Releases – September 16, 2010
Fishermen will get a chance to comment on the future of southern flounder fishing in North Carolina at a series of public meetings to be held in the coming weeks.
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will hold meetings to receive public comments on a draft amendment to the N.C. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan. The draft amendment includes proposals to increase the size limit, decrease the recreational bag limit, implement season closures, and stiffen commercial gear restrictions.
The meetings will be held in conjunction with Marine Fisheries Commission advisory committee meetings:
Sept. 20 at 6:00 p.m.—Central Regional Advisory Committee, N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Field Office, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington
Sept. 27 at 11:00 a.m.—Finfish Advisory Committee: N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Field Office, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington
Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m.—Northeast Regional Advisory Committee, Roanoke Island Festival Park, Small Auditorium, 1 Festival Park, Manteo
Oct. 1 at 1:00 p.m.—Habitat and Water Quality Advisory Committee, N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Field Office, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington
Comments may also be submitted in writing until 5:00 p.m. on Oct. 8. Send written comments by mail to Chris Batsavage, N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, 5285 Highway 70 West, Morehead City, NC 28557, or by e-mail to Chris.Batsavage@ncdenr.gov.
The draft amendment is an update to the N.C. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan adopted by the Marine Fisheries Commission in 2005. That plan was developed after a 2004 southern flounder stock assessment found the stock was overfished and overfishing was occurring.
While the terms “overfished” and “overfishing” are similar, they have distinctly different meanings in fisheries management. “Overfished” refers to the actual condition of the stock when the population falls below an acceptable level. “Overfishing” means that fish are being removed from the fishery at a rate that the fishery cannot sustain or rebuild itself.
Under a new state law passed this summer, the Marine Fisheries Commission must end overfishing within two years of adopting a fishery management plan for an overfished species. Another state law, on the books since 2004, requires the commission to rebuild overfished fish stocks within 10 years of adoption of a plan.
The 2004 stock assessment called for a 30 percent overall harvest reduction to rebuild the southern flounder stock, but the commission adopted measures in 2005 that were projected to achieve only a 17.2 percent reduction, with the intent of reassessing the stock after three years.
A 2009 stock assessment found that while the southern flounder stock had improved since 2005, it is still overfished, and further harvest reductions of 20.5 percent are needed to end overfishing and achieve sustainable harvests within the legally required timeframes.
Both a Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee and the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries are recommending that the Marine Fisheries Commission make no changes to existing commercial fishing regulations on southern flounder because recently implemented management measures to protect sea turtles are projected to result in an overall commercial southern flounder harvest reduction of 22.2 percent.
For the recreational fishery, both the advisory committee and the Division of Marine Fisheries are recommending an increase in the minimum size limit to 15 inches and a decrease in the creel limit to six fish per day, which will result in an overall recreational harvest reduction of 20.2 percent.
The advisory committee will meet with division staff again, after all the meetings, to consider public comment received before making their final recommendations to the Marine Fisheries Commission in November. The commission will then tentatively approve the plan and send it to the secretary of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture for review.
A copy of the draft amendment can be downloaded at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries website at www.ncfisheries.net.
Get some new angles on fall fishing before you head out the inlet with a Sept. 25 clinic at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.
Experienced angler Joe Shute covers some tips and techniques he uses in offshore fly fishing for king mackerel and other species in this Saturday afternoon session. Shute, a popular fishing guide, has been fishing the Crystal Coast and nearby waters for more than 20 years. He also runs Capt. Joe Shute’s Bait and Tackle on the Atlantic Beach causeway.
The fishing clinic, part of a seasonal series, is from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in Soundside Hall at the Aquarium. The clinic is free with admission or membership, and registration is not required.
The Aquarium also offers hands-on instruction in pier fishing, surf fishing, and kayak fishing weekly throughout the fall, and a weekend workshop Oct. 8-10 if you’re looking for additional, in-depth guidance. The weekly courses and the workshop require advance registration and additional fees—see the Aquarium website for details.
The Aquarium is five miles west of Atlantic Beach at 1 Roosevelt Blvd., Pine Knoll Shores, NC. See the Pine Knoll Shores section of www.ncaquariums.com or call (252) 247-4003 for more information.
In July of 2009 the Long Bay Artificial Reef Association (LBARA) applied for a grant to do a reef enhancement project. The funds for this grant were available through the North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing License fees. The official announcement finally came in late June 2010, but due to other difficulties the LBARA was unable to start work until late July.
The cost of this project was estimated at $255,500. A total of $244,500 came from the CRFL grant, and the balance will come from LBARA funds. LBARA funds are raised primarily through fishing clubs and fishing tournaments, so this is truly a fisherman’s project.
The equipment needed for the deployment will be a 1000-ton barge and a tugboat. The 1000-ton barge will enable us to make one trip to each reef site. Current plans are to form two 500 tons “patch reefs” on each site. The sizes of pipe will range from 24” to 42” in diameter and from 4’ to 8’ in length.
AR 430 is our new reef site that is now moving through the permit stage. The reef site will be located approximately 2.5 miles south/southwest of Ocean Crest Pier on Oak Island, NC.
The LBARA has been through the public hearing process, has finished the required videoing of the site, and just recently the NCDMF Reef Group did the required dives. Currently the LBARA is awaiting the approval of numerous agencies that have their fingers in the regulatory pool.
On behalf of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC), Chairman Robert Bizzell recently sent a letter to the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture requesting support of a clarifying amendment to Session Law (SL) 2010-13; An Act to Improve Success of Fishery Management Plans (FMP). The amendment proposed by the MFC would exempt those FMPs already submitted to the state for approval prior to the effective date of the law. The intent of the letter was to prevent the proposed Spotted Sea Trout (SST) FMP from falling under the new law.
The conditions in SL 2010-13 require restrictions to reduce fishing mortality to a level that will end over-fishing within two years. The law also mandates a return of the fishery to sustainability within ten years and a probability of success of at least 50%. The SST FMP, as now proposed, fails on all three requirements. The Commission is asking to exempt any FMP from the standard to end overfishing within two years for any plan approved prior to the effective date of the law.
CCA NC’s position is that the new law should not be amended as it has not been given a chance on ANY fisheries management plans. Furthermore, since the SST FMP has not been finalized (it is now at step 5 of 6), it is subject to the new law and thereby no exemptions should be granted.
The MFC had already adopted a “policy” of requiring all FMP’s to have a 50% or better probability of ending over-fishing within two years and recommended SL 2010-13 while in the N.C. Legislature. As we now have a law that provides a process by which we can address overfishing and restore depleted stocks in a reasonable timeline, CCA NC believes the MFC must abide by their adopted policy, not to mention the requirements of the new law.
In regards to the Speckled Trout, CCA NC believes the MFC could require NC Division of Marine Fisheries Director Louis Daniel to meet the intent of the new law by proclamation. Use of proclamation authority would allow proper management of Speckled Trout without requiring the SST FMP process to be revisited.
As has been shown, the recreational sector is willing to sacrifice for the next two years to end over-fishing and protect the Spotted Sea Trout fishery (the current FMP proposal does not require an equitable reduction on the commercial sector). Delaying a decision that ends over-fishing within two years may result in very restrictive measures, including a possible moratorium. The restrictions and reductions needed to end over-fishing of the SST must be borne by both user groups in an equitable manner.
