MOREHEAD CITY - How do we protect oyster and clam habitat in North Carolina's coastal waters?

That's the topic of an upcoming public forum planned by the Marine Fisheries Commission's (MFC) Habitat and Water Quality Committee. The public is encouraged to participate in the Tuesday, March 14 forum held at 3 p.m. at the Duke Marine Lab Auditorium in Beaufort.

“Experts will be helping us understand how to protect water quality so that commercial and recreational shellfishing can continue in North Carolina,” says Willie Phillips, co-chair of the committee and a member of the MFC.

Invited panelists include Dr. Mike Mallin of UNC-Wilmington, Dr. Charles Peterson, member of the Environmental Management Commission, and Attorney Derb Carter of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

Mallin has just finished a four year study of water quality in the tidal creeks in New Hanover Creek. His study examines the effectiveness of using central sewers and stormwater controls to protect shellfish waters, and his findings have profound implications for water quality protection efforts in urbanizing areas. Peterson and Carter will talk about regulatory and legal options for protecting shellfish resources.

“The forum is being held to help the committee put together recommendations for the Oyster and Clam Fishery Management Plans and Coastal Habitat Protection Plans mandated by the Fisheries Reform Act,” explains committee co-chair and newly appointed MFC member Barbara Garrity-Blake. When these plans are finalized, we want them to include an effective strategy for not only protecting the quality of shellfishing waters, but for reversing the degradation that has already happened.”

The forum is open to the public and includes time for questions and comments from the audience. The Habitat and Water Quality Committee will meet following the forum at 7 p.m. for its monthly meeting. For more information on these meetings, please contact Jess Hawkins at 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632

MOREHEAD CITY --The Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) approved a Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for river herring, the first finfish FMP developed under the guidelines of the Fisheries Reform Act.

River herring have supported one of North Carolina’s oldest fisheries. Between 1890 and 1900, annual river herring landings were between 15 million and 20 million pounds -- 33 percent of the United States’ harvest. The amount of river herring harvested in North Carolina waters had fallen below one million pounds in 1994, prior to harvest restrictions implemented by the MFC. Even after five years of substantial harvest restrictions, river herring have shown no significant signs of recovery.

Because river herring stocks are at very low population levels, the FMP reduces river herring harvest to 300,000 pounds in the Albemarle Sound Management Area, the area where most of the harvest occurs. The River Herring FMP, approved by the MFC February 17, 2000 enacts the following restrictions:

Commercial
300,000 pounds annual total allowable catch - Albemarle Sound Management Area
200,000 pounds to the Chowan River pound net fishery
67,000 pounds to go to the gill net fishery
33,000 pounds to be used at the discretion of the Division of Marine Fisheries Director

Recreational
25 blueback herring and alewife, in the aggregate, per person per day
3-inch minimum mesh length for drift gill nets from January 1-May 15, beginning January 1, 2001

Permits will also be required for fishermen using pound nets to take river herring from the Chowan River area. Daily river herring landings will have to be reported to the Division and log books maintained by those holding the pound net permits. The free permit will be issued by the NC Division of Marine Fisheries, Elizabeth City Office, 1367 US 17 South, Elizabeth City, NC (252-264-3911 or 800-338-7805). Permits will be issued by the Division until 5:00 p.

m. on Tuesday, March 14, 2000. “After consideration of extensive review by numerous MFC Advisory Committees, public input, and Division of Marine Fisheries recommendations, the MFC has adopted an FMP that will provide for rebuilding of the river herring stock,” said MFC Chairman Jimmy Johnson. “Management of this fishery has been one of the more difficult issues the MFC has had to deal with since 1994.”

The restrictions set out in the FMP, except the restrictions for drift gill nets, will become effective as soon as possible.

Because environmental factors such as habitat loss and water quality degradation have played a major role in the decline of river herring, the FMP recommends several actions to protect river herring habitat, such as protecting herring spawning and nursery areas. The Commission has also passed a motion endorsing the concept of seeking funds to support herring fishermen and dealers who suffer financial hardships during the rebuilding period.

