by Susan Schmidt

What draws some sportsmen 75 miles off-shore? Out in the ocean you never know if you Willhook a 20-pound tuna or a tODD-pound marlin. Inthe blue waters of the Gulf Stream, near drop-offsof submarine canyons or shoals on the otherwise-flat continental shelf, fishermen troll for pelagic, oropen-ocean, gamefish. Their primary targets arebluefin and yellowfin tuna, white and blue marlin,dolphin, wahoo and sharks. It is a challenge to findthese big fish, to hook one, to fight and land it.

Adventure writers like Ernest Hemingwaypopularized ocean gamefishing as an elite sport. Asin The Old Man and the Sea, there is an aura of mythwhen a man matches his strength and wits with amarlin.

C.K. Smith's5533/4-pound bluemarlin won the SmallBoat Marlin tourna-ment in August 19B5.

The first marlin and tuna were caught by rodand reel off California at the turn of the century. Onthe east coast in the 1920s, sportsmen started catch-ing bluefin tuna from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras,and tuna-fishing clubs formed in New jersey. Thefirst white marlin in the Mid-Atlantic were caught offOcean City, Maryland, in the 1930s. Ocean City stillcalls itself the "white marlin capital of the world;'although other ports like Virginia Beach's Rudee Inletmay challenge that claim.

In the mid-30s from Chincoteague andWachapreague on Virginia's Eastern Shore, anglersfound marlin less than 20 miles offshore. By themid-50s sportfishing boats were venturing to N~r-folk and Washington canyons. Today's anglers searChfor billfish at the 100-fathom curve (600 feet) alongthe edge of the continental shelf, which ranges from60 to 90 miles offshore. From Rudee Inlet poputarbillfish and tuna hot spots are Norfolk Canyon, 70miles east, and the Cigar, a seamount 65 milessoutheast. Some fishing areas are named for theirshapes: like the Fingers, the Boomerang, the HotDog, or the Horseshoe. Others are identified by thfirdistance offshore, like 21-Mile and 26-Mile Hills,which are east of Wachapreague (see map).

Seawitches, Green Machines, and Psycholead

Long runs to fishing grounds requireseaworthy boats, electronic navigational equipment,and large fuel capacity. The method of catching tunaand marlin is high-speed trolling with rigged naturalbaits or artificial lures. Boats generally set five ormore rods, with outrigger lines from the gunnels andflat lines off the transom. Popular bait rigs for fast-swimming pelagic gamefish have imaginative nameslike seawitches, green machines, ballyhoo, andpsycholead.

Half the sport is expectation, being ready tohook and playa fish of unknown size. There is notelling when a marlin may crash the baits and takeoff, stripping yards of line off a reel. When the anglerpulls the rod out of its holder, he sets the hook, andthe fun and work begin. Depending on the size ofthe fish and the skill of the boat captain and angler,a contest may last several minutes or hours.

The thrill of bluewater angling lures manypeople to charter a boat for a day. Families travel longdistances for a vacation of spectacular gamefishing,and coastal residents appreciate more frequentchances to fish offshore. For novices and occasionalfishermen, charter boats offer the opportunity tocatch big hard-fighting gamefish.

Virginia's offshore game fish season reflectsthe periods when waters warm enough for each

Winter 1985Marine Resource Bulletin

RecreationalFishery:Big Fish.smess

Tuna and Billfish Grounds off the Virginia Coast1. ~r Man's Can~n 13. Triangte Wrecks2. The Fingers 14. The Fingers3. Jackspot 15. Fish Hook4. First Lump 16. Hot Dogs5. Second Lump 17. SE Lumps6. Rockpile 18. Horseshoe7. Lumps 19. Boomerang8. 29 Fathom Lumps 20. V Buoy9. 20 Fathom Fingers 21. 4A Buoy

10. 21 Mile Hill 22. Cigar11. Hambone (26 Mile Hill) 23. Honey Hole12. No Name

tion plaques are awarded for catches above estab-lished minimum weights. Cumulative records havebeen kept since 1958 (see Table 1).

Offshore sportfishing is big business inVirginia and offers economic boosts to the principalports. In 1983 Virginia anglers fishing primarily formarlin and tuna spent over $ 7 million on boatmaintenance and storage, tournament fees, bait, iceand fuel. Tournaments help bring tourist dollars toport communities, as non-resident fishermen andtheir families spend dollars on lodging, meals andentertainment. For example, the economic impactof the 1982 Virginia Beach Anglers Club SmallBoat Marlin Tournament was approximately$35,000. To plan for the development of motels,marinas, boat ramps, and other facilities, portcommunities need to know the future trends of thesportflShing industry. To protect and manage futuregamefish stocks, fishery managers must under-stand the distribution, abundance and harvest ofpelagic species.

By sponsoring gameflSh tagging programsfor tuna, billfish, and shark, the National MarineFisheries Service (NMFS) aims to provide informationfor better management. NMFS supplies taggingequipment and analyzes data; fishermen voluntari-ly tag and release their catch and sometimes recovertags. NMFS also helps fund surveys of recreationalcatches and monitors commercial catches of pelagicgamefish by U.S. and foreign fleets. Resulting data onmigJ:atory patterns, stock distribution, and exploita-tion rates are used for fishery management.

Management Options AddressedIn 1976 Congress created a "fisheries con-

servation zone" (FCZ) within 3 to 200 miles of thecoast of the United States. Under the Magnuson Act(called the 200-mile limit law), the United States con-trol'i domestic and foreign commercial fishing, aswell as domestic recreational fishing, through eightregional fishery management councils. With scien-tific assessments of economic, social and biologicalfactors, these councils develop and implement

species to move north. The big catches for offshorerecreational fishermen are bluefin tuna in June andJuly and marlin, yellowfin tuna, dolphin, and wahoofrom mid-July through October. In the summer someanglers specifically target sharks for their size andfighting strength. About 15 species of sharks inVirginia waters are caught by sportflShermen.

Besides these offshore pelagics, Virginiacharter boats also work closer to shore for Bostonmackerel in March and April, and bluefish and kingmackerel from mid-May through October.

