DNR Announces 2nd Annual Snakehead Contest

Catch a snakehead and win a prize worth up to $200

     Annapolis, Md. -- Anglers who catch a snakehead fish could win prizes worth up to $200 in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) second annual snakehead contest. Anyone who removes at least one of the invasive, non-native fish from the Chesapeake Bay’s watershed has the chance to walk away with prizes from Bass Pro Shops at Arundel Mills, the Maryland Park Service, the Potomac River Fisheries Commission and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. To enter, an angler should submit catch details and a photo of their dead snakehead online through the DNR Angler’s log, a popular social fishing site, at http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fishingreport/log.asp.

     “We do not want snakeheads in our waters,” said DNR Inland Fisheries Director Don Cosden. “This initiative is a way to remind anglers that it is important to catch and remove this invasive species of fish.”

     The Northern snakehead is a non-native, invasive species that someone illegally introduced to the Potomac River. Since its introduction, the population has expanded because of the fish’s ability to adapt to the ecosystem. Snakeheads now prowl the Potomac River and many of its tributaries from Great Falls to the mouth of the river. Anglers have found the fish as far away as the Rhode and Nanticoke Rivers. As top predators, they rely on other species for food and could negatively impact the ecosystem and other valuable fish populations.

     “These fish clobber any type of moving bait you throw,” said Rodney Hose of Lexington Park, who won the Bass Pro Shops gift card in last year’s contest. “When they smash into your lure, be prepared for a fight- especially if they are around some sort of cover.”

     Hose caught his winner along the Occoquan River shoreline in September.

     Three lucky anglers will win from a random drawing. The prizes include a $200 gift card from Bass Pro Shops, a Maryland State Passport, which provides unlimited day-use entry for up to ten passengers in a vehicle, unlimited boat launching at State Park facilities and a 10 percent discount on State-operated concessions and boat rentals, or a Potomac River Fisheries Commission fishing license. DNR staff will randomly draw the winner on November 30, 2012.

     The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is providing an embroidered “Snakehead Control” ball cap for anglers who report tagged snakeheads through the (800) 448-8322 line.

     To learn how to identify and kill a snakehead, watch a short video at, http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/bass/index.asp.

     “We don’t expect that anglers will eradicate the snakehead population,” said Joe Love, DNR Tidal Bass program manager. “We do believe this promotion and inspiration of anglers can help control the snakehead population. The information we gain from the Angler’s Log reports are also helpful in assessing the abundance, spread and impact of these feisty fish.”

     DNR reminds anglers that it is illegal to possess a live northern snakehead in Maryland. Additionally, Federal law prohibits the transport of live snakeheads into the U.S. or across State lines.

Maryland Fishing Report by DNR Biologist Keith Lockwood

     Oxford, Md. -- It would seem old Mother Nature decided to take a few steps backward in regard to the advance of spring this week and they may be a good thing in regards to adjusting nature's clock. Perhaps this cold front that is sitting upon us will set things straight with spawning runs of striped bass and other andromous fish such as hickory shad and river herring and things will get back to a more normal schedule. One fishery that is certainly on schedule is the traditional opening day of trout season this coming Saturday in the put and take areas. Fisheries crews and the volunteers that help spread the fish out have been busy stocking trout in your favorite fishing waters.

     Water temperatures in the lower Susquehanna River and flats area are holding around 50- 55-degrees depending where one is. Local fishing guides report that a group of striped bass arrived a little more than a week ago and seemed to have nosed into the Elk River where water temperatures may have been suitable for spawning and catch and release fishing is off limits. Fishermen have been trolling with crankbaits, casting jigs, crankbaits and bottom fishing with cut bait in the lower Susquehanna and flats area without much success lately, very few striped bass have been caught and released to date. Usually not all the fish in a spawning population arrive at the same time so there certainly is hope that more striped bass are headed up the bay and due to arrive shortly.

