November 26, 1996

November 20, 1996 ~ November 18, 1996 ~ November 15, 1996

November 8, 1996 (A) ~ Novmeber 8, 1996

MECHANICAL CLAM SEASON TO OPEN DEC. 9

November 26, 1996 MOREHEAD CITY - Officials with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) have announced that the mechanical clam season will open on Monday, December 9, 1996.

Mechanical clam harvest will be allowed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fishermen will only be allowed to harvest clams mechanically from the following areas: Newport and North rivers, Core and Bogue sounds, the Intracoastal Waterway from Sallier's Bay to Banks Channel, and lower portions of the White Oak River.

The following harvest limits apply per fishing operation:

  • 15 bags (250 clams per bag) - Newport and North rivers and Bogue Sound;
  • 25 bags (250 clams per bag) - White Oak River, Core Sound, and the Intracoastal Waterway.

    For more information contact David Taylor, Morehead City - DMF at 1-800/ 682-2632 or Rich Carpenter, Wilmington - DMF at 1-800/ 248-4536.

    MECHANICAL OYSTER SEASON TO OPEN NOV. 22

    November 20, 1996 MOREHEAD CITY -- Officials with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) have announced that the mechanical oyster season will open on Friday, November 22, 1996.

    The following restrictions apply to mechanical oyster harvest:

  • The minimum size limit for oysters is three inches.
  • Oysters may be harvested from sunrise to sunset, Monday through Friday.
  • Fishing operations will be allowed to mechanically harvest no more than 15 bushels per day, regardless of the number of persons or boats involved.
  • Oysters may not be transferred from the catching vessel to any other vessel.

    The mechanical harvest of oysters is not allowed in the following areas: the Neuse River tributaries of South River, Turnigan Bay, and Adams Creek; the Oyster Rehabilitation sites at Tooley Creek, Lightwood Snag Bay off Rose Bay, and Striking Bay; within 100 yards of the Roanoke Sound Bridge; Shellfish/Seed Management Areas; and primary and secondary nursery areas.

    A permit is required for anyone using mechanical gear to harvest oysters, these permits are available at no cost from the DMF. Fishermen should also note that it is unlawful to possess or sell oysters without a harvest tag affixed to each container, except for oysters harvested for personal consumption.

    For more information about the mechanical oyster season, please contact Mike Marshall, Morehead City-DMF, at 919/725-7021 or 1-800/682-2632.

    COMMERCIAL STRIPED BASS SEASON TO OPEN NOV. 30
    FOR ALBEMARLE SOUND MANAGEMENT AREA

    November 18, 1996 MOREHEAD CITY -- The commercial season for striped bass in the Albemarle Sound Management Area will open on Saturday, November 30, 1996.

    Bruce Freeman, Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), has announced that fishermen targeting other species will be allowed to keep a by-catch of 25 percent by weight of striped bass, not to exceed five striped bass per day.

    These striped bass must be 18 inches or larger; any undersized fish that are caught should be handled carefully and returned to the water where taken as quickly as possible. By practicing careful release techniques and observing fishing regulations, fishermen help preserve fish for the future.

    The Albemarle Sound Management Area includes the Albemarle, Currituck, Roanoke and Croatan sounds and all of their joint water tributaries, except the Roanoke, Eastmost, Middle and Cashie rivers.

    The commercial season on striped bass in the Albemarle Sound Management Area is scheduled to close at midnight on December 31, 1996, unless the harvest quota is reached earlier.

    All dealers must obtain a valid 1996 Albemarle Sound Management Area Dealer's Striped Bass Permit. Dealers are also required to place an Albemarle Sound Management Area sales tag through the gill cover on any striped bass they pack for transport, sell or offer for sale.

    For more information or to obtain permits and sales tags, contact Captain Monty Willis, DMF Marine Patrol, at (919)796-1322 or (800)405-7774.

    LOBSTER MEETING TO BE HELD DECEMBER 3

    November 15, 1996 MOREHEAD CITY -- The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. on December 3, 1996 at the N.C. Aquarium in Manteo to receive comment regarding the lobster fishery.

