THE MFC ADVISOR
Marine Fisheries
Commission Business Meeting
Raleigh, North
Carolina
June 28 - 29, 2005
The Marine Fisheries Commission and the Division of Marine
Fisheries continue to look for ways to keep committee advisors and the public
informed about commission activities.
It is our intent to publish the MFC Advisor after each business meeting,
summarizing the meeting, and providing a list of motions, actions, and
rulemaking proceedings. Hopefully, this
bulletin will keep you better informed about commission activities. Your comments regarding this update re
always appreciated please contact Nancy Fish by e-mail at
Nancy.Fish@ncmail.net or by phone at 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632.
The MFC held a business meeting June 28-29 at the Clarion in
Raleigh, North Carolina. The business
meeting was called to order followed by an invocation. The following members
were in attendance: Jimmy Johnson
Chairman, Bryan Gillikin - Vice Chairman, Charlie Adams, Dr. B.J. Copeland, Mac
Currin, Dr. Barbara Garrity-Blake, Rusty Russ and Bradley Styron.
It was announced David Beresoff, a commercial fishermen from
Bolivia, had been appointed to the Marine Fisheries Commission by Governor Mike
Easley. Beresoff fills the commercial
fishing seat vacated by Tillman Gray last year. Beresoff was unable to make the
meeting due to previous commitments.
Motions
Approve minutes from the February and April MFC meetings as
amended motion passed unanimously.
Delay action of the N.C. Oyster
Fishery Mangment Plan Amendment 2, which recommends limiting the weight of
dredges to no more than 50 pounds, until a fishery resource grant
researching dredge weights in completed - motion passed unanimously.
Delay action on rules governing
stone crab harvest until a fishery resource grant studying stone crabs is
complete - motion passed unanimously.
Write letter to the National Marine Fisheries Commission
objecting to portions of their Shrimp Fishery Management Plan Amendment 6,
which charges permit fees motion passed.
Resuspend Mallard Bay portion of
the Primary Nursery Area Rule [03R.0103 (15)(d)] at each business meeting until
it can be determined if this area still functions as a primary nursery
area - motion passed unanimously.
Adopt the implementation policy for
the N.C. Coastal Habitat Protection Plan implementation - motion passed
unanimously. Go to http://www.ncdmf.net/habitat/chpp28.html to learn
more about the implementation process.
Adopt the draft N.C. Striped Mullet
Fishery Management Plan - motion passed unanimously. Go to http://www.ncdmf.net/download/index.html to
download or review a copy of the draft N.C. Striped Mullet Fishery Management
Plan.
Send the draft N.C. Striped Mullet
Fishery Management Plan to Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Secretary Bill Ross for review - motion
passed unanimously.
Request an extension of the
timeline for the N.C. Shrimp Fishery Management Plan from Department of
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Bill Ross - motion passed
unanimously.
Adopt the revised N.C. fishery
management plan priority schedule as amended - motion passed unanimously.
Approved Fishery Management Plan Schedule for 2005-2010
2005/2006
Bay Scallops - initiated
Shrimp completed
Kingfishes - initiated
River Herring Review completed
Red Drum Review initiated
2006/2007
Bay Scallop completed
Kingfishes - completed
Oyster Review initiated
Clam Review initiated
Interjurisdictional Review initiated
Red Drum Review - completed
2007/2008
Oyster Review completed
Clam Review completed
Interjurisdictional Review completed
Spotted Sea Trout - initiated
2008/2009
Striped Bass Review initiated
Blue Crab Review initiated
Spotted Sea Trout completed
Catfishes- initiated
2009/2010
Striped Bass Review completed
Southern Flounder Review initiated
Striped Mullet Review initiated
Blue Crab Review completed
Catfishes completed
White Perch - initiated
Amend 03I .0101. - Require
white-line peeler crabs be held separately from pink and red-line peelers and
separate where taken - motion passed unanimously.
Amend 03I.0105. - Shorten
attendance period for crab pots from seven days to five days - motion passed unanimously.
