VMRC announces voluntary recreational cobia initiative for 2023 season

By Linda Cicoira

     The Voluntary Recreational Cobia Initiative developed recently by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission staff is collecting length and age data from anglers to help assess the health of the stock.

     This initiative starts with the 2023 season. Taking part is not required to be able to recreationally fish for cobia. The VMRC is looking to collect information about released cobia under 40 inches, cobia over 50 inches if a 50-plus inch fish has already been harvested, cobia caught after the daily allowed bag limit has been reached, and cobia caught pre- and post-season.

     Recreational anglers can submit cobia release length data through the Virginia Saltwater Journal at https://www.vasaltwaterjournal.com/ or those active fish taggers in the Virginia Gamefish Tagging Program (https://www.vasaltwaterjournal.com/report_tagged_fish.php). Anglers are asked not to submit in both places.

TheVMRC is continuing to collect age data from carcasses of kept legal-sized cobia donated to the Marine Sportfish Collection Project. Donating a carcass for age data does not allow retention of undersized cobia or more than the daily allowable bag limit. Any members of the Gamefish Tagging Program who harvest cobia and would like to donate a carcass can visit any of the freezer sites at Oceans East Eastern Shore in Capeville. Other freezers are in Virginia Beach and Seaford.

     A basic data sheet will need to be completed and added to the bag with each donated cobia carcass. Several new freezers may be placed at new sites for the 2023 cobia season; to stay up to date with freezer locations, visit https://mrc.virginia.gov/rec_assessment/index.shtm.

     To properly record length data, anglers need to measure with the ruler stretched straight underneath the center of the fish with its mouth closed. The measurement goes to the tip of the pinched tail. Lengths should be recorded to the nearest possible measurement without rounding while recognizing the goal is “a live and healthy release.” To alleviate issues with double reporting please do not upload length data for any fish you did not measure.

     There is no formal process to begin taking part in this initiative. Anglers can begin at any point in the season. The VMRC encourages all to participate. For more information, contact Joshua McGilly at 757-247-2299 or [email protected].