Recreational Gill-Netting Primer

If you are a rod and reel enthusiast, you might want to branch out and try a gill net. It’s an OG way to enjoy the sport and can be as much fun as the fish on the end of hook and line. Just remember to get your license and follow the rules and regulations—See statute on next page. Now go catch ‘em.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to use any gill net greater than 300 feet in length when licensed for recreational purposes under this chapter except as described in subsection B of this section. Any person licensed to use a recreational gill net up to 300 feet in length shall stay within 100 yards of such net when it is overboard. Failure to attend such net in this fashion is a violation of this chapter.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person to use any anchored gill net when licensed for recreational purposes under this chapter that is greater than 110 feet in length in any of the tidal waters upriver of the saltwaterfreshwater boundaries. Any anchored gill net set or placed in areas upriver of the saltwater-freshwater boundaries shall be retrieved within one hour of setting or placing that gill net. Any person licensed to use a recreational anchored gill net shall stay within 100 yards of such net when it is overboard. Failure to attend such net in this fashion is a violation of this chapter, and any unattended anchored gill net shall be confiscated by the marine police officer.

C. Any law or chapter applying to the setting or fishing of commercial gill nets, cast nets, dip nets, crab pots, crab traps, or crab trot lines shall also apply to the gear licensed under this chapter when set or fished for recreational purposes, except that (i) certain commercial gear used for recreational purposes shall be marked in accordance with the provisions described in 4VAC20-670-40, and (ii) the daily time limits for commercial crab potting and peeler potting established in 4VAC20-270-30 shall not apply to the setting and fishing of recreational crab pots licensed under

During February, March and April you’ll typically reel in these catches:

February

Offshore

Bluefish, seabass, tautog

Chesapeake Bay

Rockfish, tautog, speckled trout

Tidal Rivers

Speckled trout, puppy drum

MARCH

Offshore Bluefin tuna

Chesapeake Bay

Tautog

Tidal Rivers

Speckled trout, puppy drum

APRIL

Offshore

Yellowfin tuna

Chesapeake Bay

Tautog, red drum, black drum, bluefish, roundheads

Tidal Rivers

Speckled trout, puppy drum, flounder, bluefish

What have you reeled in?

We would like to publish your photos, information, prize catches and catches of note in our What’s Biting segment. Send us your favorite amateur photos with a description and the photographer’s name.

SOAPS

BODY BUTTERS

SUGAR SCRUBS

LOTION BARS

BATH TRUFFLES

BATH SALTS DEODORANTS

LIP BALMS SALVES

BEARD BALMS

BEARD OILS

Gaelic for simple and straightforward SimpliArtisan.com

WHAT’S BITING

this chapter.

E. It shall be unlawful for any person to use any recreational gill net to catch and possess any species of fish whose commercial fishery is regulated by an annual harvest quota.

F. It shall be unlawful for any person using a recreational gill net, fish cast net, or fish dip net to take and possess more than the recreational possession limit for any species regulated by such a limit. When fishing from any boat, using gear licensed under this chapter, the total possession limit shall be equal to the number of persons on board legally eligible to fish multiplied by the individual possession limit for the regulated species, and the captain or operator of the boat shall be responsible for adherence to the possession limit.

G. It shall be unlawful for any person using a recreational gill net, fish cast net, or fish dip net to take and possess any fish that is less than the lawful minimum size established for that species. When the taking of any fish is regulated by different size limits for commercial and recreational fishermen, that size limit applicable to recreational fishermen or to hookand-line fishermen shall apply to the taking of that species by persons licensed under this chapter.

SET GILLNET—MAIN COMPONENTS

Nicole Livas

Every evening, no matter where you live in the world, millions of people tune in to their local television stations to learn of the day’s news events. In decades past, Americans relied on trustworthy broadcast journalists like Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, Harry Reasoner, and Barbara Walters. In our area of Hampton Roads, Virginia, we have a trusted journalist of our own: WVEC 13News Now Evening Anchor Nicole Livas.

