North Carolina Fishing Reports

Capt_Dave

Dennis Barbour Pat Efird
Mayor Mayor Pro Tem

Joel Macon Gary Doetsch Councilman Councilman

Jack L. Lynch Calvin R. Peck, Jr.
Councilman Manager

TOWN OF CAROLINA BEACH
1121 N. Lake Park Boulevard
Carolina Beach, North Carolina 28428
910 458 2992
FAX 910 458 2997
www.townofcarolinabeach.com

February 8, 2005

President George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvanian Avenue NW
Washington , DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington, NC District is in desperate need of $250,000.00 for much needed maintenance (dredging) of Carolina Beach Inlet. The FY 04-05 budget did not provide any funding for this inlet. In addition to the immediate need, approximately $500,000.00 to $750,000.00 is needed for maintenance until FY 05-06 budget is adopted which, we are hopeful will provide the money needed for keeping Carolina Beach Inlet operational and safe.

Mr. President, let us quickly and briefly tell you what will happen to this southeastern North Carolina area if money isnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t provided immediately for dredging of Carolina Beach Inlet. This inlet is utilized by more than 100 commercial fishing boats, making more than 10,000 commercial fishing trips annually into the ocean for their catches of shrimp and fish which are sold to Seafood Markets, Grocery Stores and Restaurants. If Carolina Beach Inlet is not dredged, the U. S. Coast Guard will remove the buoys and officially close this inlet. The commercial boats will be required to travel to other inlets for entrance into the ocean, which will add additional fuel and time to the expense of their commercial fishing trip. The cost will be passed onto the buyer or user of the products and services. Should the buyer or user elect not to purchase the product or service in the case of a charter fishing trip, these fishermen will be put out of business. Our thoughts and hopes are that your desire is to create jobs, not do away with them.

We have gathered information and data from our local community and will provide this as Attachment (1) and (2). Looking at this information, you can see a disastrous economic impact resulting in more than a $15,000,000.00 loss of revenue the first year alone. The projected loss in the next five years is in excess of $200,000,000.00. The tremendous loss of revenue to this small

President George W. Bush
February 8, 2005
Page 2 of 4

community, of Pleasure Island (Carolina and Kure Beach), and immediate vicinity will be a man made disaster. There will be loss of employment, loss of wages, loss of state sales tax revenue, loss of both federal and state highway taxes on gasoline, and a decrease in property values which results in a loss in property tax revenue to this county and municipalities.

Should money not be provided for the dredging of Carolina Beach Inlet, lives could very easily be lost because of boaters being unaware of adequate water will attempt to navigate the inlet, run aground, damage their boat, perhaps capsize and even be injured or drown. This perhaps should be the first consideration when determining the necessity of funding maintenance of Carolina Beach Inlet. The U.S. Coast Guard, New Hanover County Sheriff Department and Volunteer Fire Departments use Carolina Beach Inlet when rescuing boaters and swimmers. Should these rescue vessels be required to travel to Masonboro Inlet or utilize the Cape Fear River, resulting in increased response time, lives shall certainly be lost. Last year, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Federal Point Volunteer Fire Department alone, responded to more than 40 water-rescue calls and this was with a dredged and properly maintained inlet.

The amount of money needed annually for the maintenance of Carolina Beach Inlet is very, very small when compared to other federal funded projects. We very strongly believe the cost benefit ratio is very much supportive for the approximately 1 million dollars needed annually to continue the maintenance by U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, as has been provided in the many, many years in the past. In the FY 04-05 budget, some inlets received total funding, others received partial funding and Carolina Beach Inlet did not receive any funding. Can we be told how this occurred and what the procedure is or what method is utilized to determine how the funding is allocated to and within the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers for inlet maintenance?

All of southeastern North Carolina continues to struggle with the downward effect from the 911 recession. As we struggle to remain in business, anticipating the upward change, the commercial fishing and boating businesses have been hit with hurricanes, a rising cost of fuel and the cost of implementing the Homeland Security Program. We strongly believe the first consideration for use of our tax dollars should be to maintain the safety and provide the ability for all our citizens to pursue financial well being.

Looking at the environmental impact, the inlet closure would also have a disastrous, long-term effect on the entire region. Tidal currents that dilute potential pollutants and introduce fresh saline water to the lagoon would cease to flow. Instead, a higher percentage of freshwater would enter the lagoon system, the tide range would likely decrease and affect environmental communities dependent upon the daily tidal cycle and tidal flow into the dead-end canal would likely stagnate.

President George W. Bush
February 8, 2005
Page 3 of 4

In the short term, closure of Carolina Beach Inlet would adversely affect the highly sensitive benthic species (clams, oysters, crabs, etc.). Just recently, local oyster and clam diggers reported the disappearance of oysters and clams in this community following the hurricane-induced closure of New Inlet located on the south end of Pleasure Island. We do not need to allow Carolina Beach Inlet, at the north end of Pleasure Island to close, allowing abundant marine game species to slowly decrease and eventually disappear. This inland body of water, dependent upon ocean inflow, provides water businesses and is home to a substantial marina community with a large inshore and off-shore fishing fleet. This would cause jobs to be lost also.

Mr. President, we respectfully request a concerted effort be made to immediately fund the emergency need for the dredging of Carolina Beach Inlet; therefore, removing the need for the U. S. Coast Guard to remove the buoys. We also respectfully request continued funding in the FY 05-06 and all future budgets to keep Carolina Beach Inlet open and safe. Carolina Beach Inlet is vital and essential to all of southeastern North Carolina and we appreciate your assistance.

Sincerely,

Dennis T. Barbour, Mayor
Pat Efird, Mayor Pro Tem
Joel Macon, Councilman
Gary Doetsch, Councilman
Jack Lynch, Councilman

Attachments: 2

pc: Vice President Richard B. Cheney
Senator Elizabeth Dole
Senator Richard Burr
Representative Mike McIntrye
Representative G. K. Butterfield
Representative Bobby Etheridge
Representative Walter B. Jones
Representative David E. Price
Representative Virginia Foxx
Representative Howard Coble
Representative Robert (Robin) Hayes
Representative Sue Myrick
Representative Patrick Henry

President George W. Bush
February 8, 2005
Page 4 of 4

Representative Charles H. Taylor
Representative Melvin L. Watt
Representative Brad Miller
Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez
Secretary of the Army
Chief of Staff of the U. S. Army General Peter J. Schoomaker
Commander and Chief of U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Lt. General Carl A. Stock
Wilmington District Commander US Army Corps of Engineers Col Charles R. Alexander
Governor Michael F. Easley
Representative Thomas E. Wright
Representative Daniel F. McComas
Representative Carolyn H. Justice
Representative Bonner Stiller
Senator Julia Boseman
New Hanover County Commissioners Chairman Robert G. Greer
Wilmington Mayor Spence H. Broadhurst
Wrightsville Beach Mayor Avery Roberts
Kure Beach Mayor Betty Medlin
North Carolina Division of Water Resources Director John Morris
North Carolina Water Resources Congress
New Hanover Co Ports, Waterway & Beach Commission Chairman Rick Catlin
North Carolina Shore and Beach Association
North Carolina Fisheries Association President Jerry Schill


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