Many weekends during the summer, fishingtournaments drnw participants to the challenge ofcatching the largest fish. As the season progresses,there are special competitions in large and smallboats for bluefin and yellowfm tuna, blue and whitemarlin, and sharks. Unless they want to mount atrophy fish, many sportsmen voluntarily releasebil1flSh to conserve stocks and to allow anglers in thenext tournament the chance to hook a trophy.

One popular tournament is the season-longVirginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament sponsored bythe Commonwealth of Virginia to promote recrea-tional fIShing. The largest fishes in 22 species caughtbetween May and November win trophies, and cita-

Virginia Marine Game Fish RecordsTable 1

RecordSpecies C.W. t Weight Location Year Angler

Blue Marlin 250 1,093 Ibs. 12 oz. Norfolk Canyon 1978 Edward Alan GivensWhitl3 Marlin 50 131 Ibs. 10 oz. Off Va. Beach 1978 Rudolf D. van't RietSailfish 30 68 Ibs. 8 oz. Off Va. Beach 1977 P.J. MurdenShark (Tiger) 100 1,099 Ibs. 12 oz. Off Va. Beach 1981 John W. Thurston, Jr.Bigeye Tuna 75 255 Ibs. 8 oz. Norfolk Canyon 1983 Pat KellyBluelfin Tuna 75 204 Ibs. Off Va. Beach 1977 W.J. VanceYellowfin Tuna 75 203 Ibs. 12 oz. Norfolk Canyon 1981 Bruce C. Gottwald, Jr.Wahoo 30 97 Ibs. Off Va. Beach 1975 R.R. MatthiasDolphin 20 62 Ibs. Off Va. Beach 1971 Sue Smith

t Citation Weight

2Winter 1985 Marine Resource Bulletin

vessels have tuna-longlining permits, but on theaverage no more than two a month work off the U.S.east coast. Foreign vessels that longline for tunawithin the FCZ are required to release all billfish andto keep accurate catch and effort records. A signifi-cant billfish mortality, estimated as 60 to 70 percent,has been confirmed by U.S. observers on foreignlongline vessels.

Since 1969 the United States has belongedto the International Commission for the Conserva-tion of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). ICCAT monitors thestatus of tuna species and sets harvest limits to pro-tect or rebuild stocks. Three countries have harvestallowances for bluefin tuna in the Western Atlantic;the U.S. quota is roughly double that of Japan andCanada. After three years of quotas, ICCAT has justreported that stocks of smaller size bluefin tuna maybe showing significant improvement.

Currently, fishery management councils onthe eastern U.S. coast are jointly preparing a billfishmanagement plan. Maximizing opportunity forrecreational anglers is the primary objective in theworking proposal. The councils are consideringdesignating marlins, sailfish and spearfish asgamefish and setting minimum weights for posses-sion. Recreational anglers would be wle to keep anyfish above the minimum size if caught by rod andreel; commercial vessels could keep only one billfishas bycatch per boat trip.

Under current regulations U.S. commercialfishermen may sell billfish only to licensed dealers,and these dealers submit bi-monthly catch reports

Ed Givens (left) holdsthe Virginia recordfor his 10933/4-poundblue marlin caught in1978 on Gannettskippered by MikeRomeo (right).

Robby and ClarkTaylor of Norfolk landa yellowfin tuna atRudee Inlet after theSmall Boat Marlintournament.

Bill Abourjillie The Virginian Ai"

fishery management plans for recreational and com-mercial fisheries. Their goal is optimum yield, or thenumber of fish that provides the greatest nationalbenefit in food production and recreational oppor-tunity. Pelagic species like marlin come under theregulatory authority of fishery management coun-cils, while highly migratory species like tuna comeunder international control.

In the western North Atlantic, U.S. commer-cial fishermen catch tuna, primarily in New Englandwaters, by purse-seining, longlining, handlining andharpooning. Foreign commercial vessels alsolongline for tuna within the 200-mile FCZ. A typicallongline may stretch 75 miles with 2000 hooks setas deep as 500 feet and is hauled every 24 hours. In1985, 650 U.S. longliners have permits for inciden-tal catch of bluefin tuna. Currently seven Japanese

3 Marine Resource Bulletin Winter 1985

to NMFS. The status of white and blue marlin stocksin the Western Atlantic is unknown, but NMFSestimates the catch reaches the optimum yield.

An offshore fishingtrip can yield biggame. John W.Thurston, Jr. (r) andBill Moffett proudlydisplay their1099-pound 12-ouncetiger shark, thelargest shark evercaught in Virginiawaters.

Billy Harvey, mate onSmith LId. at VirginiaBeach Fishing

ICenter, unloads awahoo.

Pelagic Species Data Needed

There is insufficient catch and effon data forrecreational fishing on pelagic species. In additionto distribution, abundance and composition ofgamefish stocks, fishery managers need soundestimates of the total recreational catch to factorfishing mortality into their management calculations.Scientists at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science(VIMS) currently are studying gamefish popularwith offshore recreational anglers in efforts to col-lect pelagic species data.

Catch and effort data for Virginia's recrea-tional offshore pelagic fishery is being documentedin a three-year Virginia Sea Grant Marine AdvisoryServices project. In another project panially fundedby Sea Grant, VIMS fisheries biologists have beenstudying the life history of sharks. In related researchof flow dynamics in water and in air, they are deter-mining how shark scales can be copied to reduceairplane fuel demand.

More sponfishermen will continue to buymore boats and spend more time and money onfishing, but at the same time there may be fewer fishto catch. Recreational opportunity is balanced withharvest in fishery management plans; with accuratescientific information, fishery management councilswill be better prepared to develop plans for the com-mercial and sponfishing industries. §:

Winter 1985 Marine Resource Bulletin 4

fishing boats using Rudee Inlet.The Rudee Inlet study is sched-uled for completion in January.

In 1985, with NMFS fund-ing restored, VIMS was askedagain to contribute to a regionalstudy of the recreational pelagicfishery from Virginia to NewEngland. Researchers doubledweekly phone calls to interviewboat owners and captains, andport samplers continued to inter-view fishermen dockside.