Amend 03J .0104 and 03R .0107 (as
modified) - Unlawful to possess trawl-caught finfish in designated crab
pot areas during certain times of the year and modify pot areas to include the
north side of Pamlico River from Gum Point to Adams Point, Dawson Creek above
the bridge, Archer Creek to the Hwy. 58 Bridge, and Dawson Creek main river,
and Change the designated pot area boundary descriptions to a standardized
6-ft. depth contour in Hyde, Beaufort, Pamlico and Craven counties - motion passed
unanimously.
Amend 03J .0106 - Restrict
the taking of blue crabs by channel nets, except for bycatch that cannot exceed
50 percent of the catch or 300 lbs., whichever is greater - motion
passed unanimously.
Amend 03J .0301 - Extend the crab pot clean-up period to
Jan. 15 Feb. 7 of each year, Prohibit the use of yellow
or pink buoys for crab pots, give the DMF director proclamation
authority to settle user conflicts -motion passed unanimously.
Amend 03L .0201 - Allow the DMF director to implement
a 6 Ύ inch size limit for female crabs and white line peeler culling tolerance
if the spawning stock biomass falls below levels set in the Blue Crab Fishery
Management Plan - motion passed.
Amend 03L. 0202 - Expand the
DMF directors proclamation authority to increase crab trawl mesh size to no
more than 4 inches, and specify areas for crab trawl mesh size to minimize
waste
- motion passed unanimously.
Amend 03L .0206 - Allow
possession of white-line peeler crabs for use in permitted shedding operations - motion
passed unanimously.
Amend 03L .0301 - In order to
stay in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, it is
unlawful to possess an American lobster with a carapace less than 3 3/8 inches
or greater than 5 ½ inches - motion passed unanimously.
Amend 03M .0515 (as modified) AND
.0517 (as modified) - In order to stay in compliance with the South Atlantic
Fishery Management Council, allow the sale of recreationally-caught dolphin and
wahoo by for-hire charter boats possessing appropriate state and federal
permits, establish bag and trip limits and dealer and operator permits for
dolphin and wahoo - motion passed
unanimously.
Amend 03O. .0503 - Revoke
dealer permit for ocean-intercept shad fishery because fishery is closed - motion
passed unanimously.
Amend 03Q .0107 - Technical
adjustments to the Estuarine Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan - motion
passed unanimously.
Amend 03R .0103 - Change the
boundary lines of the Mallards Bay primary nursery area to exclude the mouth of
the waterbody, because it no longer meets the criteria of a primary nuraery
area -motion passed unanimously.
Amend 03I .0120 - Exempt
flounder aquaculture operations from size and season requirements - motion
passed unanimously.
Amend 03J .0103 -
Commercial fishermen cannot use more than 3000 yards of flounder gill
net per vessel, in internal waters; require 5 ½ inch stretched minimum mesh
size for all flounder gill nets in internal waters, this will require the
prohibition of gill nets from 5 inch to less than 5 ½-inch stretched mesh, from
April 15 Dec. 15; 500-yard minimum
distance between pound nets and gill nets in Albemarle Sound, from August 15
December 31 - motion passed unanimously.
Amend 03J .0107 - Flounder
pound nets must have an escape panel 5 ½ inches or greater to allow small
flounder to escape - motion passed unanimously.
Amend 03M .0503 - Allow 80 percent of the commercial
ocean-caught flounder quota to be harvested during the winter season, beginning
Jan. 1 of each year and exempt flounder aquaculture operations from size and
season requirements - motion passed unanimously.
Amend 03O .0302 - Recreational
large mesh gill nets (5 ½ inches or larger stretched mesh) must be attended at
all times, south and west of the Emerald Isle Bridge (Hwy. 58) in internal and
ocean waters - motion failed 4 -
3.
Amend 030 .0202, .0205, .0501,
.0502, AND .0503 - Create a permit and training requirements for dock
owners to cultivate oysters in containers under their docks - motion
passed unanimously.
Schedule public meetings to review
the N.C. draft Shrimp Fishery Management Plan - motion passed unanimously. Visit http://www.ncdmf.net/news/NR2K5/NR-31-05.htm to view the meeting schedule.
The MFC also was given an overview of the 2005 Stock Status
Report. Visit http://www.ncdmf.net/news/NR2K5/NR-30-05.htm
to learn more about this report.
Upcoming MFC Meetings:
Aug. 30-31 Atlantic
Beach
Nov. 17-18 Ocracoke