I am a member of Fly Fisher’s International, The Falmouth Flats Fly Fishers Club, and own a lifetime Virginia fishing License. The annual Shad migration on the Rappahannock each spring is an extraordinary event many in our community look forward to, plan for, and spend money in the local economy to enjoy. The only way the local resource flourishes is with consistent management statewide.

Management of hickory shad should be consistent across the state of Virginia. The current approach used by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) for rivers outside the Chesapeake Bay watershed could serve as a reasonable model for managing hickory shad spawning runs within the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

**Recommended Daily Limit**
The DWR currently enforces a 10 per day limit for hickory shad in Virginia rivers outside the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This daily limit could be a suitable starting point for managing hickory shad populations within the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary systems.

Adopting a consistent, science-based approach to hickory shad management across Virginia's waterways would help ensure the long-term sustainability of this important anadromous fish species.

Thanks & Tight Lines!

Dave DiEugenio