Offshore fishermen areaccustomed to seeing the team ofVIMS port samplers on the dock.Researchers ask them what kindand how many fISh they caught,where they fished, how long theytrolled, the number of lines theyfished, and what baits they used.The samplers also ask whether thefish were released and helpmeasure and weigh fish, frequent-ly cooperating with tournamentofficials.

the number of trips and toestimate catches of boat ownersand captains fishing from Virginiaports for marlin and tuna. Whenresearchers visited major ports onweekends to weigh and measurefish, they were able to increasetheir list of boats engaged inrecreational offshore fishing. Theseason's catch and effort numberswere combined with economicdata to estima~e the magnitude ofeach state's fishing activity. Resultsof the five-state survey werepublished by the NJMFA is an8-page bulletin titled "Survey ofRecreational Tuna and MarlinFishing in the Mid-Atlantic, 1983."

No NMFS funding wasavailable in 1984 for a regionalprogram, but VIMS continuedresearch on th~ Virginia fishery bymailing out monthly catch logs toprivate boat owners and chartercaptains participating regularly inVirginia's marlin and tuna fishery.The Cape Henry Billfish Club alsohelped fund a VIMS catch andeconomic study of recreational

In her doctornl disserta-tion Bochenek will compare thestrntegies the VIMS researchersused for sampling fishery catches.Using data from 1983-85, she willdetermine which of three meth-odologies -mail survey, tele-phone calls, or dockside inter-views -provides the moststatistically precise information.She will measure the size, catchand effort, and socio-economicvalue of Virginia's recreationalpelagic fleet in 1983-85. She willalso attempt to correlate the catchand effort data on yellowfin tuna,bluefin tuna and white marlin tosea surface temperntures and thepositions of the Gulf Stream andwarm-core eddies.

Data collected by fisherybiologists from New York toVirginia in 1983 revealed that inthe ocean off these five Mid-Atlantic states, sportfishermencaught roughly 74,000 pelagicgamefish, or about 3 millionpounds. Yelrowfin tuna domina-ted the total catch by weight, andalbacore was the largest species bynumber. By total weight of fishcaught, Virginians caught moreyellowfin tuna than in New York,New Jersey, Delaware and Mary-land, although yellowfin wereevenly distributed throughout the

To conserve stocks and toevaluate future trends of offshorepelagic species, fishery managersneed information about therecreational anglers that frequentVirginia's port communities. Inorder to address the needs of thegrowing sportflShing industry, SeaGrant Marine Advisory Services atthe Virginia Institute of MarineScience (VIMS) has conductedannual studies of recreational off-shore fishing since 1983. Jon Lucy,marine recreation specialist, coor-dinates this research with EleanorBochenek, a graduate student infisheries and marine resourcemanagement at VIMS.

In 1983 with fundingfrom the Virginia Sea Grant Col-lege Program and the NationalMarine Fisheries Service (NMFS),Bochenek and Lucy participatedin a Mid-Atlantic survey coor-dinated by the New Jersey MarineFisheries Administration (NJMFA).Each week from June through Oc-tober VIMS researchers used a ran-dom telephone survey to record

Winter 19855 Marine Resource Bulletin

Jon Lucy and EleanorBochenek documentfish catches at atournament dock.

Estimated Recreational (:atch of 1983 Offshore Pelagic FishTable 2

VA

3,7757848

4,904

1,839123

*

MD

1,48819

4205

693156

139751109

*

48*

*

25

3,718

Mid-Atlantic

16,1174,493

20,45112,801

5,131276

92

3,5716,5671,2001,339

445208226

1,082

73,999

fishing grounds. Albacore andbigeye tuna were more abundantin the northern Mid-Atlantic offNew Jersey and New York. Catchesof white marlin, dolphin, andwahoo improved heading southand peaked in the Norfolk Canyonoff Virginia.

The largest number offish caught in Virginia was bluefintuna (see Table 2). Virginia anglerscatch young bluefin tuna inschools as they migrate along theMid-Atlantic, mostly those bet-ween 14 and 135 pounds, but oc-casionally some over 135 pounds.Giant tunas over 310 pounds haveyet to be caught off Virginia,although they are taken in recrea-tional and commercial fISheriesfurther north.

White marlin is the mostnumerous billfish in the Mid-Atlantic. In 1983 Virginia anglerscaught more white marlin than inother states and had the highestrate, 82 percent, of releasing themalive. Blue marlin are much morerare, but Virginians caught themost blue marlin in the Mid-Atlantic, as well as the largestnumber of dolphin, wahoo andking mackerel.

Compared to anglers inother Mid-Atlantic states, Virginiasportfishermen enjoy a higherpercentage of landing at least onegamefish per trip. They have moretrips closer to shore, inside theIS-fathom depth curve, than otherstates. Of Virginia's fishing ports,Rudee Inlet had the most offshoretrips; the next most popular portsin 1983 were Lynnhaven Inlet andWachapreague.

Knowing participationtrends and economic impacts ofrecreational fisheries helps statesand their fishing ports in planningonshore fIShing facilities. In 1983,455 boats fished offshore forgamefish out of Virginia ports; ofthese 40 were charter vessels and415 were private. The mean lengthof these boats was 30.4 feet, andthe average cost was $66,356.Each boat carried rods, reels, lineand lures worth an average of$3,871. In 1984,666 boats fishedfor pelagic gamefish and estimatesof their catch, effort and expendi-tures currently are being analyzed

7813,236

9191,339

15*

13*

17,070

Species

YellowfinBigeyeAlbacoreBluefin

White MarlinBlue MarlinSwordfish

SkipjackDolphinWahooKing Mackerel

MakoBlue SharkHammerheadOther Sharks

Total

*too few to estimate

Winter 1985 6Marine Resource Bulletin

In 1983 the estimated an-nual fleet expenditures for theVirginia fleet was $7,416,000. Thiswas divided among boat cost,storage, insurance, tackle, tourna-ment fees, fuel, ice and bait. For anindividual boat owner, the annualaverage cost of using a vessel foroffshore fishing was $6,150; formaintenance- $3,929; for storage-$853, for insurance -$743; fortournament fees -$625. For eachtrip, a Virginia offshore anglerspent an average of $167 on fueland $35 for ice and bait.