     The white perch have been thinning out in the lower Susquehanna River and upper bay tributaries and moving out into the upper bay area. Channel catfish are plentiful in the region and hickory shad have begun to show up in sufficient numbers to provide some good catch and release fishing late in the afternoons at the Deer Creek area. Chances are that this weekend will be a good time to catch them.

     In general white perch are moving down the tidal rivers of the Chesapeake to settle in to areas that traditionally hold them in late spring and summer. White perch are still being reported at Fletcher's on the Potomac near Washington D.C. but fishing with bloodworms in the lower sections of most other tidal rivers may get you into some nice perch. Fishermen are catching them at Sandy Point State Park and other areas around the bay such as the Bill Burton Fishing Pier on the lower Choptank River.

     Water temperatures in the mid-bay area are running around 50-degrees this week and fishermen have been practicing a little catch and release out along the shipping channel edges by trolling large parachutes and bucktails. The warm water discharge at Calvert Cliffs Power Plant has also been drawing light tackle fishermen to try their luck at jigging near the discharge for striped bass.

     Freshwater fishermen who love their largemouth bass could hardly have better catch and release fishing than right now. Conditions seem to be perfect; largemouth bass are in an aggressive and hungry pre-spawn mode of activity and are hitting just about anything from topwater lures to grub jigs. The bass are cruising near all kinds of cover ranging from underwater ledges and drop-offs to emerging grass beds. 

     Trout fishermen are getting geared up for the big opener this Saturday in the Put and Take areas where fisheries biologist have been busy stocking trout. All manner of fishermen from the fly fishermen in waders to the young fishermen in sneakers will be trying their luck in the hopes of taking a few trout home with them. Powerbait is perhaps one of the best baits for fishing for stocked trout; it seems like candy to them, they just can't resist. Most trout fishermen spent quite a bit of time enjoying the pre-season stockings at many of the put and take waters earlier in the month and late February. The special catch and release trout management areas continue to provide wonderful catch and release opportunities for fishermen not concerned about taking fish home.

     Fishermen in the Ocean City area are beginning to see some surf action as a few bluefish and striped bass are being caught this week by fishermen using bait. Skates and dogfish are out there also ready to chew up baits. Tautog continue to move inside the inlet and fishermen are finding fishing improving as water temperatures reach 54-degrees. Offshore the boats heading out to the inshore wreck and artificial reef sites are finding large tautog for their customers.

Boat Launch Opening at Jennings Randolph Lake

     Jennings Randolph Lake, W.Va. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to open the boat launch on the West Virginia shore of Jennings Randolph Lake March 31 at 8 a.m.  The launch is located alongside
Howell Run, just off West Virginia State Route 46, three miles north of Elk Garden, W.Va.
     The Corps charges visitors a $3 fee for launching a boat from its boat launch. An annual pass, which allows an unlimited number of launches at all Corps recreation areas, is on sale for $30 at the Corps park office.
     The park office is located on the West Virginia side of the lake; follow the signs from West Virginia Route 46E. Holders of the Golden Age Passports (for senior citizens 62 and over), America the Beautiful Senior Passes, America the Beautiful Access Passes and Golden Access Passports (for the physically challenged) are allowed to purchase a Corps annual boat launch pass for half price or pay $1.50 per launch at the Corps’ boat launch only.
     The boat launch on the Maryland shore of Jennings Randolph, managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, also will open March 31. The launch is on Mt. Zion Road off Maryland State Route 135, near the salt shed on Backbone Mountain.
     The 2012 Maryland State Forest and Park Service All Season Pass can be purchased for $75 for Maryland residents or $100 for out-of-state residents. The pass can be purchased at all Maryland State Parks. The pass offers free day-use entry for everyone in a vehicle (up to 10 people) to Maryland’s state parks and Cedarville State Forest. This pass allows unlimited boat launching at all State Park facilities by displaying it on your dashboard; and a 10 percent discount on state-operated concession items and boat rentals. For parks with honor box systems, the pass covers entry service charges.
     Both the Corps annual pass and the Maryland All Season pass are valid at either boat launch on Jennings Randolph Lake.
     For more information, call the Corps’ park office at 304-355-2346 or 301-359-3861, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.  For information on the Maryland DNR boat launch, call the Herrington Manor & Swallow Falls State Park at 301-334-9180, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Fishing Fair Today and Tomorrow at Solomons Firehouse

