June 16 MOREHEAD CITY -- The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a business meeting June 24-26, at the Ramada Inn in New Bern, N.C.
The meeting is open to the public.
For more information, contact Jess Hawkins, DMF- Morehead City, at 1-800/682-2632 or 919/726-7021.
June 15 MOREHEAD CITY -- Officials with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) have announced that a new federally imposed size limit for black sea bass will go into effect on Saturday, June 20, 1998.
In order to stay in compliance with the federal Fishery Management Plan for Black Sea Bass, North Carolina must increase the size limit for black sea bass taken north of Cape Hatteras from 9 inches to 10 inches. The federal plan also calls for the size limit for black sea bass taken south of Cape Hatteras to increase from 8 inches to 10 inches later this fall.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council have determined that coast-wide stocks of black sea bass are overfished. In 1997, recreational fishermen along the Atlantic coast exceeded their allocation of this popular fish, so increased size limits, as well as a recreational season closure from August 1-15, 1998, are being implemented as conservation measures.
For more information about these harvest limits, please contact Fentress Munden, DMF - Morehead City, at 1-800/682-2632 or 919/726-7021.
June 11 MOREHEAD CITY --The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) 1999 commercial fishing licenses will go on sale July 1, 1998. All 1998 licenses will be valid until midnight on July 31, but after that date fishermen must have a 1999 license if they are engaging in a commercial fishing activity.
This is the last year of the current DMF licensing system. On July 1, 1999 a new licensing system, created by the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act, will go into effect. The existing moratorium on commercial licenses will continue until that time.
Fishermen need to be aware they must renew their Endorsement-to-Sell License between July 1, 1998 and June 30, 1999 to receive a commercial fishing license under the new system. Endorsement-to-Sell Licenses, regardless of the year purchased, can be renewed before July 1, 1999. If a fisherman did not hold a 1997 or 1998 Endorsement-to-Sell License, they must renew that license at DMF offices in Morehead City or Wanchese.
The following is a list of licenses sold by the DMF:
Vessel *
Shellfish *
Crab *
Vessel Crab*
Endorsement to Sell-Non-Vessel*
Endorsement to Sell-Vessel*
Seafood Dealer
Spotter Plane
Ocean Pier
Land or Sell
Charter Boat
Land Flounder
(NOTE: *Sales subject to Fishing License Moratorium criteria)
Only the following licenses can be purchased from field agents along the coast: Vessel, Shellfish, Crab, Vessel Crab, Endorsement-to-Sell, and Land or Sell. A list of license agent locations is located here.
Fishermen must present the following documents when purchasing 1999 licenses:
Vessel License receipts and Endorsement-to-Sell License receipts
Current Boat Registration or US Customs documentation
Picture identification
Temporary WRC boat registration or notarized bill of sale for US Customs-documented vessels
For more information on licensing requirements, please call the License Unit, DMF-Morehead City, at 252/ 726-7021 or 1-800/ 682-2632.