C. Boyd Pfeiffer, The Examiner
2007-12-26 08:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

BALTIMORE -

We usually think of volunteers working in hospitals and schools and for charities and heath-awareness events. Generally, we don’t think of them as giving their free time to the Department of Natural Resources, making fishing and hunting better for all of us.

But they are out there, and Gov. Martin O’Malley last week declared Dr. Jim Gilford an Admiral of the Chesapeake for his efforts to protect and restore natural resources while educating the public about our natural world.

“For more than 50 years, Maryland’s natural resources and citizens have benefited from Jim’s infallible service,” O’Malley said.

This award comes as no surprise to those who know Gilford, who just “retired” from his volunteer job as head of the Maryland Sport Fish Advisory Commission. As its head and as a member, Gilford served on this commission for 28 years, with only a mileage allowance as compensation. He also has served as a volunteer on 14 other local, state and federal natural-resource commissions. And he has been chair of the Middle Potomac River Basin Public Advisory Council, the Monocacy Scenic River Advisory Board and the Maryland Wild Turkey Advisory Committee as well as working on several striped-bass committees and serving as a member and chair of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

As a regular job, Gilford taught biology at Gettysburg College, headed the biology department at Hood College, worked for the Environmental Protection Agency, wrote outdoor columns for the Frederick News-Post and coordinated fly-fishing schools.

» Howard King, director of fisheries for the DNR, is retiring after 38 years. He began as a DNR biologist, working on stream surveys for anadromous species such as stripers, shad, herring and perch. Rising through the ranks, he also controlled cooperative efforts between state and federal natural-resource agencies.

“He’s one of the gems,” said DNR deputy secretary Eric Schwaab.

Among King’s many successes for fishermen and natural resources was his recent separation of Maryland from the striped-bass quota system. This was in place until last year and restricted Maryland striped-bass anglers to a certain number of fish annually with fish-reduction penalties for over-fishing. Maryland was the only state with such a quota system, now gone through King’s efforts. As a result his wise counsel to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Maryland is finally on an equal footing with other states in determining striped-bass seasons and limits. That’s good for us and good for the fish.

» The public meeting on proposed yellow-perch regulations last Wednesday yielded no surprises. Maryland’s recreational anglers questioned the drop in size limit from 9 inches to 8.5 inches and also the fact that the new regulations would only last one year before having to be revisited.

Commercial fishermen wanted further proof that they are catching more than recreational anglers, a fact that pushed the General Assembly to insist on a 50/50 sharing of the fish available. Public comment closes today, and final results without any substantive changes should be available shortly — and in time for yellow perch fishing.

» Fly-fishing guru Lefty Kreh of Hunt Valley is our own home-grown fly-casting expert. He was born and raised in Frederick and has authored many highly acclaimed books on fly fishing. He’s also the former outdoor editor of The Sun.

Admirers wishing to honor him and put some bucks into the Coastal Conservation Association coffers can do so at a special event honoring Lefty. “Celebrating Lefty Kreh — A Lifetime of Conservation” will be held March 19 at the Boatyard Bar and Grill in Annapolis. It’s a big-bucks soiree but a chance to honor Lefty and his contribution to fishing and conservation over 55 years of writing and outdoor work. It is also a chance to put some serious money into local conservation efforts.

For details, call 410-280-8770 or toll free 888-758-6580.

C. Boyd Pfeiffer is an internationally known sportsman and award-winning writer on fishing, hunting, and the outdoors, and he has more than 20 books to his credit. He can be reached at cbpfeiffer@msn.com.