     Solomons, Md. -- Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association Southern Maryland Chapter 19th Annual Fishing Fair is being held at the Solomons Firehouse today, March 24, and tomorrow at the Solomons Firehouse. The show runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
      Over 80 indoor and outdoor vendors are at the show with fishing tackle and supplies, new and used boats, door prizes and food and drink.
      Admission is $3. Kids 12 and under are free. Find out more at http://www.mssasmc.com.

Registration Opens For 29th Championship on the Chesapeake

    Annapolis, Md. -- The Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's Association will host its 29th annual spring tournament, Championship on the Chesapeake, May 4-6.

     The tournament will feature an awards ceremony and party on Thursday, May 10. The menu will include fresh fried and baked chicken, tossed salad, mashed potatoes, vegetables, assorted desserts, coffee, iced tea, lemonade, water & draft beer included, plus a cash bar.

     Captains will be admitted for free and the cost for crew, family and friends will be $15 per person.

     The awards party will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Annapolis Elks Lodge, 2 Pythian Drive, Edgewater, Maryland.

     For more information on the party and the tournament, call 410-255-5535 or visit http://www.mssa.net.

Chestertown VFD to Host Fishing Flea Market

  Chestertown, Md. -- The Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company is holding a Fishing Flea Market on Saturday, March 31 beginning at 9 a.m. at the fire station, located at 211 Maple Avenue. There will be new and used fishing tackle and equipment for sale as well as crabbing supplies, nautical and wildlife art, and marine electronics.

     If you want to sell some old gear, or need more information, contact Fire Company President Trey Blackiston at 410-708-5859 or treyblackiston@yahoo.com.

Record Blue Catfish Caught on the Potomac

     Fort Washington, Md. -- Shawn Wetzel, 27, of Orrtana, Pennsylvania, caught a whopping 80-pound, 12-ounce blue catfish on February 23 in the Potomac River near Fort Washington. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources confirmed that the blue catfish was a new state record, annihilating the previous record holder by 13 pounds.

     “The rod went down hard, and I knew it was something big,” said Wetzell. “At one point, I was on my knees trying to lift the fish, and my back was burning.”

     The previous record fish weighed just over 67 pounds and was caught in 2008 by Ron Lewis in the Potomac not far from where Wetzel caught his fish.

     Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi River Valley and were introduced to the James and Rappahannock Rivers in the 1970s. Since then, the fish have reproduced and spread throughout the tidal Potomac River system. Flathead catfish, another non-native invasive species, and blue catfish have subsequently turned up in the Nanticoke, Susquehanna and Northeast Rivers, Upper Chesapeake Bay and other waters.

     “We recognize the enthusiasm and economic impact of anglers in search of record catfish,” said DNR Fisheries Service Director, Tom O’Connell. “However, we don’t want to encourage the development and spread of this species. As top predators, they are a serious threat to native species, which provide ecological and economic benefits to the region.”

     Blue and flathead catfish are invasive, non-native species that are long-lived, fast growing and opportunistic feeders. Consequently, State and Federal fisheries managers are concerned about their affect on the ecosystem, and are working together to develop strategies to mitigate their impact.

     The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Sustainable Fisheries Goal Team, which includes representatives from Virginia, Maryland, the Potomac River Fisheries Commission, District of Columbia, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service, and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, recently adopted a Chesapeake Bay blue and flathead catfish policy to reduce these catfish populations and to stem their spread.

     Anglers should know that it is illegal to transport live blue and flathead catfish for the purpose of introduction into another body of water. Additionally, DNR officials are asking anglers to remove and kill any blue and flathead catfish that they catch. This is a fishery where the practice of catch and release is discouraged by resource managers.

