We, the members of the Eastern Blue Ridge Fly Fishers, support the rights of anglers to recreationally pursue fishing in the waters of the United States . Recognizing that all fish species require water conditions of high enough quality to allow them to grow, propagate and maintain population levels that allow for recreational angling.

We stand ready to work with federal and state agencies in an effort to promote and do our part to promote healthy, fishable waters. We also agree to conduct ourselves in accordance with the standards of our parent organization, the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF).

According to the federation, our members shall:

· Coordinate our volunteer activities and financial resources with other conservation and environmental organizations seeking to protect water quality

· Participate in clean-up and restoration projects to build or improve fisheries;

· Encourage our members to monitor our favorite fishing streams and lakes by utilizing the appropriate tests from the FFF or other sources to measure temperatures, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and other state and federal water quality measures to assure compliance with established standards;

· Report pollution events (oil and chemical spills, suspected polluting outfalls, violations of water quality standards, etc.) to emergency and enforcement officials.

In addition to the standards set forth by the federation, members of the Eastern Blue Ridge Fly Fishers agree to work to promote a healthy and sustainable Chesapeake Bay habitat. Because we have agreed to align our group with the FFF, we value all types of water environments whether it be cold water, warm water, salt water, or fresh water.

We have set out to accomplish this goal by working to protect the watershed areas of the bay, which most of us fish and call our home waters. We also support protecting the quality of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, which often are the beginnings of our local fisheries.
In appreciation of the quality resources gifted us by our forbearers; we shall leave these resources no less diminished to our children.


Edited by castaway on Sep 28, 2007 at 06:45 PM