-   gill nets - no more than 100 yards of gill nets with a stretched mesh length of 2 1/2 inches or greater, fishermen must stay within 100 yards of their gill nets at all times OR no more than 100 yards of gill nets with a stretched mesh length 5 1/2 inches or greater, fishermen must stay within 100 yards of their gill nets from one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset (no nighttime attendance required)
  -   one shrimp trawl with a headrope up to 26 feet in length per vessel
  -   five crab, eel, fish, or shrimp pots in any combination, but only two may be eel pots. A single crab pot attached to a shore or pier may be used without a license
  -   also seines and trotlines

The public is invited and encouraged to attend these hearings:

The MFC will accept written comments on these proposed rules until November 1, 1999. Copies of the temporary rules for consideration as permanent rules can be obtained from the Division of Marine Fisheries.

For more information on these proposed rules, contact Jess Hawkins, Division of Marine Fisheries, Morehead City, at 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.

MOREHEAD CITY -- Representatives from the Marine Fisheries Commission and the Wildlife Resources Commission will meet on September 28, 1999 at 1:30 p.m. at the Washington County Courthouse, Commissioners Room, 120 Adams Street, Plymouth. The meeting is open to the public.

Issues to be discussed at the meeting include striped bass in the Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River, the River Herring Fishery Management Plan, the Red Drum Fishery Management Plan, a joint rule on striped bass, and inland/coastal waters classification boundaries. Other issues of common concern may be discussed.

For more information, contact Jess Hawkins, Division of Marine Fisheries, Morehead City, at 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.

MOREHEAD CITY -- The North Caro lina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) will be holding meetings to receive public comment on the draft River Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The management plan sets out specified management goals for the fishery, which includes information on the nature and problems in the river herring fishery and proposes management options to deal with those issues.

Fishermen and interested parties are urged to participate in these meetings; public input is a key component of any successful FMP. A river herring advisory committee composed of fishermen and scientists have helped develop the FMP. Copies of the draft FMPs may be obtained from the Elizabeth City, Columbia, Wanchese, and Morehead City Division of Marine Fisheries’ offices. The following meetings will be held in order to allow the public an opportunity to provide comments on the River Herring FMP and to refine the list of management options. The meeting dates and locations are as follows:

For more information, please contact Sara Winslow, Biologist Supervisor, at 252-264-3911 or 1-800-338-7805. 2632 or 252-726-7021.

MOREHEAD CITY- A series of six public meetings will be held along the coast in October to receive comments on management issues to be addressed in the Red Drum Fishery Management Plan.

On September 10, 1999, the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission approved a draft Public Information Document (PID) as a part of the Red Drum Fishery Management Plan process. The PID briefly describes the current status of the red drum fishery and is designed to help identify management issues which will be discussed in detail in the fishery management plan that follows.

A citizen advisory committee composed of fishermen and scientists worked with Division of Marine Fisheries staff to draft the PID. The public is encouraged to provide comments to improve the PID and to refine the list of management issues. The meeting dates and locations are:

MOREHEAD CITY - The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, October 6, at 7:00 p.m. at the Commissioner=s Chambers, Public Assembly Building, Brunswick County Government Center in Boliva. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss potential additional restrictions for gill nets in the vicinity of the Sunset Beach Fishing Pier in Brunswick County.

At issue is the concern of pier owner, Marc Kaplan, that gill nets set around his pier create the perception that they are catching the majority of available fish. This is having a negative impact on his business because pier customers feel they are being deprived of an equal opportunity to catch fish.

North Carolina fisheries rules and general statutes currently prohibit fishermen from setting nets within 750 feet of a properly marked and licensed fishing pier. However, Kaplan claims he needs a larger zone of net-free water surrounding his pier in order to stay in business.

At its September meeting, the Marine Fisheries Commission acknowledged the problem and began the process of addressing the issue through the more lengthy permanent rulemaking process. Because of the nature of the conflict, it will take up to two years for a rule change to be developed.

In order to offer immediate relief for Kaplan, the Commission encouraged DMF Director Pres Pate to hold a meeting to receive public input on the matter and issue a proclamation to temporarily alleviate the conflict.

Mr. Kaplan, commercial fishermen, and DMF staff met prior to the Commission meeting to develop a compromise that would resolve this user group conflict. A tentative agreement was reached; however, the Commission felt additional input from fishermen is needed to fully understand all aspects of the situation.

The DMF will use the proposed compromise as a starting point for discussion at the public meeting. All fishermen, both commercial and recreational, are encouraged to attend and participate.

For more information, please contact Rich Carpenter, DMF - Wilmington, at 1-800-248-4536 or 910-395-3900.

MOREHEAD CITY - A series of five public meetings will be held along the coast in October to receive comments on management issues to be addressed in the Oyster and Hard Clam Fishery Management Plans.

On September 10, 1999, the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission approved draft Public Information Documents(PID) as a part of the Oyster and Hard Clam Fishery Management Plan process. The PIDs briefly describe the current status of the oyster and hard clam fisheries and are designed to help identify management issues which will be discussed in detail in the fishery management plans that follow.

A citizen advisory committee composed of fishermen and scientists worked with Division of Marine Fisheries staff to draft the PIDs. The public is encouraged to provide comments to improve the PIDs and to refine the list of management issues. The meeting dates and locations are:

For more information on these meetings or to receive a copy of the draft Public Information Documents, please contact Jess Hawkins, Division of Marine Fisheries, at 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.

MOREHEAD CITY - Several waterways in Carteret, Onslow and Brunswick counties will be closed to shrimp and crab trawling because of the effects of Tropical Storm Dennis.

Officials with the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) announced the closures after sampling showed that rainfall and northeast winds generated by Dennis had driven large numbers of undersized pink and white shrimp from smaller creeks and bays into the open rivers and sounds. By closing these areas, the DMF hopes to allow the undersized shrimp to grow to marketable size for harvesting. Once the severe weather is past, fisheries managers hope the small shrimp will return the estuaries and small creeks where they normally stay until they mature.

The closure effects the following water bodies:

In Carteret County, a portion of the North River was is closing because of the presence of small shrimp, but some of the river will remain open to allow fishermen space to trawl. DMF officials and fishermen had agreed on a permanent closure line in the North River, and for the last two years that line has stayed in place; however, the DMF felt it was imperative that the small shrimp be protected during the inclement weather, so the closure line is temporarily being moved further downstream.

For more detailed information, please contact the DMF at 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632.

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MOREHEAD CITY -- The Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a public meeting September 8, 1999 at the American Legion Post in Edenton, beginning at 7 p.m.

This meeting is being held to allow the public the opportunity to address fisheries issues with the commission.

For more information, contact Jess Hawkins, DMF-Morehead City, at 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.

MOREHEAD CITY -- The Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a business session September 9 and 10 at the American Legion Post in Edenton.

The meeting is open to the public.

For more information, contact Jess Hawkins, DMF-Morehead City, at 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.

An Adobe Acrobat version of the Agenda can be found here.