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On Monday, September 17, 2007, Maryland convened a new Oyster Advisory Commission (OAC) whose charge will be to reestablish and maintain the Freestate’s most valuable shellfish. The challenge remains one that is vital to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, as the need for these valuable bio-filters is even more apparent now then when Hurricane Agnes and the later impact of diseases that killed off many of the productive oyster beds. The efforts made since the early 1970’s have been many, so change in strategies and new blood in the mix of OAP membership may be the synergy to bring back more oyster producing locales. A recent Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) press release provided information that included Governor O’Malley’s announcement of a new (OAC) being established by the General Assembly. This came about from an introduced legislative package requested by the Governor earlier in 2007. The DNR quotes Governor O’ Malley as saying, "We are clearly running out of time to save a species that is of immeasurable value to the Bay’s ecosystem, the seafood industry, and our culture as Marylanders. We are challenging our new Oyster Advisory Commissioners — scientists and stakeholders alike — to work together, to move beyond traditional thinking, and to give us some new ideas for giving our native oyster a new lease on life." The 21-member commission is charged with developing new strategies to rebuild and manage oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay. Their first meeting took place on Monday, September 17, at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater. The members completed a strategic planning exercise so they could evaluate statewide efforts that will achieve both ecological and economic goals through oyster restoration. The OAC also plans to utilize recent findings from an Environmental Impact Statement now in draft development with other state and federal government offices. The goal is to evaluate viable oyster restoration options for the Chesapeake Bay. Bill Eichbaum, OAC Chair and World Wildlife Fund Vice President, sums up the challenges to be met by the membership. "We are at a crossroads with oyster management and this new Commission may represent our final opportunity to restore the ecological role of native oysters and assure an economically appropriate and viable industry in the Chesapeake Bay. Officially known as, Legislation (HB 133 / SB 148) Maryland law directs the OAC to, "...utilize the best available science to recommend and analyze: · Strategies to minimize the impact of oyster disease; · Effectiveness of the oyster sanctuary, harvest reserve, and repletion programs, and the overall management of natural oyster bars through a cost-benefit analysis that considers biological, ecological, economic, and cultural issues; · Strategies to maximize the ecological benefits of natural oyster bars; and · Strategies to improve enforcement of closed oyster areas. " Maryland Speaker of the House, Michael E. Busch, who co-sponsored the OAC legislation, is quoted as saying, "The work of this Commission will be critical if we are to restore our oyster population to the Bay. We sincerely appreciate the willingness of the Commission members to offer their expertise to the State, and the General Assembly members look forward to receiving their initial report by the end of the year." Governor O’Malley directed (DNR) Secretary John R. Griffin to appoint an OAC which resulted in a membership of 21 scientists, watermen, anglers, businessmen, economists, environmental advocates, and elected officials. Addressing the new OAC membership Secretary Griffin said, "You have been chosen not only for the range of your experience and perspective, but also for your proven ability to explore new strategies," Griffin told the group at the inaugural meeting. "A specific effort was made to include individuals who are not overly invested in historical oyster management and restoration so that new ideas can be presented and openly discussed." The Oyster Advisory Commission Membership is; Chair: William Eichbaum, World Wildlife Fund Sherman Baynard, Maryland Coastal Conservation Association Don Boesch, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Torrey Brown, Intralytix, Inc. & Oyster Recovery Partnership Mark Bryer, The Nature Conservancy Kim Coble, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Richard Colburn, Maryland State Senator Stephen Lafferty, Maryland State Delegate Douglas Legum, Real Estate Developer Doug Lipton, University of Maryland Sea Grant Program Mark Luckenbach, Virginia Institute of Marine Science Pat Montanio, National Oceanic and Administrative Administration Tony O’Donnell, Maryland State Delegate Midgett Parker, Linowes & Blocher, LLP Ben Parks, Maryland Watermen’s Association Bill Richkus, Versar, Inc. Brian Rothschild, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth Jason Ruth, W.H. Harris Oyster Company Eric Schott, University of Maryland Center for Marine Biotechnology Don Webster, University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Service Bill Windley, Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association For more information about the Oyster Advisory Commission visit the website, www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/oysters/. Deer archery hunting continues through January 31, 2008. All but two Maryland Counties are in Deer Management Region B where archers may take 2 antlered white-tailed deer. 2 antlerless deer must be taken before attempting to hunt a second antlered deer. The bag limit for antlerless deer in Region B is 10 antlerless deer, but archery hunters in the Suburban Deer Archery Zone of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties may take an unlimited number of antlerless deer. The white-tailed deer archery bag limit for Deer Management Region A which is comprised of Garrett and Allegany Counties is 2 deer, 1 antlered and 1 antlerless. Sika deer archery season is open from September 15, 2007 through January 31, 2008 in Caroline, Dorchester, and Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester counties. The sika deer bag limit is 1 antlered and 1 antlerless sika deer. An antlered sika deer is a deer with at least one antler visible above the hairline. Archery deer hunters check in their harvested deer by calling 1-888-800-0121 or online at the website, www.gamecheck.dnr.state.md.us . DNR instructions state that as soon as the deer is harvested, hunters are to immediately place a "…Field Tag" on the deer’s head and complete the Maryland Big Game Harvest Record." Hunters receive a confirmation number when they register by phone or the website. This number must be recorded on their Big Game Harvest Record. This must be done in ink. Instructions for the process of checking in a deer and recording the information are also on pages 32 – 33 of the "2007-2008 Guide to Hunting & Trapping in Maryland". Information on bag limits, season dates, deer registration procedures and bow hunting regulations is also available at DNR’s website, www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/.