Brothers Ray (Ieff) Sportsmen are willing toand Earl Parker have spend a lot of time and money forchartered out of the chance to catch marlin andWachapreague since .th 1930 tuna m the blue waters offe s. Virginia's coast. Documenting the

number of fish caught, thenumber of anglers, of boats, andboat trips and expenses, Lucy andBochenek will assist NMFS and in-

Marlins make for ternational management agenciesexciting offshore such as ICCAT in their efforts tofishing sport. This insure a healthy offshore recrea-photo, also seen on tional fishery. Furthermore, withcover, taken In the this information Virginia and its1950's, is from the . al ' ..

. t /,' ,. f recreation port communIties canpnva e co ,eC,lon a .

Captain Ray Parker of better plan for maIntenance andWachapreague, development of facilities forVirginia. anglers. §

Charter Captains Remember Daysof More Fish

Offshore fishing, that occasional-to-frequent treat for residents and once-a-season highlight for tourists, is aneveryday career for charter captains inVirginia's ports, Wachapreague andRudee Inlet. There are good days and baddays when the sea is too rough or thereare few fish. With a migrating naturalresource like fish and with growing com-petition of more boats, there is noguarantee of a steady living. But chartercaptains would not trade their job foranything else.

"I like to be around people andI like to fish," said Captain Earl Parker ofWachapreague. '" 've had lawyers and

doctors tell me: 'I envy you; you're outhere every day enjoying yourself.'"

Pride in learning the habits offish and the secrets of the ocean keepscaptains fishing. From their experience,each has opinions why fishing is good orbad. Most captains agree fishing is notimproving; all have fine memories.

Chartering has been the life'swork of brothers Earl, 67, on Virnanjo, and

Susan SctKnidt

Ray Parker, 63, on Sea Bird. Like theirfather before them, they have charteredfishing parties out of Wachapreague sincethe 1930s.

Captain Earl is proud that heowned his own charter boat at 17 whenhe rebuilt a gun-club boat abandonedafter a hurricane. He boasts that in the40s he installed the first diesel engine andthe first Loran on a charter boat.

"Why do I love fishing?" CaptainRay asked. .'There's not a place on theface of the earth that has more wildlifethan this Eastern Shore. On the way outthrough the marshes you get to seeegrets, pelicans, railbirds swimmingacross the channel, mullets jumping. Outin the ocean we saw 50 leatherback seaturtles within one square mile at the endof August:'

There's a lot of continuity. One oftheir father's customers, an 82-year-oldlady from Pennsylvania, has been fishingwith Captain Earl since 1936. Theircustomers return year after year. Since1949 Ray has fished with four generationsof a family from New Jersey -father,son, grandson and great-grandson.

7 Marine Resource Bulletin Winter 1985

In this 1950's photo,Captain RayParker ofWachapreague holdsup a white marlin hecaught.

Captain MarshallSmith remembers36-hour offshorefishing trips.

"There's too many boats fishingnow," Captain Smith said. "And with allthe electronics, fish have no place to hideinside the 100-fathom curve."

At 28, Mike Romeo is captain ofGannett at the Virginia Beach FishingCenter. He started working on the dockthere when he was 11 and for nine yearshas been a captain.

"Ten years ago I'd catch 50bluefin a day. This year I've fished harderthan I ever have," Romeo said, "and I'mjust not catching anything. I've had 10billfish all summer compared to 60 lastyear at this time.

"Granders, that's blue marlinover 1000 pounds, are hard to come by.I've seen three in my lifetime. One brokeloose; one took all the line and we chasedit for 23 miles. The record fish caught onmy boat was a 1093-pound grander,caught the day before a tournament."

"It's not the fishing pressure,sports or commercial," he said. "Thewater's too warm. The fish won't cometo the surface when it's 90 degrees. Thisyear's slow; we had a great year last year;next year will be better." ~

on the Cigar, a lump 60 mil19s southeastof Cape Henry. You had to get there beforedaybreak or you didn't find the buoy.When I could see the light flashing, Iknew we'd catch big dolphlin.

"One time on the Ilirst morningof a two-day trip we caught a 100-poundwahoo. The fish box was 8 feet long, sothe fish had to be cut to be iced. Duringthe day we talked to somebody elsefishing. When we got to the dock the nextevening, the newspaper people werewaiting to see the record vvahoo. Whenwe put the wahoo on the dock less headand tail, a lot of faces dropped.

"On my first marlin trip out ofBack River we caught five 'VI/hite marlin,"Smith said. "In the late 19~50s and 60s,it was nothing to raise 101 to 15 whitemarlin a day, catching from three to five.Just this past Labor Day weekend 60boats from Rudee Inlet fishl9d three daysand caught about 13 white marlin.

"I n one of the tou rrlaments latelyat Rudee Inlet a white marlin was caughtwith two hooks in its mouth, the thirdhook was left there. This marlin had prob-ably been hooked at least 12 to 15 times.

"When we started," Captain Earlsaid, "ten miles was as far as you hadto go to find marlin. I once caught a marlin5 miles from the beach."

"Some blame it on foreign long-liners, that marlin have moved farther off-shore," Captain Ray said. "I say currentshave shifted in the ocean. Now we needto go to 100 fathoms to find Gulf Streamgrass and debris that attract marlin.Another thing that's hurt us: there's lessdebris now that ships carry freight incontainers instead of loose on deck."

Captain Marshall Smith, 65, onMarsha Ann, was one of the first 10charter captains in Rudee Inlet in 1968.He started charter fishing in the Chesa-peake Bay in 1945 and moved to offshorefishing in 1956. He would leave BackRiver in Hampton at 9 p.m. to get onthe fishing ground at daybreak thenext morning.

"When I started fishing offshore,I only had a compass, a 120-foot depth-sounding machine, and a direction finderto pick up Cape Henry to come home,"Smith said. "Ten knots was good speedat the time. The Navy had a lighted buoy

8Marine Resource BulletinWinter 1985

Jim Colvocoressesdisplays a sharkcaught on a VIMSresearch vessel.

Sharkers Donate SharksFor 10 years, partiallyunder Virginia Sea Grant CollegeProgram funding, Virginia Insti-tute of Marine Science (VIMS)fisheries biologists Dr. JackMusick, Jim Colvocoresses andtheir students have been catchingand examining sharks to learnabout the ecology of "apex pred-ators," that is, big fish at the top ofthe food chain.