Keith Lockwood's Maryland Fishing Report

     Oxford, Md. -- Although it is not officially spring there are a lot of signs in nature that it is not far away. Last Thursday the spring peepers let loose in my neighborhood due to flooding in nontidal woodlands and yesterday blue-winged teal were moving through the region beautifully decked out in their breeding plumage as they headed north. Just about everyone has got the itch to get out and do some fishing now; whether it is fishing for some trout, largemouth bass or in this case fishing in the rain for yellow perch on the upper Tuckahoe River.

     In most areas the yellow perch are about finished spawning and egg masses can be seen hanging from submerged branches in the spawning areas. There are always a few stragglers and fishermen found themselves in many areas catching both pre-spawn and post-spawn yellow perch last weekend. Water levels have been high in the upper reaches of many tidal rivers and creeks due to heavy rain earlier in the week and no doubt there will be more rain this month so fishermen as always will deal with conditions. Just be safe since water temperatures are 50-degrees at best in most areas.

     White perch have been quickly filling in right behind the yellow perch and fishing should be good for the next couple of weeks. Over the weekend fishermen encountered mostly male white perch in the upper reaches of the bay's tidal rivers but the larger female white perch should not be far behind. The top bait choices tended to be pieces of bloodworm and nightcrawlers fished close to the bottom. Grass shrimp are usually a good choice also and it seems at times one bait will out perform another on any given day.

     Fishing in the Chesapeake tends to focus on catch and release fishing at warm water discharges such as Calvert Cliffs by jigging with various types of jigs; including my personal favorite when jigging over rocks; the butterfly jig. You can make your own by placing snelled hooks at the top of most any metal jig or buy them already rigged. A few boats have been seen out on the bay trolling for striped bass practicing catch and release and testing out new gear.

     Striped bass are already up the tidal rivers and are staging for spawning early next month or perhaps the very end of March. Water temperatures tend to dictate the spawn and water temperatures now are right around 50-degrees in the upper reaches of most tidal rivers. Optimum spawning water temperature is 64.5-degrees but larger females can spawn at water temperatures as low as 52-degrees. Fishermen need to remember that the spawning reaches of the tidal rivers are off limits to catch and release fishing and for a good reason.

     Freshwater fishing opportunities abound this week for a wide variety of freshwater fish. Fisheries biologists have been busy with pre-season trout stocking of many areas; which has been providing some fun fishing recently. Be sure to check out the daily updates to the stockings. www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/stocking/index.asp

     As waters warm up in the states lakes, ponds and rivers fishermen are finding all kinds of fishing possibilities for chain pickerel to muskie and everything in between. Largemouth bass are being caught along steep edges of channels and lakes shores on grub jigs, deep running crankbaits and slow rolled spinnerbaits close to the bottom. Crappie are still schooled up in deep water near edges and structure, live minnows and small tubes and spinner jigs are good choices to catch them. Chain pickerel are very active this time of the year and spinners, spoons and Rapala type swimming plugs will catch them.

     Although river levels on the upper Potomac can be high this time of the year fishing for a mix of walleye and smallmouth bass can be very good when water levels are suitable for boating and fishing. Jigs, swim shads and small crankbaits can be good lures to try when fished close to the bottom. The top dog of the upper Potomac, the muskie is always cruising out there somewhere also and offers a challenge to any angler.

     Fishermen in the Ocean City continue to catch some impressive tautog offshore on the wreck and artificial reef sites. Fishermen fishing within the 3-miles EEZ Zone are steadily picking at striped bass moving up the coast. Trolling large parachutes, Mojos and Stretch plugs has been the tactic most used by the fleet out of the Ocean City Inlet.

    Keith Lockwood has been writing the Maryland DNR Fishing Report since 2003 and has had a long career as a fisheries research biologist. 

Fisheries Management Equity Bill Scheduled for Hearing in Annapolis

By the Coastal Conservation Association

This Wednesday, March 7th, CCA Maryland and others will testify before the House Environmental Matters Committee on an critical piece of legislation for recreational anglers, House Bill 1173. The bill is sponsored by Delegates Jim Gilchrist and Marvin Holmes, and CCA Maryland spent weeks working with them and their staff to draft it. The bill is facing its first critical test this Wednesday and we need you to email your Delegates and Members of the Committee to express your support and to let Annapolis know that recreational anglers demand change! Click through the link at the bottom of this screen to quickly send your message of support!

