WEEKLY UPDATE: 02/29/008
NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION
“Serving Commercial Fishing Families of North Carolina”
Long over-due update Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for information regarding right whale mortality off of Jacksonville, Florida; hard to remember since we asked for the information in March 2007…well, this just in after close to $4,000 of industry funds were spent. The government’s reply was sent to Greg DiDomenico of Garden Sate Seafood Association; here’s a brief description of their reply: “A search has identified 1438 additional pages responsive to your request; pages or portions of these pages are being withheld as explained below.” Some of the explanation highlights: “Of the enclosed 131 pages [remember they found 1438 related to our request] portions have been determined to be exempt from disclosure…Further, pages or portions of pages have been determined to be exempt from disclosure…In addition, a portion of one page has been determined to be exempt.” Full Denial of Records “A breakdown of the remaining nonreleasable (b)(5) exempt records is as follows: Fifty eight pages have been withheld under attorney client privilege…Six documents (20 pages) of draft and internal documents have been withheld under the deliberative process privilege…The remaining 1,229 pages of e-mails (including attachments) have been withheld under deliberative process privilege…Law Enforcement Records A search also identified law enforcement records. All of the records have been determined to be exempt from disclosure…” Remember we were trying to find out, among other things, whether there was inappropriate Agency contact with environmental groups and how the net ban in the area came about. Seems most of the answers to our questions are “nonreleasable” What a government. How much of our information would be “nonreleasable” if the federal government asked for it?
Summer Flounder:
2008 NC Atlantic Ocean Summer Flounder Quota: 2,558,524 pounds
Cumulative Harvest for 2008 winter fishery: - 1,628,189 pounds
2008 winter fishery summer flounder quota remaining: 418,630 pounds
PROCLAMATION
RE: FLOUNDER – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN
Effective at 12:01 A.M., Saturday, March 1, 2008, the following restrictions shall apply to the commercial flounder fishery: I. HARVEST LIMITS During the period beginning at 12:01 A.M., Saturday, March 1, 2008 and ending at 6:00 P.M., Monday, March 31, 2008, no commercial fishing operation, regardless of the number of people involved, may have total landings of more than 6,000 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 spring quota of flounder has been landed from the Atlantic Ocean, or at 6:00 P.M., March 31, 2008, whichever occurs first. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k8/FF-27-2008.html
RE: STRIPED BASS SEASON – OCEAN TRAWL: ATLANTIC OCEAN
effective at 12:01 A.M., Saturday, March 1, 2008, the season for the harvest of striped bass with ocean trawls in the Atlantic Ocean waters of North Carolina SHALL OPEN. The following restrictions will apply: I. SIZE LIMIT No person may possess, transport, buy, sell, or offer for sale striped bass less than 28 inches total length taken with ocean trawls from the Atlantic Ocean. II. HARVEST RESTRICTIONS No ocean trawl operation, regardless of the number of persons or vessels involved, may land or sell more than 100 striped bass per trip during the harvest period beginning at 12:01 A.M., Saturday, March 1, 2008 and ending at 6:00 P.M., Monday, March 31, 2008. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k8/FF-30-2008.html
RE: BLACK SEA BASS – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN Effective at 12:01 A.M., Saturday, March 1, 2008, 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 tail, excluding the caudal fin filament. HARVEST LIMITS During the period beginning at 12:01 A.M., Saturday, March 1, 2008 and ending at 6:00 P.M., Saturday, March 15, 2008, no commercial trawl, fish pot or hook and line fishing operation, regardless of the number of people involved, may have total landings of more than 5,000 pounds of black sea bass 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., March 15, 2008, whichever occurs first. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k8/FF-28-2008.html
ADVISORS TO DISCUSS WATERFRONT ACCESS PROPOSALS
MOREHEAD CITY – A citizen’s advisory committee on Waterfront Access and Marine Industry Fund proposals will meet at 10 a.m. Monday in Room 1 of the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City. The committee is scheduled to discuss final presentations of funding proposals. Advisors will be asked for their input on prioritizing projects for approval. The meeting is open to the public.
MEETINGS TO DISCUSS FUTURE RED DRUM MANAGEMENT
MOREHEAD CITY – A series of meetings will begin next week offering the public an opportunity to discuss future management of North Carolina’s red drum fishery.
The five meetings will detail proposals in a draft update to the state’s Red Drum Fishery Management Plan. A fishery management plan makes long-term regulatory recommendations for a fishery.
Wednesday, March 5 6 p.m.
Craven County Agriculture Building
300 Industrial Drive
New Bern
Thursday, March 6 6:30 p.m.
Hatteras Civic Center
Hwy. 12
Hatteras
Tuesday, March 11 6:30 p.m.
Dobo Hall
Room 103
University of North Carolina-Wilmington
Wilmington
Wednesday, April 2 Noon
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources Regional Office
943 Washington Square Mall
Washington
MEETINGS:
March 3-7
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
Jekyll Island Club Hotel, 371 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527, 800/535-9547 or 912/635-2600
Meeting agenda highlights include:
Limited Access Privilege (LAP) Program Exploratory Workgroup and Committee
Snapper Grouper Committee Meeting: includes Amendment 15B (sales provisions, allocations for snowy grouper and red porgy, permit renewal/transfer, etc.) – review and consider for approval; Approval of Amendment 16 (addressing gag and vermilion snapper overfishing) for public hearings; and other items;
Allocation Committee – The committee will review comments received during the public scoping process for the Comprehensive Allocation Amendment and provide direction to staff for options to be included.
March 5, 2008 6 p.m.
NCMFC Central Regional Advisory Committee
Craven Ag. Building - 300 Industrial Drive - New Bern, NC
Contact Mike Marshall 800-682-2632 or 252-808-8077 or Katy West 800-338-7804
March 6 , 2008 6:30 p.m.
NCMFC Northeast Regional Advisory Committee
Hatteras Civic Center - Hwy. 12 - Hatteras, NC
Contact Sara Winslow 800-338-7805 or 252-264-3911 or MFC Office 252-808-8022
