The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission held a hearing in Newport News Jan. 14 to accept public comments about regional management approaches for the 2015 summer flounder recreational fishery.

But inclement weather held down attendance to a small number at the hearing at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission offices, said Kirby Rootes-Murdy, fishery management plan coordinator for ASMFC.

Current regulations group summer fishery management by region, with Virginia falling in a region with Delaware and Maryland. Other regions are Massachusetts-Rhode Island, Connecticut-New Jersey, and North Carolina. However, several VMRC representatives and a Newport News recreational fisherman all spoke against the regional regulations and asked for individual state guidelines for the fishery similar to those in place prior to last year, Rootes-Murdy said. Current regulations include a four fish daily limit, with maximum fish of 16 inches in length.

ASMFC staff will collate comments made ...