours on the water working toward the success of this program. We also owe a big ‘thanks’ and huge praise to the students who made this program work. I would also like to express thanks to legislative leaders and the Governor for believing in us and for providing funding to make this program a success.”

Bart Mansi, a Guilford lobsterman who serves on the LRAC, said, “All the hard work needed to establish the “V-notch” program was well worth the effort. It is a great program and we will work to identify future funding to continue it for the benefit of both the students involved and the industry. This is the first time industry, management and education have really teamed up to work together on an issue and we want to continue this kind of cooperation into the future.”

Background on “V-notch” Program

The “V-notch” program, established by the General Assembly in 2006, is a cooperative venture of Connecticut lobstermen who participate voluntarily, three coastal Connecticut high schools with specialized programs in aquaculture or maritime sciences, and the DEP. In the program, the tails of mature female lobsters are v-notched and the animals are released back into Long Island Sound. This mark protects them from harvest for about two years, giving them time to grow and reproduce.

The program was designed by the Lobster Restoration Advisory Committee, established by the