FMPs contain a great deal of information on the biology of a stock (or stocks) as well as the fishery (landings, gear, fishing grounds, processing, markets, etc.) A plan identifies problems in the fishery and proposes management measures in the form of fishing regulations that will correct the problems. The River Herring FMP was primarily written by the Division of Marine Fisheries, with assistance from the Wildlife Resources Commission, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Division of Water Quality and with the advice of other scientists and fishermen who were members of the River Herring FMP Advisory Committee.

For more information please contact Sara Winslow at 252-264-3911 or 800-338-7805 or Jess Hawkins at 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.

MOREHEAD CITY – The CHPP program will sponsor a meeting of scientists (more than 70 have been invited) at the Greenville Hilton Hotel, on February 29, 2000, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., Greenville, North Carolina.

The Fisheries Reform Act of 1997 requires the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to prepare Coastal Habitat Protection Plans (CHPPs) for habitats of coastal fisheries resources. The goal of these plans is to enhance the coastal fisheries associated with the various habitats, such as seagrass and shell bottoms. The Coastal Resources, Marine Fisheries, and Environmental Management commissions will approve the plans. The plans (11 in all) are being prepared by staff of the Division of Marine Fisheries, with help from other agencies, including Coastal Resources, Water Quality, Wildlife Resources, and Shellfish Sanitation. The plans must be completed by July 2003, and they will be reviewed and modified on a 5-year cycle.

The plans will be based on the best available scientific information. The scientists will be encouraged to contribute information for the CHPPs, as well as to conduct research that may help define important habitats, evaluate status and trends, and determine if objectives of the plans are being achieved.

MOREHEAD CITY – Officer Brian Spain has been named the 1999 Marine Patrol Officer of the Year by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation through the North Carolina Conservation Achievement Program.

The North Carolina Conservation Achievement Program recognizes contributions made in the public interest by outstanding community and state conservation leaders who stress the need to conserve and wisely use North Carolina's natural resources. Spain, a four-year Marine Patrol veteran, was recognized by his colleagues for outstanding work with the protection and conservation of our state's fisheries resources. He was presented the award February 12, at the Governor's Conservation Achievement Awards Banquet in Raleigh.

Spain, 30, began his career with Marine Patrol in 1996, as a field officer. Currently, Spain's patrol area is Chowan, Bertie and Hertford counties. He is a graduate of Appalachian State University with a four-year degree in Criminal Justice and a two-year degree in Education.

Aside from his normal patrol duties, Spain is an active member of the PTA in Edenton. Because of his interest in education, Spain conducts all of Marine Patrol's school programs in the northeastern portion of the state. He has also participated in several search and rescue operations and has received an Award of Appreciation from the Emanuel Church in Edenton.

“Officer Spain has earned the respect and confidence of all who have worked with him,” said Col. Pete Rivenbark, head of the Marine Patrol. “ His tireless dedication to the conservation of our fisheries and his willingness to help others, makes Officer Spain an asset to law enforcement in North Carolina.”

A native of Pamlico County, Spain lives in Edenton with his wife, Tammy, and their two sons.

Photo Here.

MOREHEAD CITY – If you got something you would like to discuss with North Carolina's Marine Fisheries Commission, make sure you attend the public meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16, 2000 at the Sea Trail Resort and Conference Center in Sunset Beach.

“Normally our public meetings are fairly formal - we're there to discuss one or two very specific issues and the meeting's over,” said MFC Chairman Jimmy Johnson. “In an effort to be more accessible to the public, the commission has decided to periodically hold meetings where the public can bring up any issues they would like to discuss.”

“As regulators, we are continuously looking for ways to improve dialogue with the public. The more input we have on issues, the better our regulatory process will be,” said Johnson.

This public meeting is being held in advance of a two-day MFC business session to be held February 17-18, at the same location.