As you may know, preliminary analysis by the Department of Natural Resources has determined that recreational anglers cover 91% of the cost of managing their fisheries through user fees (93% when federal and state grants are included). Commercial fishermen only cover 20% of their cost through user fees (43% when federal and state grants are included). Largely because the commercial industry doesn’t pay its fair share, the Fisheries Services is facing a looming $3.2 million dollar shortfall in the coming years. Because the commercial industry isn’t accountable for the very fisheries on which it depends, our State’s ability to effectively manage our shared resources may be crippled.

The bill has three major provisions in order to help resolves these issues:

1) It requires any general funds provided for fisheries management to be allocated equitably between commercial and recreational fisheries;

2) It better protects funds paid by both recreational and commercial anglers by ensuring those user fees are used to manage their respective fisheries; and

3) It requires the commercial industry either contribute more funds to the management and enforcement of the clam, crab, oyster and striped bass fisheries in the form of higher user fees or by working to reduce the cost of effectively managing those fisheries so that they achieve a 90% cost recovery standard by July 1, 2013. If this does not occur, the Department of Natural Resources must either close or modify that fishing season until it reaches that level.

The key aspect about this bill is that it would force major changes in the way that all fisheries are managed in our State. There is no way to avoid the coming budgetary shortfalls- the question is how do we deal with it. This bill would force the commercial industry to pay its fair share for the cost of managing that industry. Recreational fisheries largely cover their own way and the State receives significant benefits from it through direct and indirect spending and tax dollars. There's no reason the commercial industry, the very ones whose livelihoods depend on healthy and sustainable fisheries, can't do the same.

You can support this Bill in two ways:

1) Send an email to your Delegates and the Members of the House Environmental matters Committee by clicking through the link below; and

2) Attend the hearing Wednesday. It starts at 1 p.m., but House Bill 1173 will not likely be heard before 3 p.m. We'll post real-time updates on when it will come up on the CCA Maryland Facebook Page in case people want to try and arrive later in the afternoon. The hearing itself will be held in the House Office Building (from Rowe Boulevard, looking at the State House the House Office Building is on the left) in the 2nd Floor Environmental Matters Committee Room. After the hearing you could also attend the first banquet and auction of the reconstituted Annapolis Chapter. More information on the banquet can be found here!

Thank you for your support of this important piece of legislation. Your voice will count and benefit recreational anglers for years to come!

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
http://www.votervoice.net/link/target/ccamd/ByJQ2B24.aspx

Hutchinson's Efforts Praised by the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's Association

By the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's Association


We all know the issues surrounding menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay and the recent actions by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to change the way they manage this fishery. This would not have happened without the hard work and dedication of one man, Charlie Hutchinson.

We are saddened to report that Charlie Hutchinson passed away March 1 from complications stemming from an ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer. 

Charlie worked tirelessly to change the way we look at menhaden and its impacts on the greater ecology of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Coast waterways. He could be titled the Godfather of the battle to protect this valuable fish. He not only brought light to the issue but spent much of his time recruiting the support needed to make a change.  

Charlie was the author of the highly publicized “Menhaden Muddle Series,” a collection of his writings designed to gain attention and put an end to the devastation of Atlantic menhaden by the reduction fishery. Charlie published many of these articles, and several more, in local and state papers. Charlie was the MSSA’s lead on the menhaden issue.  Click here to read his writings.

Charlie was a member of the Dorchester County chapter of the MSSA and last month was awarded the first ever MSSA Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication and effort in protecting the menhaden fishery. This award has since been approved by a unanimous vote of the MSSA Board of Directors to forever be known as the “Charlie Hutchinson Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Charlie left his mark on all of us and we will miss him.   

