Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Advisory board plans May study of new dredge designs; members debate weighing protocols and possible rule edits
Summary
Board members and fishermen described a newer style of scallop dredge that may fish differently in eelgrass and sand. Staff and a VIMS researcher will run comparative dredge surveys in May; members urged consistent weighing protocols and noted regulations will likely need revision after study results.
The Harbor & Shellfish Advisory Board discussed concerns about a newer pressure-plate or chain-sweep dredge design and agreed to a staff-led comparison study in May.
Tara said the department has ordered sample dredges and will work with Bill DePaul of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and local fishermen to compare the new dredges with traditional bar dredges during the spring survey dives. "So that's our plan so far," Tara said, describing a May timeline for spring…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
