Dave Balon's Blog

MVSA Member, Don Scarpone, catches a 130 Lb. Tarpon in the Florida Keys

Thu, 10 May 2012 19:13:00 GMT

This is a photo of one of our club members, Don Scarpone, with an estimated 130 pound tarpon he caught in the Florida keys this winter.

Nice Fish!

Click here to see this awesome catch.

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Marine Fisheries Commission Business Meeting, Thursday, May 10th at 11:00a.m. at the Katherine Cornell Theatre, Tisbury Town Hall

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:15:00 GMT

The next meeting of the Marine Fisheries will be held this coming Thursday, May 10th at the Katherine Cornell Theatre at the Tisbury Town Hall located at 51 Spring Street, Tisbury MA. The meeting will start at 11:00 a.m. All of the details are listed below:

1) Introductions and announcements
2) Review and approval of May agenda
3) Review and approval of March minutes
4) Comments
    a) Commissioner
    b) Director
    c) Law Enforcement
5) Lunch Break
6) Discussion Items
    a) Commercial Striped Bass Management
    b) Improving Reporting Compliance
    c) ASMFC Updates
    d) NEFMC Updates
7) Items for Future Public Hearing
    a) Whelk Management: Challenges and Potential Solutions
    b) Commercial Permitting
            i) Requiring Certain Limited Entry Endorsements be Owner-Operated
            ii) Restricting Commercial Permits: One Permit Per Vessel
    c) Winter Closure of the Cape Cod Bay Critical Habitat to Lobster Gear
    d) DMF’s Proposals in Response to Governor Patrick’s Regulation Reform Initiative
    e) May Public Hearing Items
8) Other Business and Commissioners Comments

NOTE: Future MFC Meetings will be held on June 7th at the Annisquam River Station, Gloucester, MA and on August 12th at a location to be determined.

By Car: Make left out of Steamship Authority Ferry Station onto Water Street. Make second right onto Cromwell Lane. Take right on Main Street. Follow Main Street to Center Street. Make left onto Center Street. Follow Center Street to Franklin Street. Make left onto Franklin Street. Follow to Spring Street. Make right onto Spring Street and the Town Hall will be on your left.

By Foot: Cross Water Street onto Union Street. Make left onto Main Street. Follow Main Street to Spring Street. Make left onto Spring Street and Town Hall will be on your right.

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MVSA volunteers clean up Norton Point beach on Earth Day.

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 01:24:00 GMT

MVSA members showed up on a foggy Saturday morning to participate in the island wide, earth day beach cleanup. The entire Norton Point beach was cleaned up of debris all the way to the breach. Many thanks to those who participated and helped to make this a successful event.

Click here to see all the photos.
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Wasque Point has drastically changed. It will be hard to recognize from last Fall. Check out the photos provided by Ron Domurat.

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 02:48:00 GMT

Wasque Point has undergone some drastic changes since the MV Derby last Fall. Ron Domurat took a ride out there earlier this week and took some nice photos for our viewers. Check out the latest photos of what Wasque looks like as of April 12th. You will hardly recognize it. You might recognize the nice rip being formed in the ocean but the beach front has completely changed. Thanks to Ron Domurat for providing these photos.

Click here to see the latest photos of Wasque.
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Updated 04/18/12: MVSA to participate in the Vineyard Conservation Society beach cleanup this Saturday, April 21st from 10:00a.m. until 12:00p.m.

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 02:53:00 GMT

The MVSA will once again be involved with the VCS beach cleanup. The Trustees expect that Norton Point trail will be open Saturday and that a clean up along the new inside trail will be greatly appreciated. MVSA members are asked to meet April 21st at 10:00 a.m. at the entrance to Norton Point Beach (left fork). Bring tick repellent.

Details will be provided at that time. Bags will also be provided but please bring your own gloves. Here is some additional information from the VCS provided by David Nash.

Hello everyone. It’s time to make plans for the annual Vineyard Conservation Society beach clean-up effort. This year the clean-up falls on April 21 and will run from 10 to 12 with another great barbeque at SBS following our collective efforts. Since this is the 20th anniversary of this we are trying to do a little extra and have already secured some free T-shirts for the kids who participate and we are also planning on holding another of our hugely successful free raffles.

You are all the people who helped make this event such a success last year (and for some of you, many years). Some of you are connected to organizations like the Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Community Service program and have helped supply the resources to clean up multiple beach locations and that is especially appreciated. Last year, more groups participated than ever before and we are hoping this trend will continue as the beach clean-up represents a wonderful way to support the Martha’s Vineyard environment and celebrate Earth Day, and in a small way the arrival of spring even though we all know it doesn’t really arrive on Martha’s Vineyard until June!

We are hopeful you will again participate this year and we would greatly appreciate if you could email me back to either confirm your participation or to advise me that we need to replace you or your group with another. Please feel free to bring to our attention any problems or issues that we could maybe help with such as too many people at your beach or not enough people or not enough supplies, etc.

VIEW THE PHOTOS

If you prefer, you can call me as well. I can be reached at 508-627-4867.
Thanks. David Nash

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OB FISHING PIER: The MVSA is looking for letters to be sent to state officials in support of the Oak Bluffs Fishing Pier. Please show your support for this great project. Click here for full details.

