MOREHEAD CITY –This year fishermen don't have to face long lines or lengthy delays to renew their commercial licenses, according to officials with the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF).
In an effort to better accommodate the public, the DMF is now renewing 2001 commercial licenses by mail or at any of the six DMF offices along the coast. The new licenses go into effect July 1, 2000.
All commercial fishing licenses expire at midnight on June 30 each year. In the past, the DMF was prohibited from renewing those licenses until July 1. “Quite frankly that system didn't work,” said DMF Director Pres Pate. “Large numbers of commercial fishermen, who needed current licenses to legally fish, would show up at our offices July 1. We couldn't process the licenses fast enough to meet the demand and a backlog would quickly develop.”
“ We were extremely excited last year when the General Assembly changed the law,” said Pate. “Starting May 1, we began processing license renewals by mail or in person, so far 167 fishermen have taken advantage of the new service. If commercial fishermen haven't renewed their licenses, I urge them to go ahead and do so – it saves valuable time for both the fishermen and the DMF. ”
Fishermen who renew licenses through the mail by June 15, should receive their new licenses prior to July 1.
Even though renewals can be processed earlier, 2001 licenses still are not valid until July 1, 2000. Additionally, fishermen are reminded:
For more information about fishing licenses, call 252-726-7021 or 1-888-254-2024 (toll free).
MOREHEAD CITY - The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), along with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), will be holding two meetings on May 22 to discuss turtle strandings that have occurred in North Carolina waters during the last several months.
The first meeting will be held at 4 p.m. at the Fire Station in Englehard, to discuss proposed management measures for the fall flounder gill net fishery in the southeast portion of the Pamlico Sound. Last December, NMFS instituted a 30-day closure of large mesh gill nets in Pamlico Sound to protect turtles. This meeting will focus on long-term solutions to reduce future turtle strandings.
The second meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at Festival Park in Manteo, to discuss the large number of recent ocean turtle strandings and the resulting NMFS closure of gill nets 6 inches or larger in ocean waters out to 26 miles from Hatteras to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
For more information, please contact Red Munden at 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632.
MOREHEAD CITY - Bob Eakes, North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commissioner and tackle shop owner from Buxton, was named an Environmental Hero by Vice President Al Gore and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for his tireless efforts to preserve and protect our nation's environment.
This year there are a total of 72 honorees—68 individuals and four organizations. Vice President Al Gore sent each one of the Environmental Heroes a personal letter congratulating them on receiving the award from NOAA. Gore said, "As we observe the 30th annual Earth Day, please know that by volunteering your time and energy, you are part of a large worldwide community dedicated to building a legacy that will last for centuries."
Eakes received the award for his conservation work with bluefin tuna. He was a pioneer in developing the catch and release recreational fishery for giant bluefin tuna off of Hattteras, North Carolina and was instrumental in developing the Tag-A-Giant archival tagging program used to track migratory patterns of the giant tunas. He also promoted the use of circle hooks and developed an effective tagging pole for this fishery. For more information on the Environmental Hero Program visit NOAA's website at: www.noaa.gov/earthday.
MOREHEAD CITY – The North Carolina Marine Fisheries and Wildlife Resources commissions will hold a hearing at 7 p.m. on May 25 at the Gateway Convention Center in Rocky Mount to discuss striped bass.
Fishermen are asked to comment on a proposal to allow up to three striped bass per day to be harvested from joint waters (waters jointly controlled by both the MFC and the WRC) by either hook-and-line or by fishing gear authorized by the Recreational Commercial Gear License.
For more information about this meeting, please contact Jess Hawkins at 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632.
MOREHEAD CITY - The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) has begun a year-long process of revamping the state's permit system for commercial fishermen to eliminate unnecessary permits and develop a more consistent permit process. During a recent business meeting the MFC voted to require a new permit for crab shedding and significantly revised the permit requirements for pound nets. The fishery panel also passed a rule to continue the use of a permit to allow fishermen to pull trawls for a limited period of time rather that use Turtle Excluder Devices in their nets in an area between Browns Inlet and Rich's Inlet, in the southern portion of the coast.
