Article on BBNWR Surf fishing

[Dixie719]

Nighttime fishing at Back Bay put on hold till 2008

By LEE TOLLIVER, The Virginian-Pilot
© September 9, 2007

Anglers wanting to take advantage of the remarkable fall red drum fishery south of Sandbridge will have to wait until next year.
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge managers said last week that a program that allows surf-casters the opportunity to fish off the oceanfront beach at night has been suspended until next year.
Anglers still can fish from 30 minutes prior to sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset year-round. But fall red drum fishing last year was considerably better at night.

"Every night in October, anglers went out there, and it was chaos," said Steve Walker, the director of Virginia Coastal Access Now, an organization that works with area city governments in an attempt to open more of the shoreline to angling. "Every fish that was caught was big enough to earn a citation award. I'd say that in October, about a dozen anglers easily caught more than 60 fish big enough for citations.

"This decision blind-sided everybody, including the refuge people, and it's pretty disheartening."

Back Bay officials said Friday that a regional official for the National Wildlife Refuge system determined that the special permits needed for night fishing cannot be issued under the system's Code of Federal Regulations. The code says that fishing is allowed during the day, but makes no mention of night fishing.

"So all we basically have to do is take surf fishing during the day out of the wording of the regulation, and we'll be able to issue special use permits in the future," Back Bay manager Jared Brandwein said. "There are a couple of lawsuits against the National Wildlife Refuge system. Because of these things, we need to stick to the letter of the law. There are a lot of people looking over our shoulder right now."

Brandwein and Back Bay visitor services manager Walt Tegge have been working with Walker and his organization to make night fishing available. The two said they are equally upset about having to deny access.

"The good thing is that it's just for a year," Brandwein said. "I just don't want to risk it right now. But it's gonna happen for these guys."

http://content.hamptonroads.com/stor...093&ran=128390

[Dixie719]

Nice to see Tolliver pick this one up and run with it!

Also nice to see the staff of the refuge pledging their support to make this thing happen in the future.

Thanks to everyone who sent in public comment and kept the ball rolloing on this issue. It will happen and when it does, it's gonna be a good time for all!

[cfields23]

i stole ya post and put it up on another site to hope to get more involved that may not about over here

[Bucket]

cf23,

Thanks. Unfortunate set of circumstances, so let's all work together to support the Refuge staff to make it happen in 2008!

`bucket