Now, sportfishermen areteaming with the scientists tostudy sharks. Fishing for sharks isan exhilarating sport, and to assurea continuing supply of sharks, theVirginia Beach Sharkers clubbelieves in conservation andresearch.

Club members keeprecords of their catches, tag andrelease sharks, and donate fish fordissection to fisheries biologists atthe Virginia Institute of MarineScience (VIMS). These scientistsare studying sharks' life histories,distribution and abundance soagencies can better manage stocksand so fishermen can improvetheir catches.

At their annual tourna-ment each July, the Virginia BeachSharkers donate all fish brought into VIMS. At the tournament dockin Rudee Inlet, Musick and his

Winter 1985Marine Resource Bulletin9

species of sharks in Virginiawaters. Their longliuing data haveyielded frequency of occurrenceby species, sex, habitat, size andseason.

sharks. To catch large species ofsharks, fishermen attach baitedhooks to a longline at regularintervals. Gill nets can be set ifpopulations of sharks are concen-trated inshore.

Of 30 species of sharksthat occur in Virginia waters, com-mon species are bignose, blacktip,tiger, shortfin mako, lemon, andsand tiger. Although they areabundant, these sharks are not asignificant threat in Virginiawaters.

"There are only two doc-umented, unprovoked sharkattacks in Virginia," Musick said.'~s an example, a 'provoked'attack may occur when a fisher-man tangles with a strugglingshark in the cockpit of a smallboat. A real danger in shark fIShingis from hooks on fishing lines."

At their annual tour-nament, the VirginiaBeach Sharkersfishing club donatesall sharks to VIMSscientists for theirresearch.

Sharks migrate south inthe winter and return north whenwaters warm above 65 OF. Vastnumbers of sharks congregate inthe Gulf Stream near OCl~gon Inletin North Carolina whelre surfacewater is still cooler than the GulfStream. By the end of .June theymove north to Norfolk Canyon. Assummer progresses and surfacewaters warm on the continentalshelf, the sharks spread out alongthe coast until the fall. In wintersharks take refuge again in largenumbers along the west wall ofthe Gulf Stream. By Oc1:ober theyare back at Hatteras.

In winter the spiny dog-fish is almost the only shark inVirginia waters. In summer themost abundant species i1; the sand-bar shark. The second most abun-dant species is the duslcy shark.

Sandbar sharks growslowly and have low reproductivepotential. They mature !;exually atabout 16 years and then can have10 pups a year or every ~:>ther yearfor 10 to 20 years. Therefore,stocks must be carefully moni-tored to sustain a successfulfishery. This long-term survey ofsharks can help fishery managersunderstand shark life histories.

Female saJ!ldbar sharks.have their pups in June in thelower Bay and in lagoons alongthe Eastern Shore. In alrl exampleof sharing resources, sarldbars pupin lagoons, and dusky sharks inthe shallow surf zon(~ just off-shore. Pups remain in estuarinenurseries until fall. Females moveoffshore to waters betwleenJO and20 fathoms deep. Mal(:s stay off-shore at depths greatf:r than 20fathoms.

Jack Musick weighsa dusky sharkcaught off Virginia'scoast.

Aerodynamic Scales,Hydrodynamic Fins

Sharks are fast swimmers,worthy of respect more than fear.Using skin samples collected at

Jack Musick

team help weigh-in the catch forthe competition. Then the biolo-gists measure and dissect sharksfor their research. They removevertebrae from aging sharks andcollect the jaws of rarer species.

At another tournamentthe Virginia Beach Sharkers awarda prize to the fisherman who hastagged and released the mostsharks. The National MarineFisheries Service (NMFS) followsshark migration by monitoring theage and location of the taggedsharks that are recaptured.

John W. Thurston, Jr.,past president of the VirginiaBeach Sharkers, holds the recordfor catching the largest shark inVirginia. In 1981 he caught a1099-pound, 12-ounce tigershark. That year a fisherman onThurston's boat caught the onlygreat white shark in Virginiawaters. Virginia Sea Grant MarineAdvisory Services plans to publisha manual by Thurston on shark-fishing strategies.

Fifteen Species Studied

Between 1973 and 1985Musick and Colvocoresses havestudied age, growth, reproduc-tion, and feeding habits for 15

Sharks are growing inpopularity for both commercialand sportfishing. fureign fIShingvessels are restricted closer than200 miles offshore" but U.S. com-mercial fishermen are catchingsharks to meet the demand forsharks in Europe and ,~sia.

Trawling is th<~ most effi-cient method of capturing small

10Marine Resource BulletinWinter 1985

sportfishing tournaments, Musickand his colleagues are analyzingthe hydrodynamic aspects ofshark scales. In a cooperativeresearch program with engineersat the National Aeronautics andSpace Administration (NASA), theyare observing how the surfacemicrostructure on scales over-comes drag in the water.

VIMS scientists measurethe dimensions of microscopicridges and valleys on each in-dividual shark scale. They havecompared the surface structuresfrom 15 species to a theoreticalmodel of drag reduction devel-oped by NASA engineers. Then theengineers at NASA test their for-mulae in wind tunnels. Their testshave confirmed that groovedscales of some shark speciesreduce frictional drag 10 to 15 per-cent more than smooth scaleswould.

Tuna

Several species of tuna come tomarket fresh, frozen or canned. Lightmeat for the canning industry is yellowfin,skipjack or small bluefin. White meat isalways albacore. Darker meats like bigeyeor blackfin, although not marketed com-mercially, are savored where they arecaught fresh.

For the best quality meat, whenyou land a tuna, make incisions above thetail, hang it to bleed and ice immediate-ly. When filleting fresh tuna, cut out thebitter-tasting, dark meat along the medianline.

Wash small portions of tuna,drain and soak in 90 percent brine for anhour. Wipe dry. Saute in olive oil withcrushed garlic, 6 bay leaves and a few redpeppers. Remove the fish when it is lightbrown and cool. Cook onions in oil untilyellow. Add vinegar, whole black peppers,cumin seeds and marjoram and cook slow-ly for up to 30 minutes. Pack the cold fishand sauce in sterilized jars with theremaining red peppers and bay leaves.Close tightly. Escabeche is traditionallyserved with potatoes boiled in their skinswith branches of oregano.

