WEEKLY UPDATE: 10/26/2007
NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION
“Serving Commercial Fishing Families of North Carolinaâ€Â
HEY YA’LL, IT’S FISH BARON’S BALL WEEK
ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW THE NCFA FISH BARON’S BALL WILL BE HELD IN NAGS HEAD AND NOW IS THE TIME TO GET YOUR TICKETS AND BRING YOUR SILENT AUCTION ITEMS TO THE OFFICE. AWARD WINNING COASTLINE BAND IS PLANNING ANOTHER GREAT NIGHT OF FUN AND MUSIC AND THE BALL SHOULD BE EVERY BIT AS FUN AS LAST YEAR. SUPPORT NCFA AND BRING SOME FRIENDS TO THE 22ND ANNUAL FISH BARON’S BALL (Call Karen for more information 252-633-2288)
ASMFC MEETING IN ANNAPOLIS, MD: Just back yesterday from a week in Annapolis for ASMFC meeting week/annual meeting; some interesting developments there such as an attempt by Massachusetts delegates to “open the EEZ (federal waters) to the harvest of striped bass.†The action, quite possibly, would have expedited the EEZ becoming a recreational fishery for striped bass in lieu of President Bush’s Executive Order last week declaring “gamefish†status for striped bass and red drum in federal waters. The motion was quickly shot down by almost every Commissioner with comments ranging from concerns about recreational overages increasing, to concerns about allocating a fully recovered species to one sector. Louis Daniel (Director, NCDMF) made, perhaps, one of the most compelling cases against the motion and added a very important recommendation to the discussion. Daniel urged the Commission to put forward a white paper detailing the condition of both species; drum and striped bass. The paper (a thinly veiled refutation of President Bush’s contentions about drum and striped bass being overfished) is intended for educating state legislators in order to circumvent the inevitable actions of those state bodies to mirror President Bush’s actions when pressured by recreational interests. Other ASMFC briefs: ASMFC Spiny Dogfish Board Sets 2008/2009 Fishing Year Quota at 8 Million Pounds: The Commission’s Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Shark Management Board approved a eight million pound quota for the 2008/2009 fishing year (May 1, 2008 – April 30, 2009), with 58% of the quota allocated to states from Maine through Connecticut and 42% allocated to New York through North Carolina. A trip limit of up to 3,000 pounds was also established. ASMFC Striped Bass Board Approves Addendum I: The Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board approved Addendum I to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass. The Addendum establishes a bycatch monitoring and research program to increase the accuracy of data on striped bass discards, as required by Amendment 6. More accurate discard mortality estimates will improve our understanding of stock status and provide for more effective striped bass management. The Addendum also recommends that states, through the Commission if possible, develop a web-based angler education program on fishing techniques known to reduce post-release hooking mortality. The Addendum is effective immediately and will be available in early November. Copies can be obtained by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400 or via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News. For more information, please contact Nichola Meserve, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or nmeserve@asmfc.org.
PROCLAMATION
RE: FLOUNDER – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN
Effective at 12:01 A.M., Thursday, November 1, 2007, the following restrictions shall apply to the commercial flounder fishery: I. HARVEST LIMITS A. >From November 1 through December 9, 2007, no commercial fishing operation, regardless of the number of people involved, may land more than 100 pounds of flounder per day taken from the Atlantic Ocean without a License to Land Flounder from the Atlantic Ocean. B. During the period beginning at 12:01 A.M., Monday, December 10, 2007 and ending at 6:00 P.M., Wednesday, December 19, 2007, no commercial fishing operation, regardless of the number of people involved, may have total landings of more than 5,000 pounds of flounder taken from the Atlantic Ocean. These operations require a valid License to Land Flounder from the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean flounder fishery will close immediately after the Director issues a public notice that the fall quota of flounder has been landed from the Atlantic Ocean, or at 6:00 P.M., December 19, 2007, whichever occurs first. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k7/FF-58-2007.html
RE: BLACK SEA BASS – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN Effective at 12:01A.M., Thursday, November 1, 2007, the following restrictions shall apply to the commercial black sea bass fishery north of Cape Hatteras (35° 15.3’N. Latitude):
SIZE LIMIT It is unlawful to possess black sea bass less than 11 inches total length north of Cape Hatteras. Total length shall be measured along the lateral midline from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, excluding the caudal fin filament. HARVEST LIMITS During the period beginning at 12:01 A.M., Thursday, November 1, 2007 and ending at 6:00 P.M., Sunday, December 9, 2007, no commercial fish pot or hook and line fishing operation, regardless of the number of people involved, may land more than 1,500 pounds of black sea bass per trip taken from the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Hatteras. The Atlantic Ocean black sea bass fishery will close immediately after the Director issues a public notice that the quota of black sea bass has been landed from the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Hatteras, or at 6:00 P.M., December 9, 2007, whichever occurs first. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k7/FF-59-2007.html
RE: 2007 OYSTER RESTRICTIONS Effective at sunrise, Monday, November 12, 2007 mechanical harvest of oysters shall be allowed and the following restrictions will apply:
I. MEANS AND METHODS MECHANICAL HARVEST RESTRICTIONS: 1. Oysters may be taken by mechanical methods (See General Information Section VI. E., G. and H. for other gear restrictions). Oysters may not be transferred from the catching vessel to any other vessel during oyster harvesting operations or be transported by any vessel other than the vessel in which they are harvested. II. HARVEST DAYS AND TIME PERIOD Mechanical oyster harvest will be allowed Monday through Friday from sunrise until sunset each day. (See General Information Section VI. C. and F.) III. QUANTITY Properly licensed persons may take or possess no more than fifteen (15) bushels of oysters per fishing operation per day, regardless of the number of persons or vessels involved. (See General Information Section VI. I.) IV. MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT The size limit will be three (3) inches shell length for oysters taken on public or private grounds. (See General Information Section VI. I.) V. MECHANICAL HARVEST SEASON
The season for harvesting oysters by mechanical methods shall be monitored and changes in harvest areas may be implemented by proclamation at a later date. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k7/SF-12-2007.html
MEETINGS:
November 5, 2007 1 p.m.
NCMFC Habitat and Water Quality Advisory Committee
NCDENR Regional Office - 943 Washington Square Mall - Washington, NC
Contact Mike Street 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021 or MFC Office 252-808-8022
**NCMFC Business Meetings for 2007**
Nov. 15-16 Community Center, Ocracoke
