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THE MFC ADVISOR Marine Fisheries Commission Business Meeting The MFC held a business meeting June 27-28 at the Brownstone Hotel in Raleigh, North Carolina. The following members were in attendance: Mac Currin - Chairman, Dr. B.J. Copeland, Vice Chairman, Charlie Adams, David Beresoff, Dr. Barbara Garrity-Blake, Bryan Gillikin, David Hilton, Rusty Russ and Bradley Styron Motion to approve minutes from the April 2006 MFC meeting – motion passed without objection. Motion to amend the motion from the May 22, 2006 meeting * that the letter to be written to the General Assembly be written instead to the ASMFC - motion passed without objection. *(That a letter be written to NC legislators expressing the MFC’s level of dissatisfaction with the ASMFC, the NMFS, the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic councils so as to improve our relationship, the condition of the fishing industries, and to avoid having to recommend withdrawal from the ASMFC.) Motion to amend the motion from the May 22, 2006 meeting* that the letter be sent to the North Carolina General Assembly, and DENR Secretary Ross be encouraged to deliver the message to the ASMFC - motion passed without objection. *(That the letter be sent to the ASMFC, NMFS, through the Secretary of Commerce, and Secretary Ross be encouraged to deliver the message to the ASMFC.) Motion to approve the minutes of the May 22, 2006, MFC meeting in Morehead City - motion passed without objection. ASMFC/NMFS Letters Motion to send the letter as drafted by the MFC’s ad hoc committee to NMFS and the councils, with modifications as discussed - motion passed without objection. Chairman Mac Currin asked the MFC to grant him leeway to make edits to the letters and send them out to the MFC for review before the letters are sent to the ASMFC and NMFS. Advisor Appointments Committee Recommendations River Herring Fishery Management Plan On the second day the meeting, the MFC revisited the River Herring discussion. Motion to reconsider the earlier motion regarding sending the Draft River Herring FMP out for public comment – motion passed 5-3. Motion to add “In the absence of additional data or information to the contrary, the River Herring FMP Advisory Committee’s recommendation may not meet the standard of sustaining the fishery” * to the draft River Herring FMP – motion passed 7 –1. *The River Herring Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee and the DMF were able to reach consensus on all of the management recommendations in the plan, except for one. The DMF is recommending a fishing moratorium be implemented for the river herring fishery and the advisory committee is recommending a limited harvest of 100,000 pounds annually be continued. Motion to send the draft River Herring FMP, as amended, out for public comment – motion passed 7-1. Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Team Coastal Recreational Fishing License 2006 Stock Status Report While the striped mullet meets all the criteria for a viable stock, fisheries managers continue to closely monitor mullet because market demand for the fish’s roe causes commercial fishermen to target females, potentially reducing the stock’s ability to reproduce. In addition to the change for stiped mullet, weakfish were moved from overfished to conerned. According to DMF’s Dr. Louis Daniel, “Weakfish continue to be a special species to watch with significant declines in commercial landings over the last several years.” Daniel explained the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will be considering measures to address the declining catches when they meet in August. Visit http://www.ncdmf.net/stocks/index.html to view the entire report. FMP Priority Timeline Motion to approve the revised FMP schedule – motion passed without objection. Approved Fishery Management Plan Schedule for 2006-2011 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 Sea Turtle Bycatch Advisory Committee Final Report Upcoming MFC Meetings 2006: |