WEEKLY UPDATE: 03/07/008
NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION
“Serving Commercial Fishing Families of North Carolina”
Allocation is key…all fisheries will be affected by the allocation debate/war that is currently underway. It is very important for all of us in the industry to realize the allocation issues are NOT South Atlantic issues; it is an issue for every fishery. The strategy, exemplified by the actions/leadership of the SAFMC, is to allocate quotas prior to putting recreational accountability measures in place as required by law. Effort in the commercial sector is down because of regulations, recreational effort is up (we are told) because of changing demographics. The task is to allocate ignoring historical, pre-regulatory quotas and allocate based on future looking demographics, which are caused in large part by the regulations coming from the very folks wanting to allocate. The inmates are running the asylum.
Summer Flounder:
2008 NC Atlantic Ocean Summer Flounder Quota: 2,558,524 pounds
Cumulative Harvest for 2008 winter fishery: - 1,806,963 pounds
2008 winter fishery summer flounder quota remaining: 239,856 pounds
PROCLAMATION
RE: FLOUNDER – COMMERCIAL PURPOSES, INTERNAL WATERS
Effective at 1:00 P.M., Saturday, March 15, 2008, the following restrictions will apply to the taking of flounder for commercial fishing operations: I. MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT It is unlawful to possess flounder less than 14 inches total length taken from internal fishing waters as part of a commercial fishing operation. II. GENERAL INFORMATION A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of N.C.G.S. 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 113-182; 113-221.1; 143B-289.52 and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103; 3I .0102, 3M .0503 and 3M .0512. B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director under his delegated authority pursuant to N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3H .0103. C. The intent of this proclamation is to maintain North Carolina’s compliance with the requirements of the joint Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council – Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Summer Flounder Fisheries Management Plan under the authority of N.C. Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3M .0512. The effect of this proclamation is to set the size limit of 14 inches for flounder taken by commercial fishing operations in internal fishing waters. D. N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 3M .0503 states that it is unlawful to possess flounder less than 14 inches total length taken from the Atlantic Ocean in a commercial fishing operation. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k8/FF-32-2008.html
RE: GILL NETS – MONKFISH IN ATLANTIC OCEAN
Effective at 12:01 A.M., Sunday, March 16, 2008 the following provisions shall apply to the use of commercial large mesh gill nets in the Atlantic Ocean monkfish fishery:
AREA DESCRIPTION: The Atlantic Ocean in a one mile wide area extending from two miles seaward of the coastline to three miles seaward of the coastline from the North Carolina/Virginia state line southward to Wimble Shoal (Latitude 35° 30’N). In the area of Oregon Inlet, the COLREGS line shall be considered the coastline. COMMERCIAL NET AND SEASON CLOSURE RESTRICTIONS: A. the Atlantic Ocean is closed to the use of gill nets greater than seven (7) inches stretched mesh by Proclamation M-1-2008, dated January 10, 2008 from January 14, 2008 through April 14, 2008 with the exception of the monkfish and striped bass fisheries.
B. Only individuals that possess a 2008 Monkfish Large Mesh Gill Net Permit required by Proclamation FF-31-2008, dated March 11, 2008 are authorized to fish gill nets with a stretched mesh size greater than seven (7) inches in the area described above. C. Large mesh gill nets set shall be fished at least once every 48 hours, weather permitting. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k8/M-7-2008.html
