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Gloucester Point, VA - Leaders in fisheries research, management, education, and conservation are meeting December 5-8, 1999, at the Virginia Beach resort Hotel and Convention Center in Virginia Beach, to evaluate catch and release fishing issues, focusing primarily on coastal and offshore fisheries. Representing essentially all U.S. coastal states as well as Australia, Norway, Bermuda, and Canada, participants will also include trend-setters from the sport fishing industry and saltwater fishing media. Advance registration is required. The registration deadline is November 30, and daily registration rates are available.
The National Symposium on Catch and Release in Marine Recreational Fisheries is designed to provide a forum for evaluating and debating a variety of catch and release (and tag and release) issues. Rapidly changing fishery management plans and commercial-recreational fishing confrontations warrant a closer look at catch and release as an effective fishing conservation tool.
A wide range of sponsors have joined together to organize the program, including the National Sea Grant Office and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), both under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Also included are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Virginia Marine Resources Commission, American Fisheries Society, and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) of the College of William and Mary. The VIMS Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program is hosting the symposium.
Significant sportfishing industry and tackle manufacturer sponsors have also committed to the program, i.e., American Fishing Tackle Company (AFTCO), American Sportfishing Association (ASA), Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle, TTI Companies, and the American Fly-Fishing Trade Association. Fishing conservation and education organization support includes The Billfish Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Federation of Fly Fishers, and the Coastal Conservation Association-Virginia.
Detailed information on the symposium, travel and lodging, registration, and the agenda are available on the VIMS Web-site (www.vims.edu) under “Catch and Release Symposium”. Advance registration is required by November 30th. For additional information, contact Jon Lucy, Symposium Chair (804.684-7166; lucy@vims.edu).
Uploaded: 11/24/1999
Uploaded: 11/24/1999