As the winter range of thesegamefish is tropical, many recipes havea Mediterranean flavor of Spanish andItalian seasonings like olive oil, oregano,garlic, parsley and pepper.

NASA has contracted the3M Company to develop agrooved tape to attach to thefusilages of planes. This applica-tion is expected to save millions ofdollars of fuel a year just on NASAairplanes. Another use for reduc-ing friction may be on hulls ofracing sailboats.

Apparently the angle atwhich sharks swim upward inwater can be compared to theangle of ascent of airplanes takingoff. In a second study with NASA,Musick and his colleagues aremeasuring the drag reductioncaused by the scalloped edge ofthe trailing edges of fins of sharks,marlins and tunas. The firstmodels tested in the NASA windtunnel show that structuralmechanisms like scalloped finscan reduce drag by 10 to 15 per-cent more than straight edges.

This teamwork amongsportfishermen, VIMS scientistsand NASA engineers can producevaluable information for recrea-tional and commercial fishermenand better management of fishstocks. The new understanding ofaerodynamic and hydrodynamicprinciples may lead to significantfuel economies in boats and air-craft. E

Braised Tuna with Red Wine

2 lb. tuna steaks2 tbsp. salt3 tbsp. olive oil3 tbsp. tomato puree2 green Italian peppers'/4 cup chopped parsleypepper4 tsp. fines herbes1 cup dry red wine4 large scallionsbutter2 tsp. capers

Soak tuna steaks in a brine of 2tablespoons of salt in 4 cups of water foran hour. Rinse tuna and pat dry. Cover thebottom of a flat baking dish with olive oil,chopped scallions, peppers, parsley, saltand pepper. Arrange tuna steaks in asingle layer; sprinkle with pepper andfines herbes and pour wine around thesteaks. Cover the dish with an oiled sheetof foil, perforated so steam can escape.Braise in a preheated 375°F oven forabout 40 minutes. Puree the liquid andvegetables in a blender, then heat withtomato puree in a saucepan. Spoon pureeover tuna on a serving platter and sprinklewith capers. Serve with rice or pasta andbroiled fresh tomatoes coated withcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Serves 6.

For a free copy of the pamphletMaking the Most of Your Catch... THEBLUEFIN TUNA, write Sea Grant Com-munications, VIMS, Gloucester Point, VA23062. ~

Soaking darker-meat tuna in asalt "brine" solution leaches out blood.For best results, cook tuna one day,refrigerate overnight and serve hot or coldthe next day. Tuna is large-flaked andmoist. The amount of fat in tuna variesamong species and seasons; do not over-cook fish that is not fat. Tuna fillets freezewell for later use.

Giant bluefin are caught by Japa-nese longliners for the sashimi market.Sashimi is a generic Japanese term forraw fish, served in the United States at"sushi bars." Sushi are small balls of ricewrapped or topped with garnishes suchas seaweed or raw fish. For sashimi, allfish must be prepared fresh and notfrozen, and it takes skill to cut raw fishcorrectly. As a firm species, tuna is cubedto be served raw with a variety of sauces,like soy, vinegar or mustard. Raw bluefinhas no fish flavor and resembles a sliceof roast beef. Cooked it has a stronger,fishy taste.

Here's a recipe to prepare a tunaor other large fish. Because of the pick-ling effect of vinegar, escabeche has ashelf life of three weeks if refrigerated.

Escabeche

10 Ibs. tuna cubes4 cups olive oil6 small onions4 cups vinegar2 tbsp. bay leaves1 tbsp. black peppercorns12 garlic cloves1 tbsp. red peppers1 tsp. cumin seeds1 tsp. marjoram3 cups salt

Winter 1985Marine Resource Bulletin

Satellites also can detectwarm- and cold-core eddies thatbreak off from the Gulf Stream.Fishermen can use the location ofeddies to find concentrations ofpelagic gamefish. Warm ringsusually form on the shorewardside of the Gulf Stream. They spinclockwise and move southwest 2to 4.5 nautical miles a day untilthey are reabsorbed by the GulfStream near Cape Hatteras.

Cold rings, colder thansurrounding water, are formed onthe offshore edge of the GulfStream an~ spin counteoclockwisein a haphazard path. <:old-corerings last three or four months,much longer than warm-coreeddies.

Water Temperature Ranges for Saltwater FishTable 3

The table lists lower and upper water temperaturespreferred by saltwater gamefish species caught off Virginia'scoast. The range column lists temperature limits favorable forangling.

Upper

67°F72°F80°F88°F84°F88°F78°F68°F82°F82°F86°F80°F85°F

Range

62°-65°F63°-67°F73°-77°F75°-80°F66°-76°F76°-81°F65°-72°F60°-65°F72°-79°F61 0-67°F68°-82°F73°-77°F72°-80°F

Space-age technology ishelping fishermen find fish. Im-ages provided by satellite scanningsensors chart sea surface tempera-tures and Gulf Stream eddies thatidentify warmer water areaswhere pelagic gamefish school.With these satellite images,sophisticated marine electronicsand faster boats, fishermen andfishing parties can enjoy more ac-curate navigation, better fish-fmding capability and greater day-trip range.

Sea surface temperatureaffects the distribution and abun-dance of pelagic fishes likemarlins, tunas and sharks; eachspecies prefers a narrow range oftemperatures (see Table 3). Theymove north as waters warm; somespecies summer off Virginia'scoast and others pass throughVirginia waters migrating furthernorth.

Satellite charts of sea sur-face temperatures and Gulf Streameddies are available by subscrip-tion. For $16, anyone can receivecharts twice a week of the posi-tion of surface thermal fronts andisothenns (lines of equal tempera-ture) plotted on a mercator grid ofthe Western North Atlantic.Oceanographic analysis chartsshowing Gulf Stream eddies areavailable for $65 a year. For bothof these services, write NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC, Satellite DataSurface Div.; World WeatherBldg., Room 100; Washington, DC'20233.

