• Skip to Content
• Online Services
• Commonwealth Sites
• Help
• Governor

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

• Hunting
• Fishing
• Boating
• Wildlife Watching
• Wildlife Information
• Habitat
• Education
• Licenses
• Permits
• Forms
• About VDGIF

News Release

VDGIF Honored with National Sport Fish Restoration Award

Richmond, VA — The Fisheries Administrators Section of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) presented the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) with the 2008 Sport Fish Restoration Outstanding Project Award, in the category of "Research and Surveys," at the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries meeting in Richmond today. The project, entitled "Restoration and Enhancement of the New River Walleye Fishery" has been a multi-year partnership between fisheries biologists with VDGIF and researchers from Virginia Tech. The Annual Sport Fish Restoration Outstanding Project Awards are intended to both highlight the importance and effectiveness of the Sport Fish Restoration Program and to recognize excellence in fisheries management. Only three of these awards are given nationally every year.

"Receiving this award is an excellent way to recognize and honor years of dedicated research and field work to manage and to improve the unique walleye fishery of the New River," stated VDGIF's Director of Fisheries Gary Martel. "This project has truly been a team effort among our fisheries biologists, hatchery workers, and researchers at Virginia Tech, with much of the success built on the professional leadership of VDGIF Fisheries Biologists George Palmer and Joe Williams," added Martel.

The New River in Virginia is nationally renowned for its smallmouth bass fishery, but a limited walleye fishery also existed for many years. Occasional catches of large walleye by anglers had resulted in several state records, and fisheries surveys periodically yielded walleye greater than 15 pounds. A genetically unique walleye stock was identified when fisheries biologists with VDGIF partnered with researchers from Virginia Tech to conduct research in the upper New River (upstream of Claytor Lake) from 1997-99. In 2000, management of the upper New River population focused on conservation of the unique stock through genetically selecting brood fish and supplemental stocking the "native" strain. This was done the goal of re-establishing the population of unique walleye stock in the 74 miles of New River above Claytor Lake in order to provide a viable fishery for recreational angling.

Greater success in brood fish collection, identification and hatchery operations resulted in approximately 566,000 New River-strain walleye being stocked from 2003-2008. Stocking success and abundance have been measured by annual spring and fall sampling, system-wide genetic analysis, and angler surveys that demonstrate a greatly expanding fishery. Catch of New River walleye in spring electrofishing samples rose from 1 per hour in 2002 to 17 per hour in 2007. Screenings of genetic markers over the course of the study have shown increasing frequencies of alleles associated with the native stock. Angler surveys, often the true test of a fisheries restoration project, indicated a doubling of fishing effort towards walleye in the upper New River and a seven-fold increase in the number caught.

"This project was funded with state fishing license dollars and Federal Sport Fish Restoration Program funds, and we are very proud that it has been recognized nationally," Martel continued.

The Sport Fish Restoration Program also known as the Dingell-Johnson or Wallop-Breaux Program, after its primary Congressional sponsors, is funded by an excise tax collected on fishing tackle, boats and motorboat fuel. The program revenues are then returned to the states to enhance fisheries management and boating programs.

The AFS Fisheries Administrators Section's Annual Awards Program helps identify and showcase outstanding fisheries management projects from across the country and generates continued support for the Sport Fish Restoration Program.

More information about the walleye restoration work on the New River, and the Sport Fish Restoration Program, can be found on the Department's website (www.dgif.virginia.gov) along with updates, biologist's reports, news and information to keep anglers informed on other fisheries projects across Virginia.

It is the mission of the VDGIF to maintain optimum populations of all species to serve the needs of the Commonwealth; to provide opportunity for all to enjoy wildlife, inland fish, boating and related outdoor recreation and to work diligently to safeguard the rights of the people to hunt, fish and harvest game as provided for in the Constitution of Virginia; to promote safety for persons and property in connection with boating, hunting and fishing; to provide educational outreach programs and materials that foster an awareness of and appreciation for Virginia's fish and wildlife resources, their habitats, and hunting, fishing, and boating opportunities.

(Left to Right) Fisheries Biologist Joe Williams; Fisheries Division Director Gary Martel; Bob Curry, representing the Fisheries Administration Section of the American Fisheries Society; Fisheries Biologist George Palmer; and Fisheries Division Assistant Director Fred Leckie.