States Schedule Hearings on Atlantic Menhaden Amendment 2 Public Information Document

     Arlington, Va. -- Atlantic coastal states from Maine through Georgia have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the Public Information Document (PID) for Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden. The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled meetings follow.

Maine Department of Marine Resources
April 4, 2012; 6 – 9 PM
Casco Bay Lines Conference Room
56 Commercial Street
Portland, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553

New Hampshire Fish and Game
April 3, 2012; 7 – 9 PM
Urban Forestry Center
45 Elwyn Road
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Contact: Doug Grout at 603.868.1095

New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation
March 27, 2012; 7 PM
Marine Resources Headquarters
205 North Belle Mead Rd, Suite 1
East Setauket, New York
Contact: Steve Heins at 631.444.0435
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
April 2, 2012; 6 PM
Plymouth Public Library
Otto Fehlow Room
132 South Street
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Contact: David Pierce at 617-626-1532

Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
March 28, 2012; 6 PM
URI Narragansett Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Jason McNamee at 401.423.1943

New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife
March 21, 2012; 7- 10 PM
Ocean County Administration Building
101 Hooper Avenue
Public Hearing Room #119
Toms River, New Jersey
Contact: Peter Himchak 609.748.2020

Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources & Environmental Control
March 28, 2012; 6 – 8 PM
Lewes Field Facility
901 Pilottown Road
Lewes, Delaware
Contact: John Clark at 302.739.9914

Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources
March 19, 2012; 6 PM
Easton High School Cafeteria
723 Mecklenburg Avenue
Easton, Maryland
Contact: Lynn Fegley at 410.260.8285

Virginia Marine Resources Commission
March 22, 2012; 6 PM
2600 Washington Avenue, Fourth Floor
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Jack Travelstead at 757.247.2247

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
March 27, 2012; 6 PM
NC Division of Marine Fisheries
Central District Office
5285 Highway 70 West
Morehead City, North Carolina
Contact: Trish Murphy at 252.808.8091

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
March 30, 2012; 10 AM
Marine Advisory Council Meeting
217 Fort Johnson Road
Charleston, South Carolina
Contact: Mel Bell at 843.953.9007

Georgia Coastal Resources Division
March 29, 2012; 5 – 7 PM
Richmond Hill Convention and Visitors Bureau
520 Cedar Street
Richmond Hill, Georgia
Contact: Doug Haymans at 912.264.7218

The Commission's Atlantic Menhaden Management Board approved the Public Information Document (PID) for Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden for public comment and review. As the first step in the development of Amendment 2, the PID presents the current status of the fishery and resource, and solicits public input on which major issues and alternatives should be included for consideration and analysis in Draft Amendment 2.

The PID's primary focus is to initiate discussion on the timing and implementation of achieving the new fishing mortality threshold (F = 1.32) and target (F = 0.62) reference points recently adopted through Addendum V. Since fishing mortality in 2008 (the latest year in the assessment) is estimated at 2.28, overfishing is occurring, however, the stock is not overfished. The goal of the new reference points is to increase abundance, spawning stock biomass, and menhaden availability as a forage species. The PID also seeks public input on a more timely and comprehensive catch reporting system, and scopes potential options to be used in managing Atlantic menhaden commercial bait and reduction fisheries as well as recreational fishery.

Alongside the development of Amendment 2, the peer-reviewed stock assessment will be updated with data through 2011 to provide a more recent estimate of fishing mortality. Results of the assessment update will be used to estimate the harvest reductions needed to achieve the new threshold and target fishing mortality rates. Therefore, preliminary harvest reductions are provided in the PID but will likely change based on the results of the stock assessment update.

Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the PID by either attending public hearings or providing written comments. Copies of the PID are available at http://www.asmfc.org/speciesDocuments/menhaden/fmps/Amend2PID_DraftForPublicComment.pdf or by contacting the commission at 703.842.0740. The public comment deadline is 5:00 PM (EST) on April 20, 2012 and should be forwarded to Mike Waine, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at mwaine@asmfc.org (Subject line: Menhaden PID).