Along the Atlantic coastof the United States fishermencatch pelagic game fish in thewarm, blue waters of the GulfStream. The Stream flows in anortheasterly direction at varyingdistances from shore. The watersof the Gulf Stream have warmertemperatures and differentsalinities than surrounding waterson the continental shelf. Thnasgroup together at frontal edges, orboundaries between water masses,where temperature changes occurover short distances. Satelliteweather charts are available so thata fisherman can know the locationof thermal gradients to locate con-centrations of fish.

Satellite scanning sensorsmeasure temperature by detectinginfrared radiation emitted fromthe sea surface. 1\vice a day, polar-orbitting satellites pass over thewestern Atlantic Ocean at analtitude of 600 miles. Satellite sen-sors cannot see through thickcloud cover, so the scanning suc-cess rate is 75 percent in summerand 25 percent in winter.

Species Lower

Albacore 59°FAmberjack 60°FDolphin 69°FMarlin, Blue 69°FMarlin, White 62°FSailfish 79°FShark, Mako 60°FTuna, Bigeye 55°FTuna, Blackfin 70°FTuna, Bluefin 50°FTuna, Skipjack 63°FTuna, Yellowfin 60°FWahoo 68°F

Reprinted courtesy of Salt Water Sportsmen

Fishermen that have athermal copier with a telephonemodem can get a computer print-out of temperature and eddycharts for the cost of a phone call.Between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.from Monday to Friday, call NOAAweather at (301) 899-1139 for seasurface thermal analysis charts.

Also by telecopier, theMid-Atlantic Marine InformationService at the University ofMaryland can provide weatherdata including local ChesapeakeBay reports, inshore and offshoreforecasts, sea surface gradients,tropical storm advisories, sea buoydata and notices to mariners. Thenumber is (301) 454-8700. 5

12Winter 1985 Marine Resource Bulletin

Marine Schoolhouse Series No. 25

by Mary SparrowSea Grant Marine Educator

We know from ancient carvings,drawings, and fossils that fish were an im-portant food resource to our ancestors.There is evidence already that fish, as asource of protein, will be increasinglyimportant to our descendants. In additionto being used as food, fish and fish by-products are used for a number of com-mercial products. Fish oils, for example,are used in manufacturing medicines,cosmetics and paint. Non-food parts offish are ground into fish meals to feedlivestock and fertilize crops. Fish by-products are used in the process of mak-ing wine and beer, and also to make glue.Fish skins are used sometimes in thesame way as leather.'

Recreational fishing is an impor-tant industry in itself. The sport catch inVirginia and Maryland is estimated at 35million fish or more annually. Marinas,fishing guides, charter and head boats,boat and engine dealers, bait and tackleshops, and the fuel industry are primaryexamples of businesses that profit fromrecreational fishing activities.

Obviously, harvesting fish fromthe sea is important to our country'seconomy and to the world's food supply.Is it possible to over-exploit economicallyimportant species? Could entire speciesbecome extinct? How could such a thinghappen? In 1883, a famous scientist said" ...probably all the great sea fisheries

are inexhaustible, that is to say nothingwe do seriously affects the numbers offish."2 Of course in 1883, there was no20th Century pollution, no motorizedfishing vessels, no electronic fish-findingequipment, and there were fewer boatsusing less efficient methods to catch fish.We know today that our activities canaffect the numbers of fish.

Because of their importance, fishstocks need to be conserved and man-aged for optimum harvest yields. There-fore, a new field of science is growing -fish management. Fishery managementinvolves the study of fish biology andbehavior, the factors influencing thesurvival and growth of fish stocks and themaking of rules about how humans inter-act with these stocks. The goal is tomaintain healthy stocks while allowinghumans to meet their needs. The follow-ing game allows you to be a fisherymanager. As you play you will learn whatfactors can influence fish stocks.

13 Marine Resource Bulletin Winter 1985

You will need paper and pencil,calculators (optional) and dice -one perplayer, and a deck of "condition" cards.Copy one statement per condition card.The numbers in parentheses tell howmany of each card to make.

carrying capacity -the greatest numberof organisms (animal or plant) of a givenspecies that can be supported by a givenhabitat, under given conditions.catch and release -the capture of or-ganisms and then their release withoutharm, if possible; some organisms will diefrom catch injuries or stress.exploit -to use for profit.extinction -the condition of having beenremoved from existence; vanished fromour world.habitat -place where an organism lives;has food, water, shelter and space to meetits needs.harvesting -gathering of naturalresources for people's use, such as infishing or hunting.manage -to control and change theharvesting of organisms and habitats tokeep healthy stock and reasonablenumbers of organisms for human use.species -population of individuals moreor less alike, able to mate and reproduceoffspring that are able to reproduce.stocks -groups of the same or similarspecies, usually born in the same generalgeographical area and kept together bybiological, physital (water temperature,currents, etc.) and / or geological' 'bar-riers" (not necessarily visible barriers).

1 Norman, J.R. 1975. A History of Fishes.

Ernest Benn Limited, London, Englandpp.408-409.2 Norman, p. 410.3 Game concept from Western Regional

Environmental Education Council. 1983.Project Wild-Elementary Activity Guide.pp. 147-150.

Procedure.

1) Each player manages a stockof 100 fish to begin the game. This is thehabitat's carrying capacity. 2) Each playeradds or subtracts from his/her stockaccording to the statement read aloudfrom the condition card and the roll ofhis/her own die. Use paper and pencil torecord the numbers you add and subtractfrom your starting 100 fish.

For example, your condition cardreads' 'Your stock's habitat has suffereda decline in quality. Decrease your stockby the % = 5 x your roll." Every playerrolls his/her own die and subtracts theappropriate % from the stock balance.Say one player rolls a 6. That player sub-tracts 30% (6 x 5) from his/her balance(if starting with 100, (100/1 x 30/100)= 30; 100 -30 = 70 new balance).Another player may have rolled a 2. 2 x5 = 10 (%), (100/1 x 10/100) = 10,100 -10 = 90 new balance. 3) Thegame is played for 30 minutes. Any playerwhose stock reaches less than 2 or morethan 200 must drop out of the game. Readas many cards as possible in the 30minutes, but make sure everyone has timeto work his/her calculations. Theplayer(s) that have a remaining stockbetween 2 and 200 are successfulmanagers.