Anglers across Southern Maryland are rocking through the month of July with some significant striped bass action. Trolling the channel edges from east of the Cove Point gas docks to near Point Lookout have provided consistent action to those trolling bucktails and sassy shads. The bluefish numbers in the area can irritate some anglers with bite-offs of the soft sassy shad baits, but catches of stripers as large as 28 to 32 inches make the risk worthwhile. Meanwhile the menhaden "hash slingers" are still plying their fishing trade by chumming the Middlegrounds and getting plenty of action with stripers, blues and even croaker, Chum the Grounds but Avoid the Clowns Except for those very hot, still time of days when the temperatures are in the 90’s, chumming is still a great fishing option for stripers. Once the fish are attracted to the slick, anglers can have lots of fun with light tackle action. The weekends and even occasional weekdays can get very busy with anchored up boat traffic chumming at the Middlegrounds and when that happens, it’s time to move. Too much ground up bunker hash in the water, boat and people noise often spooks the fish and makes it hard to get them into range of your baited hooks. If this starts, move to another more remote location where there is little or no boat traffic. Look along channel edges and small rises off the bottom where obstructions attract marine growth and baitfish. The stripers, blues, croakers and spot will most likely be there. Good areas to practice this strategy are the Triangle area of the mouth of the Potomac and over on the Virginia side offshore from the mouth of the Coan or Yecomico Rivers. Another area to investigate for potential chumming locales are the slopes on the channel edges on the eastern side of the Bay. Croakers Rule Big croakers with some in the 2 to 3 pound range continue to provide great bottom fishing action across a wide area of Southern Maryland waters. Recent summer heat has moved these fish into a deep water bite during most of the day. In early morning hours from dawn and into the first two hours of the day, croakers may still bite within close inshore waters. For the most part, these fish are only biting while fishing deep channel waters. Late evenings will find them biting again closer to shore. Joining the croaker are lots of spot but you have to move often to find those that are keeper size. Drift fishing with double hook rigs and enough weight to stay on the bottom is the best tactic fro croaker, although some big ones are also being caught while chumming. Best baits are bloodworms, squid strips, cut strips of spot and Fishbites in bloodworm or squid "flavors". MD Striper Time In Maryland Chesapeake Bay waters the current recreational striped bass season continues through December 15. Anglers may keep two fish per person per day between 18 and 28 inches, or one fish between 18 and 28 inches and one fish over 28 inches. Call 1-800-688-3467 for fishing information provided by the DNR Fisheries Service. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries information website can be access at; http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/ Potomac Striper Season The Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) recreational striped bass season continues through December 31, 2007. The PRFC striper creel allows anglers fishing tidal Potomac River waters to keep two striped bass per person per day at 18 to 28 inches in length. One of these can exceed 28 inches. All PRFC waters are open to possession of striped bass, from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (Route I-95) to Smith Point, Virginia. For additional information call 1-800-266-3904 or search information at the PRFC website, http://www.prfc.state.va.us/index.htm. Anglers and commercial fisherman are being asked to assist the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with a cooperative tagging study concerning striped bass. The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) of the College of William and Mary is continuing a comprehensive study in cooperation with the DNR to develop information about mycobacteria disease in the Chesapeake Bay Region’s stripers. At present, there is no need for alarm or evidence that mycobacteriosis in Maryland striped bass is on the rise or a threat to anglers, commercial fisherman or the resource. Collaborative efforts in this regard are ongoing as many scientific studies are and continue for years in order to develop useful and valid scientific data. Since the mid 1980s, mycobacteriosis has been tracked as a bacterial disease that can infect striped bass and other species. A recent DNR press release notes that, "Stock assessment analysis has not demonstrated a decline in the population of striped bass and reproduction remains high." The tagging study underway by Maryland’s DNR and VIMS has the goal of determining how or if mycobacteria disease takes place and whether it progresses in fish over periods of time. Both diseased and healthy fish are collected and their health is assessed. Prior to release, a bright-green anchor tag is implanted in them and they released back into the water. The intent is for stripers to be tagged each spring and fall through 2009, with a possibility for monitoring to continue beyond that year. A bright-green colored anchor tag marked with either "VIMS" or "MD DNR" includes a toll free number (1-866-845-3379) to report the fish. A reward is provided for the return of tagged, whole fish so biologists can examine them and compare the previous data on record. To help support collection of this study data, the DNR notes that, "Fish bearing the bright-green tag are exempt from Maryland and Virginia daily catch limits and seasonal and size restrictions, provided that they are reported promptly, kept intact, kept cool or chilled (not frozen) and turned over to DNR or VIMS." Anglers, commercial fishermen and charter boat captains have been identified by the Maryland DNR Fisheries Service as key players in the success for the mycobacteriosis study. Even if you catch a tagged fish outside Maryland or Virginia waters, they should still be reported on the toll free number and the tag returned by mail. Says Howard King, Director of DNR’s Fisheries Service, "Coordination between DNR and VIMS will ensure that fish recaptured in the Chesapeake Bay are collected and analyzed in a timely manner, regardless of where they are caught," Results of this study will increase our understanding of the potential impacts of mycobacteriosis on the striped bass population." In Maryland Chesapeake Bay waters the current recreational striped bass season continues through December 15. Anglers may keep two fish per person per day between 18 and 28 inches, or one fish between 18 and 28 inches and one fish over 28 inches. Call 1-800-688-3467 for fishing information provided by the DNR Fisheries Service. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website can be access at; www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fishingreport/frmapindex.asp . The Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) recreational striped bass season continues through December 31, 2007. The PRFC striper creel allows anglers fishing tidal Potomac River waters to keep two striped bass per person per day at 18 to 28 inches in length. One of these can exceed 28 inches. All PRFC waters are open to possession of striped bass, from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (Route I-95) to Smith Point, Virginia. For additional information call 1-800-266-3904 or search information at the PRFC website, http://www.prfc.state.va.us/index.htm. |
 
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