Blue Crab Shedding Permit
The new crab shedding permit will allow the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to monitor this rapidly growing fishery and document the number of shedders. After much discussion, the MFC decided not to require shedders to report the number of peelers (crabs that are getting ready to shed their shells) and soft crabs they processed. Beginning August 1, 2000, the permit is required for all shedding operations holding 50 or more peelers in a controlled environment. Initial fee $10, renewal $5.
Pound Net Set Permit
Beginning August 1, 2000 permits will be required for all pound nets in state waters, including ocean pound nets. If the DMF Director does not approve a pound net permit application within 90 days, the request is automatically denied. The MFC also defined a flounder pound net to include any pound net that has a catch of 50 percent or more flounder. Additionally, fishermen in the Pamlico Sound are no longer required to mark pound net stakes with radar reflective materials. Initial fee $50, transfer fee $5, and renewal $5.
Other new pound net permit requirements for fishermen include:
- identifying pound net sets on a map provided by the DMF when applying for permit;
- specifying the type of pound net being used (flounder, herring/shad, bait, shrimp, crab, and other finfish) when applying for permit;
- marking all buoys on pound nets set in the Atlantic Ocean with fisherman's last name and initials, and with either the boat's N.C. boat registration number or U.S. vessel documentation name; and
- notifying DMF within 72 hours of making the pound net set operational.
Permit to Waive Requirement to use Turtle Excluder Devices in the Atlantic Ocean
Beginning August 1, 2000 this permit allows fishermen working in the Atlantic Ocean from Browns Inlet to Rich's Inlet to use tow times in lieu of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) when sea grass is heavy and clogs the TEDs. DMF must monitor this fishery and issue a proclamation to indicate when this permit can be used. In the past, this permit was issued by the DMF Director through the proclamation process. Initial fee $15, renewal $10.
Earlier in the year, the MFC approved the following permits:
Horseshoe Crab Biomedical Use Permit
Permit holders are required to report the number of horseshoe crabs harvested and the status of the crabs upon release. This permit became effective May 1, 2000. Initial fee $10, renewal $5.
Dealers Permit for Monitoring Fisheries under a Quota/Allocation
All fees are based on the actual administrative cost of issuing or renewing a permit. Current permits are valid until their date of expiration. Fishermen can apply for permits at any DMF office.
For more information about DMF permits, please call Juanita Gaskill at 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632.
MOREHEAD CITY - The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will be holding a meeting to discuss striped bass management at 6:30 p.m. on May 18 at the Town Hall in Manteo.
Meetings are being held in all Atlantic coastal states from Maine through North Carolina to gather input on the Public Information Document (PID) for Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Striped Bass.
The purpose of the PID is to seek public input on the long-term management of Atlantic coast striped bass stocks. Currently, striped bass is managed under Amendment 5 to the Interstate FMP for Atlantic Striped Bass, which was developed to provide overall guidance and policy to the management of a recovered striped bass resource. Its goals include: preventing overfishing; maintaining a sustainable spawning stock biomass; achieving equitable management measures among jurisdictions; and identifying critical habitats.
Over the last several years, a series of addenda have been developed and implemented to detail annual management measures. This process has resulted in increasing frustration on the part of fishery managers, scientists and fishermen – frustration based on not only the lack of consistency in state management measures from year to year, but also the desire for an improved quality fishery, and concerns about increased fishing pressure on larger striped bass.
Amendment 6 is being developed to address the above concerns, as well as other long-term scientific, management and policy issues. The ASMFC Striped Bass Management Board will review comments received at the public meetings and will use this input to develop a draft amendment to the FMP.
For more information, please contact Harrel Johnson at 252-264-3911.
Beginning May 1, 2000, these permits require fish dealers participating in the following fisheries that have quotas or allocations to report landings via fax or e-mail to the DMF on a daily basis so quotas will not be overrun:
- Striped Bass - Initial fee-$50, renewal $50.
- River Herring/Albemarle Sound Management Area – Initial fee-$5, renewal $5
- American Shad/Atlantic Ocean – Initial fee $5, renewal $5