Charles County Watermen's Association

Presentation to Commissioner’s

Local Chapters with a MD State Association

• CCWA Association was organized in the early 80’s

• 25 active members

• All are Charles County Residents

• Maryland Watermen's Association (State Charter)

• St. Mary's County, Arundel County, Baltimore County, Calvert County, Cecil –Harford County, Charles County, Dorchester County, Kent County, Queens Ann County, Seaside Watermen, Somerset County, Talbert County, Tangier Sound, Worchester County

Commercial Regulatory to the Fisheries

• Potomac River

• The Potomac River Compact of 1958 is an interstate compact between Maryland and Virginia. The Compact also carries Congressional consent from MD and VA legislators

• The compact created the Potomac River Fisheries Commission and defined the jurisdictional boundaries of its power. The commission is charged with the management of a program to protect and improve the natural resources of the Potomac. The commission has eight members - four appointed by each governor - and meets four times each year.

• The commission is "responsible for adopting the rules, regulations and licenses for the recreational and commercial taking, catching or attempting to take or catch fish, crabs, oysters and clams from the Potomac River.

• Potomac River Tributary's and the Wicomico River

• Regulated by MD Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

• Wicomico River

• Neal Sound (cobb Island)

• Cuckolds Creek (Swann Point)

• Port Tobacco Creek

• Nanjemoy Creek

• Mallows Bay

• Chicamuxen Creek

• Mattawomen Creek

• Benedict (Patuxent River)

Potomac River Fisheries

• Blue Crab

• Stripe Bass (Rock Fish)

• Catfish

• Shad

• Eel

• Oyster’s

Blue Crab

Blue Crab – Cobb Island (North in the Potomac)

• Fleet coming out of Cobb Island and Aqua land - April 1st to November 31st between 10 to 20 boats

• Gear type – Crab Pots, Trot Line, Crab Collapsible Traps

• Limited Entry 400 Licenses in the Potomac River – Sustainable Fisheries

• Spring Survey – varies year from year

• Potomac River Harvest Records • (2016 – 79,301 Bushels Harvested)• (2017 – 73,910 Bushels Harvested) • (2018 – 74,350 Bushels Harvested)

• Dockside Value is in the Millions

Stripe Bass (Rock Fish)

Stripe Bass (Cobb Island north in the Potomac)

• Fisheries from Cobb Island to Indian Head -mid summer through the winter

• Gear Type - Gill Net – Hook and Line – Haul Seine – Hoop Net

• 15 to 30 Fishermen participate in this Fishery from Charles County

• 2018 Spring Survey on the year to young performed Bay-wide showed an above average juvenile Rock Fish abundance

• Limited Entry with a Quota System to manage the fishery – Sustainable Fisheries

• Potomac River Harvest Records• (2016 – 534,785 Pounds Harvested)

• (2017 – 492,758 Pounds Harvested) • 2018 season is still open right now but 445,999

have been harvested to date

• Dockside Value is in the Millions

Catfish

Catfish ( Cobb Island North in the Potomac)

• Activity is primarily North Of Cobb Island in the entire Potomac all year long

• Gear Type – Hoop Net’s – Gill Net’s –Haul Seines – Hook line

• 15 to 30 Fishermen Participate in This Fisheries

• No Survey needed – (Invasive Fish in MD Water’s)

• No limited entry

• Potomac River Harvest Records• (1975 – 6,252 Pounds Harvested))• (2016 – 1,647,325 Pounds Harvested) • (2017 – 1,858,955 Pounds Harvested)• (2018 – 2,356,033 Pounds Harvested)

• Dockside Value – ( in the Millions)

Gizzard Shad – Charles County Waters and the Potomac River

• Activity is all the waterways surrounding Charles County

• Gear type – Haul Seine -Late winter early spring season

• 15 to 30 participants in this fishery

• No limited entry

Eel – Charles County Waters and the Potomac River

• Activity is all the waterways surrounding Charles County

• Early spring through Late Fall

• Gear type – Eel Pots

• 10 to 15 Participants in the Fishery

• No Limited entry

• Spring Survey – Closely monitored right now

• Potomac River Harvest Records• (2016 – 58,223 Pounds Harvested)

• (2017 – 33,555 Pounds Harvested)

• (2018 – 31,151 Pounds Harvested)

• Plans are in the works for better management plans

• Eel populations are down and regulations are being explored till the fishery rebounds

Oysters

Oysters (Cobb Bar to Nanjemoy Creek in the Potomac)

• Activity in our area is Cobb Bar to Nanjemoy Creek – with more activity the further south you go in the Potomac

• Gear type – Hand Tong from Cobb Island North – Oyster Dredge South of Cobb Island

• 15 to 35 Fishermen

• 8 Bushel limit per person 16 per boat

• No limited entry

• October 1st to March 31st

• Dockside Value – 2016/2017 • $496,748.00 (Potomac River)

Oysters (Sustainable Fishery)

• Rotational Harvest in the Potomac

• Transplant oysters on a Oyster Bar and let the bar sit 3 to 4 years before harvest is allowed

• Cedar Point Oyster Bar (Morgantown), Pascahanna Oyster Bar (Pepco), Bluff Point, Green Hill, Gum Bar all in front of Colonial Beach

• This concept is a win win, for everybody, it’s provide habitat for many different species, filters the water and after several years benefits the watermen and consumers by harvesting them.

Oysters (Sustainable Fishery)