    Officials with the DMF want to meet with interested fishermen to discuss management options to be considered for Amendment #3 of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Fishery Management Plan for Lobster. Draft objectives for Amendment # 3 include:

  • 1) Protect, increase or maintain the brood stock abundance at levels which would minimize risk of stock depletion and recruitment failure
  • 2) Develop flexible regional programs to control fishing effort and regulate fishing mortality rates
  • 3) Implement uniform collection, analysis, and dissemination of biological and economic information
  • 4) Maintain existing social and cultural features of the industry wherever possible
  • 5) Promote economic efficiency in harvesting and use of the resource
  • 6) Minimize lobster injury and discard mortality associated with fishing
  • 7) Increase understanding of biology of American lobster, improve data, improve stock assessment models
  • 8) Evaluate contributions of current management measures in achieving objectives of the Lobster Fishery Management Plan
  • 9) Ensure that changes in geographic exploitation patterns do not undermine success of ASMFC management program
  • 10) Increase yield in the fishery

    For more information contact Dennis Spitsbergen, DMF- Morehead City, at (919) 726-7021 or (800) 682-2632.

    MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION APPROVES NEW RULES

    November 8, 1996 MOREHEAD CITY -- At a recent quarterly business meeting, held on November 1 and 2, the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) adopted a number of permanent and temporary rules that will tentatively go into effect November 15, 1996.

    Permanent Rules Adopted:

  • It is unlawful to leave pots in the water for more than 10 days unattended.
  • Double-rigged peeler trawls, that do not exceed 25 ft. total headrope length, will be allowed in selected tributaries of Core Sound.
  • The new tolerance for undersized crabs is 10% by number. Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) officers are allowed to determine the percent of undersized crabs by container.
  • Created a pound net definition that states: A pound net is a fish trap consisting of a holding pen, one or more enclosures, and a lead or leaders. The lead(s), enclosures, and holding pen are not conical, nor are they supported by hoops or frames.
  • DMF Director has proclamation authority for size and/or bag limits for striped bass, bluefish and weakfish.
  • The new recreational bag limit for spotted seatrout is 10 fish - per person, per day.

    Temporary Rules Adopted:

  • DMF Director has proclamation authority to implement trip limits on the summer flounder fishery.
  • DMF Director has proclamation authority to close the flounder season if the quota is projected to be filled after the fall re-opening.
  • DMF Director has proclamation authority to set restrictions on scup, and also on black sea bass north of Cape Hatteras.

    For more information about these new rules and temporary rules, please contact Juanita Gaskill, DMF- Morehead City, at 919/726-7021 or 1-800/682-2632.

    HOOK-AND-LINE SEASON FOR STRIPED BASS TO OPEN NOV. 23 FOR ALBEMARLE SOUND MANAGEMENT AREA

    November 8, 1996 MOREHEAD CITY -- The striped bass hook-and-line season will open in the Albemarle Sound Management Area at 6 a.m. on Saturday, November 23, 1996.

    Bruce Freeman, Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries, announced that striped bass may be taken by hook-and-line on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday of each week. Fishermen may take two striped bass per person, per day at a minimum length of 21 inches.

    Undersized striped bass that are caught must be handled carefully and returned to the water where taken as quickly as possible. By practicing careful release techniques and observing fishing regulations, fishermen help preserve fish for the future. It is illegal to sell or purchase striped bass taken by hook-and-line.

    The Albemarle Sound Recreational Harvest Management Area includes the Albemarle, Currituck, Croatan and Roanoke Sounds and their inland and joint water tributaries, except for the Roanoke, Eastmost, Middle and Cashie Rivers.

    The hook-and-line season on striped bass will close at midnight on December 29, 1996, unless the harvest quota of 14,500 pounds is reached earlier.

    For more information contact, Captain Monty Willis, DMF Marine Patrol, at (919)796-1322 or (800)405-7774 .