Livas’ career actually began at WVEC where she served as a production assistant. Her first on-air position was in Ohio, then on to Rhode Island before returning to Virginia prior to 2016. In 2016, Nicole moved to Washington, DC, and in the fall of that year she achieved her greatest accomplishment: the birth of her daughter Maya. By September 2018, Nicole was an anchor/producer/ editor with Voice of America (VOA)—the largest U.S. international news outlet independent from political and government interference. This was a position she held until April 2019. Under VOA’s employ she researched, wrote, and edited scripts and audio for VOA radio newscasts, airing internationally to an estimated weekly audience of more than 280 million people. She also anchored five-minute radio news segments every hour daily. Nicole returned to Hampton Roads later in 2019 to anchor the evening news at WVEC 13News Now, her current position.

Livas attributes a lot of her success to mentors while at WVEC and WAVY TV-10. Area locals will definitely remember Barbara Ciara, Ed Hughes, Paula Miller, and Bruce Radar, to name a few. Oft-times the mentoring process is more than what people say directly to a person. People in any profession learn quite a bit by what they observe in people they admire. Up-and-coming reporters and journalists no doubt are learning from Livas as she displays that certain honesty and integrity as evident in her broadcasts.

Livas has covered and reported on major news events including the death of John F. Kennedy, Jr. in a single-engine plane crash (July 1999), the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center buildings (September 2001), and the shootings at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg (April 2007). The other side to tragedy for newscasters is that they often see firsthand many examples of how people cope with them. Many are positive. During and after 9/11, for example, many people across our nation seemed to come together in one accord. For a time we were not Republicans and Democrats, we were Americans. No individual races, but a collective human race. We cared for one another.

When asked what recent events have been the most difficult for her, Livas quickly referred to the shootings on May 31, 2019, where a lone gunman went to the Virginia Beach Municipal building and shot and killed 12 people—11 city employees and a local contractor. A more recent senseless shooting occurred at a Chesapeake Walmart on November 22, 2022. Here a nightshift manager at that Walmart killed seven employees (including himself) and injured four others. Upon learning of both of these events, Livas found herself visibly shaken. As a Hampton Roads native she knew people whose lives were affected included friends of friends. There are no words. However as a trusted news anchor, Livas is well aware that people depend on her for answers. Many listen for even the tiniest bits of hope. Nicole Livas is great at what she does and people count on her.

But Livas has a life away from the lights and cameras of the studio. A busy life at that. She is the ultimate volunteer serving many residents of Hampton Roads. Outside of our area she is on the advisory board of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at her alma mater George Mason University. She also serves on the board of the Society of Professional Journalists, Virginia Chapter.

Perhaps the organization that is dearest to her heart is Samaritan House where she has represented as a board member for a number of years. Samaritan House is a major advocate for victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual assault. Issues such as these are nationwide. Livas feels that people need to be well-informed in order to be in a position to help. Homelessness is prevalent in Hampton Roads and Samaritan House is dedicated to providing temporary and even permanent housing. Fourteen safe houses have been established here for the organization’s mission to promote victim advocacy, support programs and services. [Look for a follow-up feature on Samaritan House in a future issue of Boulevard.]

Why Hampton Roads?

We know Livas has had opportunities elsewhere to use her many talents, but Hampton Roads is home. She was born in Virginia Beach and her roots run deep. Her late father, Henry, retired from NASA-Langley and served on the Virginia Beach Planning Commission. Mom Becky was the first African-American newscaster in our area, and retired as a teacher in Suffolk Public Schools. Her paternal grandfather, Henry, Sr., taught agriculture at Hampton University while maternal grandfather John Perry taught high school physics and was a councilman for Virginia Beach. Both grandmothers also were educators.

Livas does make time for leisure activities. She lives in an area surrounded by water. The seven cities that comprise Hampton Roads has its fair share of neighborhood and cultural events which she also enjoys. She actively walks and bikes in and around her home and lives to travel: Trips to the Caribbean Islands, Italy and Australia are on her bucket list.

Rick Polston is a teacher of students with disAbilities for Suffolk Public Schools. English and Language Arts is his chosen content to teach. His favorite pastime is journaling about travel adventures and singing.

The difference between any oyster and a Lynnhaven oyster is like the difference between chalk and cheese; sweet Lynnhavens have a salty tang from the nearby ocean.

~Oysterman Capt. Irvin Evans (shown above)

By Mary Reid Barrow

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LYNNHAVEN RIVER NOW