Public Access at Risk in Virginia

In Virginia, the state attorney general is refusing to intervene on behalf of the people, especially the people who fish. A Virginia landowner is suing two anglers for trespassing on a portion of the Jackson River based on crown and commonwealth land grants, which precede the founding of this country, and, consequently, Virginia law.

By contrast, Virginia law states that all river and stream beds are public property. Additionally, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) officially is on the side of anglers. According to both, the anglers did not trespass on private property.

DGIF stocks the Jackson with trout, using funds from fishing license fees and federal excise taxes on fishing tackle. Plus, launch ramps paid for with public money provide access to this stretch of the river.

“Because the attorney general’s office refuses to intervene, these two anglers are now defending rights of all of Virginia’s anglers, boaters, and outdoor enthusiasts in court,” says Keep America Fishing.

“If the court decides in favor of the real estate developer, property owners across the state could deny access to anglers and other recreationists on stretches of water for which they hold crown or commonwealth grants.”

Go here to learn more and to send a message to Gov. Bob McDonnell and Virginia’s attorney general’s office, requesting the state to defend the interests of the state and its people.

Anglers Angry About Virginia Governor's Proposal to End Tournament

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s recent proposal to kill the popular Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament is a perfect example of being penny wise and pound foolish.

He recommended the cut to save money during tough economic times, not realizing --- let’s give him the benefit of the doubt --- that he really was eliminating an important revenue stream for his state.

But plenty of folks are reminding him.

"The Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament is a huge part of why recreational angling contributes so much to Virginia's economy," said state Sen. Ralph S. Northam.

"The well-run citation, Expert and Master Angler, and annual species awards programs greatly enhance the draw of fishing in Virginia for natives and visitors alike. That means tourism revenue and jobs, two things that we should be looking to create, not destroy."

PilotOnline.com reports that Northam will introduce an amendment to McDonnell’s budget that would restore enough money to maintain the season-long tournament, in which anglers are awarded certificates and plaques for catching a variety of saltwater species that meet length and weigh minimums.

"I don't understand where this is coming from," added Chris Snook, a member of the tournament's advisory committee who also owns Chris' Bait and Tackle on the Eastern Shore. "The program brings anglers in from all over the place and brings in lots of money to the state. North Carolina has added money to its program to make it better . . . more like ours.

"This just doesn't make any sense."

The Recreational Fishing Alliance has weighed in as well in a letter to the governor:

“RFA and its members know full well that these are tough economic times which require difficult fiscal decisions on how to best spend taxpayer dollars. However, suspending a money-making state program like the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament ultimately will lead to lost tourism receipts, decreasing tax revenues, and more private sector employment.

“Recreational fishing in Virginia is a jobs creator, which is why RFA is asking that your office reconsider this penny-wise plan which promises to negatively impact future angler effort and participation without our coastal fishing industry.”

Virginia Activists Needed to Help Defend Public Access

At a time when many in this country believe that we are being ruled by an “imperial” administration that cares little about the will of the people, the Virginia Rivers Defense Fund certainly has struck the right chord in a call for action to defend public access.

On its website, it says:

Ask the State Attorney General to Defend VA Rivers Against Laws from a King Long Defeated, Dead and Gone.

And it adds:

Your right to use public rivers in the Commonwealth of Virginia is under threat if laws enacted by King George III stand supreme over our Virginia Constitution!

Under a Virginia statue that is more than 200 years old, the beds of all rivers and streams “are the property of the Commonwealth and may be used as a common by all the people for the purposes of fishing, fowling, hunting, and taking and catching of oysters and shellfish.”

Yet the developer of a golf community near Covington has filed a civil trespassing suit against three anglers who floated the river in kayaks. It claims that it owns the bed of the Jackson River by virtue of two land grants that predated passage of that statue.

To learn more and get involved, go here.

Feds Go After Striper Poachers in Virginia

A federal undercover investigation into illegal fishing for striped bass has led to the seizure of electronics and records from a boats docked in Virginia. According to the Baltimore Sun, seizures included GPS units, cell phones, fuel logs, radios, ship logs, manifests, and client lists.

Winter fishing is a lucrative business in the waters off Virginia Beach and North Carolina, where big striped bass migrate to await spawning season in the Chesapeake Bay. When the fish are close to shore, catching is easy and legal. But when they swim in search of warmer water they move into the Exclusive Economic Zone, a wide swath of water three miles to 200 miles off the coast that is off limits to striped bass fishing.

But it appears that the "off limits" designation doesn't stop some. If the allegations are true, then offenders should be rewarded with prison time and huge fines.

We nearly lost the East Coast striper fishery once because of greed and overfishing. Only a multi-year moratorium saved it.

 "I hope this is a wake-up call for everybody," said Brian Keehn, president of the Maryland Charter Boat Association. "We need to start paying attention to the striped bass before we have another moratorium and no one fishes. Illegal fishing hurts everybody."

Important Forage Fish Needs Help in Virginia

Because of overfishing by commericals, menhaden --- key forage for stripers and other sportfish --- are in serious decline and need better protection immediately.

If you live in Virginia, Keep America Fishing encourages you to: 

"Ask your Virginia state legislators to support key legislation that will help ensure menhaden's survival by transferring fisheries management authority to Virginia's Marine Resources Commission

"As a result of commercial overfishing, menhaden, a key food source for many popular sportfish - especially striped bass - is currently experiencing large population declines. Menhaden are at their lowest abundance in recorded history and may ultimately result in the collapse of some of the East Coast's most prized recreational fisheries, including striped bass. By transferring management from Virginia's General Assembly to the state's Marine Resource's Commission, this key species will be in the hands of the science-based agency that already manages all other marine species in Virginia."

Just insert your zip code on the KAF page and your message will be sent to the appropriate politician.