Some things to think about. Isfishery management necessary? Why orwhy not? What natural events may affectstocks? What types of human interactionscan affect stock size? Are all human in-fluences negative? What types of man-agement activities were mentioned in thegame? Can you think of any other possibleoptions for controlling population sizes?Would those options usually result in adecrease or increase in stock size? Whatpart of the game seemed unrealistic orunnatural (Clue: dice)? Why? What roledoes chance play in the natural fluctua-tions (changes) in a stock size? Doeschance playa role in fishery stockmanagement as it does in the game? Whyor why not? §

The Marine Schoolhouse Series forgrades K-12 is published by Sea GrantMarine Advisory Services, VIMS,Gloucester Point, VA 23062.

Copy one statement per conditioncard. The numbers in parentheses tellhow many of each card to make.

It appears to have been an excellentreproduction year. Increase your stock bythe % = 5 x your roll. (5)

This has been an average reproductionyear. Increase your stock by the % = 3x your roll. (10)Severe weather conditions have had anegative impact on stock survival.Decrease your stock by the % = 4xyourroll. (2)Mild weather has lengthened fishing timethis season. Decrease your stock by the% = 3 x your roll. (3)

The food resources for your stock havesuffered a serious decline in your area.Decrease your stock by the % = 2 x yourroll. (3)Habitat improvement has increased yourstock by the % = 3 x your roll. (2)

Your stock's habitat has suffered declinein quality. Decrease your stoclk by the %= 5 x your roll. (5)

Foreign fishermen are fishing in your areaa lot. Decrease the number of your stockby the % = 5 x your roll. (2)

A quota has been set on the number offish that can be harvested. Increase yourstock by the % = your roll. (3)

Time (seasonal) and area restrictions havereduced the size of fish harvest. Increaseyour stock by the % = 5 x your roll. (5)

More effective harvesting gear has beenapproved by the regulatory agency.Decrease your stock by the % = your roll.

(5)Strong pressure by recreational fishermenhas resulted in your stock area beingclosed to commercial fishing. Increaseyour stock by the % = 5 x your roll. (5)

A regulation requiring "catch andrelease" has had a positive impact on yourstock size. Increase your sto(~k the % =

2xyourroll.(1)Improvements in catch and releasemethods have improved survival rates. In-crease stock size by the % = your roll. (1)

U.S. management plan is created for yourstock. Increase stock size by the % = 10x your roll. (5)Fishermen are getting more money perpound for fish caught, resulting in moreintensive fishing. Decrease your stock bythe % = 3 x your roll.

Winter 1985 14Marine Resource Bulletin

Fish Havens Chart

Virginia Sea Grant Marine Ad-visory Services at VIMS is reissuing thechart, Fish Havens off Cape Henry,Virginia. Compiled in cooperation withthe Virginia Marine Resources Commis-sion's Artificial Reef Program, the 19" x36" chart identifies reefs, wrecks andobstructions in an area from the mouth ofthe Chesapeake Bay south to False Capeand 30 miles offshore. Loran C coordi-nates are provided for artificial reefs andfor certain wrecks well-known to fisher-men and divers. Copies of the chart areavailable for $1.00 each from Sea GrantCommunications, VIMS, Gloucester Point,VA 23062. §:

Bay Education Resources Directory

A team of Bay educators has pro-duced the Chesapeake Bay EducationResources Directory; compiled by MarySparrow, Sea Grant marine educator atVI MS.

The directory locates informationsources, field guides, curriculummaterials, audio-visual aids, computersoftware, field trips, special opportunities,organizations and publishers. The direc-tory is designed to assist educators inintegrating Chesapeake Bay educationinto most curricula.

Copies of Chesapeake BayEducation Resources Directory areavailable for $4.00 each from Sea GrantCommunications, VIMS, Gloucester Point,VA 23062.

Blaylock is the marine mammalstranding coordinator at tile VirginiaInstitute of Marine Science (VIMS).According to Blaylock, the primary indica-tion of marine mammals' presence inVirginia waters comes from strandings. Allthree orders of marine mammals-whales, dolphins, and porpoises; sealsand sea lions; and manatees -havebeen found stranded. on Virginia'sshorelines. All marine mammals, even ifnot listed as endangered, are protected byfederal law. Whether dead or alive, strand-ed marine mammals should be reportedto VIMS at (804) 642-7000 or the NationalMarine Fisheries Service at (804)723-4013.

Copies of The Marine Mammalsof Virginia are available for $1.00 eachfrom Sea Grant Communications, VIMSGloucester Point, VA 23062.

Sportfishermen's Forum Set

The four1h annual Virginia Spor1-fishermen's Forum will be held Sat., Feb.8, 1986, at the Virginia Beach Pavillion.The Forum will coincide with the first dayof the Mid-Atlantic Boat and Spor1 Show,allowing anglers to attend both events.The Forum agenda will be available inJanuary from Sea Grant Marine AdvisoryServices, VIMS, Gloucester Point, VA

Marine Mammals Field Guide

Sea Grant Marine AdvisoryServices recently published The MarineMammals of Virginia, by Robert A. Blay-lock. The 34-page field guide has 15illustrations that identify whales,dolphins, porpoises, seals and manatees.

NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE PAIDGloucester Point, VirginiaPermit Number 6

Vol. 17, No.3 Winter 1985

Dr. Frank O. PerkinsDean/Director,Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Dr. William RickardsDirector, Virginia Sea Grant College Program

Dr. William D. DuPaulDirector, Marine Advisory Services

Susan SchmidtEditor, Marine Resource Bulletin

Gloria Walters; artworks, inkDesign and layout, Marine Resource Bulletin

The Marine Resource Bulletin is a quar1erlypublication of Marine Advisory Services of theVirginia Sea Grant College Program, which isadministered by the Virginia Graduate MarineScience Consor1ium, with members at TheCollege of William and Mary, Old DominionUniversity, University of Virginia and VirginiaPolytechnic Institute and State University.Subscriptions are available without charge onwritten request.

Sea Grant CommunicationsVirginia Institute of Marine ScienceGloucester Point, Virginia 23062

Address Correction Requested