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:52:00 GMT

OB Pier Update

A frequently asked question from our membership is "when is the OB Fishing Pier going to be built?" Essentially we have to keep up the pressure on our officials to give the project a spot at the head of the project line. Already the Oak Bluffs Fishing Pier Advisory Committee and the MVSA board of Directors have sent letters to;

Mary B. Griffin, Commissioner

Department of Fish and Game

251 Causeway St. Suite 400

Boston, MA 02114

and

Richard K. Sullivan, Jr.

Secretary

Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

100 Cambridge St.

Suite 900

Boston, MA 02114

But there is nothing like a big stack of letters and postcards to galvanize an official into action. Please take a moment to send a postcard or letter to these two individuals.

Ask them to give our project a favorable consideration to be built this year. Ask that our Saltwater Fishing License fees help move this along. Tell them we want the kids and handicapped residents of MV to have a safe place to fish. Let them know we are still very interested. Thanks, Will

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Check out these amazing aerial photos of Norton Point Breach taken by Bill Brine. Many thanks from the surfcasters for sharing these with our viewers.

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:49:00 GMT

Bill Brine recently took an aerial tour of the Norton Point breach. He provided a link to his amazing photos. Many thanks from the surfcasters to Bill for keeping us up to date on Nature's work out there.

Click here to see all the photos.

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Update on Norton Point opening and changes at Wasque. Article from Martha's Vineyard Magazine (March 2012). (Thanks to Ron Domurat for providing the link to this article.)

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:19:00 GMT

In the May–June 2011 magazine, writer Tom Dunlop delved into the history and future of the Norton Point breach. Here’s an update on what the opening and the affected coastline on Chappy looks like now. In just four months, Norton Point has advanced 1,500 feet to the east while the Chappy spit has atrophied but hardly moved. In this period, the opening between the points has narrowed from about 1,225 feet to about 260 feet.

Click here to check out the full Martha's Vineyard Magazine (March 2012) article.

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Beginning March 9th, thru to the 11th is the 2012 N.E. Saltwater Fishing Show at the RI Convention Ctr. in Providence, RI.

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 03:30:00 GMT

Beginning March 9th, thru to the 11th is the 2012 N.E. Saltwater Fishing Show at the RI Convention Ctr. in Providence, RI. This is a great show and one of the best shows in the New England area. There is a great lineup of seminars and hundreds of exhibitors. There is also plenty of custom lures and deals to peak your interest. The show has tackle, rods, reels, lures, electronics, charter guides, boats, motors, accessories, clothing and much more! There is also excellent parking with indoor access to the show.

Click here to be linked directly to the N.E. Saltwater Fishing Show website.
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The federal government is paying Massachusetts sport fishermen to give up their saltwater fishing licenses for a year.

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:32:00 GMT

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Division of Marine Fisheries

251 Causeway Street, Suite 400

Boston, MA 02114

(617) 626.1520
Fax (617) 626.1509

February 28, 2012

MarineFisheries~Advisory

2012 MASSACHUSETTS SALTWATER ANGLER PERMIT SURVEY

The Division of Marine Fisheries (MarineFisheries)~is collaborating with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to collect information on the Commonwealth’s recreational saltwater fishery to measure its economic value. In addition to providing important information about the socio-economic value of saltwater fishing in Massachusetts, this federally funded study will help to validate frequently used economic evaluation methods by applying an innovative direct approach in which some saltwater permit holders are presented with a cash offer in exchange for giving up their permit and thus the right to fish in marine waters for the remainder of 2012. Other permit holders will receive a survey asking for either their willingness to sell their 2012 permit for a particular price or their willingness to have paid a different amount for their 2012 permit.MarineFisheries~is issuing this Advisory to attest to the legitimacy of this angler permit survey, including the cash offers that some individuals will receive, and to assure its constituents that~in no way will the information from the survey be used to modify fees~for Massachusetts’ recreational saltwater fishing permits.

Participation in the survey is voluntary; however,~MarineFisheries~highly encourages your response based on the important information that will be gathered. Past studies on the contribution of recreational fishing to the Commonwealth’s economy have considered the number of jobs and the amount of sales and incomes that are supported by the expenditures of saltwater recreational fishermen, but have not included the value that anglers place on being able to go saltwater fishing. This type of information holds great worth; for example, it would be necessary for a comprehensive estimate of economic losses to the recreational fishery if for some reason Massachusetts’ waters had to be closed to fishing.MarineFisheries~is maintaining a list of~Commonly Asked Questions~ ~about the 2012 Massachusetts Saltwater Angler Permit Survey under the recreational permit page of its website:~www.mass.gov/marinefisheries. General questions about~MarineFisheries’involvement can be directed to Nichola Meserve (nichola.meserve@state.ma.us). Technical questions regarding the study should be directed to Quantech, Inc., the statistical analysis and survey research firm contracted by NMFS to conduct the survey. Please contact Daemian Schreiber at 800-229-5220 ext 7831, or~mavs@quantech.com

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