Plans to end Virginia saltwater tournament

[Yakfisher]

Anybody heard about this? Gov. Bob McDonnell plans to end the program and put the money back into a general fund citing that it's too expensive. This means no more tagging, citations, expert, or master saltwater fisherman certificates. I don't know about you guys but catching a citation fish is part of the reason I made so many trips to VB last year.

Found a couple of good posts on VBSF, which had a link to the article.

Article -
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/12/plan...t-create-furor

VBSF Posts -
http://vbsf.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=23964

http://vbsf.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=24175

[CB kayak 02]

Anybody heard about this? Gov. Bob McDonnell plans to end the program and put the money back into a general fund citing that it's too expensive. This means no more tagging, citations, expert, or master saltwater fisherman certificates. I don't know about you guys but catching a citation fish is part of the reason I made so many trips to VB last year.

Found a couple of good posts on VBSF, which had a link to the article.

Article -
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/12/plan...t-create-furor

VBSF Posts -
http://vbsf.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=23964

http://vbsf.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=24175

Especially when doing catch and release.... the citation's the award/memory of that catch. I feel bad for the likes of rob choi who is probably ony a few citations away from the master angler status.

[Pinch]

I honestly do not think this is going to happen.

1) The money gernerated from the tournament i.e Tackle, gas, lodging, small business, by disolving the tournament alot of people would be out of work and the attraction of fishing in VA would be diminished. (lost money=lost jobs)

2) This Tournament is one of the longest running in the country and it has been attacked before and all attempts have failed thus far to end it.

3) The politians like money but they also need to be reelected. This move would kill their public opinion.


Not gonna happen, and if it does there is always the tournament in North Carolina.

[ronaultmtd]

Claude Rogers started this tournament recognition many decades ago- I can't believe anyone in government would be so short sighted, although Governor McDonnell is pretty radical- still, it would be hard to see Virginia cutting this off- for all the reasons Pinch cited plus the recognition the program gets nationally as one of the very best in the nation.

[Yakfisher]

Fishing generates revenue and creates jobs so I'm sure it won't happen but the fact that anyone would even make the pitch is ridiculous. Many other states are trying to improve their programs to be more like VA's and the governor wants to end it? Makes no sense...

Maybe he didn't get a certificate for one of his citations? Somebody get this guy a tissue. lol.

[surfdog]

i agree with Jack