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

MOREHEAD CITY - The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) is looking for interested individuals to fill vacancies on the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee.

This committee will assist the MFC in the development of a fishery management plan (FMP) for southern flounder. The goal of a FMP is to develop options to deal with management issues. The FMP will also include information on the nature and concerns of the fishery, habitat and water quality issues and information on the status of the stock.

Individuals interested in serving as advisors should be willing to attend meetings at least once every two months and actively participate in the committee process. Advisors will be reimbursed for travel and other expenses incurred in relation to their official duties. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2000.

Applications are available at Division of Marine Fisheries offices or by calling the MFC staff at 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632. Applications should be returned to the Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, North Carolina 28557, Attention: Jess Hawkins.

MOREHEAD CITY -- The Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a business session February 17 and 18, at the Sea Trail Resort and Conference in Sunset Beach.

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.

NOTE: Meeting Agenda Here

According to Pres Pate, DMF Director, the program is set up to compensate fishermen who were substantially impacted by Hurricane Floyd. “Fortunately, North Carolina's commercial fishing industry was not hurt as severely by the hurricane as originally projected. However, certain fisheries were significantly impacted - this program is set up to distribute aid to fishermen in those affected fisheries who had verified income or equipment losses.”

Pate indicated the program, which will compensate qualified fishermen for 60 percent of hurricane-related losses, will be up and running by February 15. At the conclusion of the program, any unused monies will revert back to the state to be used for other disaster recovery needs.

Only fishermen holding a Standard or Retired Commercial Fishing License or Shellfish License, who have verifiable income losses in an “affected” fishery, will be eligible for grant monies.

An “affected” fishery, is any fishery with a 33 percent decrease in landings in September and October 1999, compared to the same time period for 1997 and 1998. The term fishery includes the species harvested, as well as the gear type used and the water body fished. For example, southern flounder harvested with pound nets in the Pamlico Sound would be an “affected” fishery. The DMF has determined there are 239 fisheries “affected” fisheries, which can be viewed at www.ncdmf.net/grants on the division's web site.

Income loss for individual fishermen is verified using a two-step process. First, a fisherman must have a 25 percent reduction in total fishing income for September and October 1999, compared to the same time period in 1997 and 1998. Then, there must be a 25 percent income loss from an “affected” fishery for the same time period. Fishermen, who participated in an “affected” fishery, with commercial fishing income losses exceeding $500 will be eligible to apply for a grant for fishing equipment that was lost, damaged or destroyed by the hurricane. Grants will only be given for equipment purchased prior to September 16, 1999. In addition, only equipment that was lost, damaged or destroyed, between September 16 – October 15, 1999, will be considered.

Beginning February 15, fishermen can either call the DMF Hurricane Assitance Grant office in Morehead City, at 252-726-0216 or 1-877-352-0216 (toll free NC only) and request an application package be mailed to them; OR, they can stop by the nearest DMF office and pick up an application package. Fishermen must complete the required forms and return them to the DMF for processing by May 1. DMF offices are in the following coastal locations:

For more information about the program, visit the DMF web site at: www.ncdmf.net/grants/ or call Hurricane Assistance Grants Office, DMF-Morehead City, at 252-726-0216 or 1-877-352-0216 (toll free NC only).

MOREHEAD CITY – Fishermen who use crab pots are reminded beginning February 1, 2000 all crab pots must use non-floating line to connect the crab pot to the buoy.

The new rule, adopted by the Marine Fisheries Commission in July 1999, will reduce problems with crab pot lines becoming entangled and cut by boat motors, lessening conflicts with the boating public and decreasing the number of lost or “ghost” pots.

Crabbers are required to use sinking line or line that is weighted down so it does not float. No portion of the crab pot line can float on the surface of the water.

For more information about this new rule, please contact Lynn Henry, Division of Marine Fisheries – Columbia, at 252-796-1322 or 1-800-405-7774.