Management of hickory shad should be consistent across Virginia. The DWR 10 per day hickory shad limit for Virginia rivers outside the Chesapeake Bay watershed is a reasonable model for beginning management of the Chesapeake Bay and tributary hickory shad spawning runs in Virginia. All recreational fishing harvest pressure on hickory shad in Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries is in Virginia because of a moratorium on recreational takes of hickory shad in Maryland and DC waters. Weak James and York River hickory shad spawning runs in recent years has focused fishing pressure for takes onto the Rappahannock and Occoquan River hickory shad spawning runs. Unrestricted takes during the spawning runs reduces the potential for successful spawns, risks species depletion below self-sustaining thresholds, and jeopardizes the continued availability of a recreational fishery. Therefore, fisheries management oversight is needed for species conservation, and I support establishing a reasonable creel limit.

I am in favor of creel limits on Hickory shad.

I support the proposed regulations

I support the Hickory Shad conservation proposal. Conserving hickory shad will help protect against overfishing of a species with a currently unknown population and an undetermined abundance needed for a self-sustaining stock. Overfishing of the Hickory Shad risks depletion of the stock and jeopardizes the continued availability of a recreational Hickory Shad fishery.  I very much have enjoyed the spring Hickory Shad fishing every spring on the Occoquan River near my house. I would like for today's youth and future generations to have the same opportunities to enjoy the annual rite of the spring Hickory Shad fishing on the Occoquan and other rivers in Virgina.  Thank you.

I support the petition to regulate the catch of hickory shad with the establishment of a creel limit of 10 in Virginia.  Hickory shad are an important forage fish for striped bass and bluefish and their stocks have been in decline for years.  There is a need to put guard rails on hickory shad recreational fishing via the establishment of creel limits.  I have enjoyed fishing for hickory shad for many years with friends and family and have seen the abuses of people filling up cooler's full of dozens of spawning hickory shad.  I know for a fact people confuse hickory shad with the protected American Shad species and are taking both species out of circulation. Hickory shad need to be protected, particularly during the spawning season, so that they can rebuild their population and having a creel limit regulation is a major step in that effort.

I support the proposal for creel limits on Hickory Shad. It is time that Virginia join with its Atlantic States fisheries neighbors to protect this endangered species. 

I support the hickory shad conservation proposal to protect against overfishing of a species with a currently unknown population and an undetermined abundance needed for a self-sustaining stock. Overfishing of the hickory shad risks depletion of the stock and jeopardizes the continued availability of a recreational hickory shad fishery. 

I live on the Mattaponi River and have seen the populations of White and Hickory Shad drop in recent years. I am in support of a daily limit on Hickory Shad. All of our fish species should have a daily limit. As our population increases and more people are recreational fishing the pressure increases on all of our fish populations.

I support the proposed Harvest Regulations to Conserve Hickory Shad in Virginia Tidal Waters

I support any conversation. However the same rules that the recreational fisherman follow. So should the commercial fisherman. The rules have always been bent in favor of the commercial fisherman. 

I support setting a limit on hickory shad. A limit of ten is an appropriate start until science proves otherwise.  

I JNsupport this change. It makes common sense for the preservation of the stock.

The Hickory shad is a vital resource for Striped Bass, Bluefish, Osprey and other wildlife that  live, spawn or nest in and around the Chesapeake bay. A creel limit should be set on the Shad with a possible closed season during the spawn. If measures aren’t taken now, the wildlife of the bay will suffer.