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THE MFC ADVISOR Marine Fisheries Commission Business Meeting The MFC held a business meeting Sept. 28-29 at the Clam Digger Inn in Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina. The following members were in attendance: Mac Currin - Chairman, Dr. B.J. Copeland -Vice Chairman, David Beresoff, Dr. Barbara Garrity-Blake, David Hilton, Rusty Russ , Bradley Styron and Marshall Williford. Dr. Jim Leutze had an excused absence. Motion to approve minutes from the June 2006 MFC meeting – motion passed without objection. N.C. Watermen United Resolution – This group submitted a resolution asking the commission recommend to the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture that commercially registered vessels be exempt from the Coastal Recreational Fishing License. Chairman Currin asked the Division of Marine Fisheries do an analysis of the request and report back at the November meeting. Issues from Commissioners Chairman’s Report The commission was pleased with the response it received from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries and is looking forward to meeting with the ASMFC in October. 2007 Meeting Schedule – The commission approved the following schedule: Jim Fletcher Letter – A letter was received from Jim Fletcher of Manns Harbor asking the commission to amend summer flounder regulations to allow combining of licenses. The commission instructed division staff to write Mr. Fletcher and let him know the commission had decided not to act on his request. Circumstances have not changed since the last time he made this request in 2005, when the commission also decided not to act. While larger boat owners may support combining flounder licenses, smaller vessel owners do not support this measure. Election of Vice Chairman - Motion to nominate Dr. B.J. Copeland to serve as vice chairman of the Marine Fisheries Commission - motion passed unanimously. Committee Recommendations By consensus, the commission decided to send the Strategic Habitat Area definitions out to the regional advisory committees for review. Motion to approve the CHPP Annual Report - motion passed unanimously. Motion to send a letter to the U.S. Navy requesting a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed sonar testing range off the coast of North Carolina - motion passed unanimously. Motion to approve and send a letter, as modified, to Courtney Hackney, Coastal Resources Commission, regarding beach renourishment - motion passed unanimously. By consensus, the commission decided not to go forward with the recommendation from the Northeast Regional Advisory Committee asking the ASMFC, on a year-by-year basis, as needed, to extend the shad season past the April 15 if certain conditions exist. The issue of extending the shad season was referred to the Finfish Committee for review. By consensus, the commission decided not to go forward with the recommendation from the Northeast Regional Advisory Committee asking for an evaluation of the use of shad nets below the new Highway 64 bridge and above the ASMA boundary line, not to be any closer to the normal shoreline than 300 yards. The commission determined the division did not have funds to accomplish this recommendation and urged fishermen to seek funding for this initiative through the Fishery Resource Grant Program. River Herring Fishery Management Plan Motion to approve the draft River Herring FMP with a 100,000-pound harvest and the division’s and the advisory committee’s recommendations for all other management options they jointly agreed on - motion failed due to a tied vote. Motion to postpone action on the draft River Herring FMP until the November MFC meeting - motion passed unanimously. Director’s Report By consensus, the commission referred the issue of a beach seine definition to the Northeast and Finish advisory committees for review. By consensus, the commission referred the Sea Turtle Advisory Committee final report to the regional and Finfish advisory committees for review. The commission would like the advisory committees to determine if there are any report recommendations that merit consideration from the commission. Draft Bay Scallop Fishery Management Plan Motion to approve the draft Bay Scallop Fishery Management Plan to go to public meetings – motion passed unanimously. Rules for Final Approval Motion to adopt 03R.0103, designation of Dicks Creek in Carteret County as a primary nursery area. This rule provides additional protection of recreational and commercially important juvenile species that use this creek as nursery habitat Motion to adopt 03L.0208, Stone crabs harvest limits, which include a size limit and harvest season for stone crabs. And prohibits possession of stone crab bodies and the taking of stone crabs using any device that would injure the stone crab body. Motion to adopt the Coastal Recreational Fishing License rules as recommended by the Division of Marine Fisheries - motion passed unanimously. License Eligibility Board Upcoming MFC Meetings 2006:
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