26 September MOREHEAD CITY -- The Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a business meeting October 5 and 6, at the Royal Pavillion Hotel in Atlantic Beach.

The meeting is open to the public.

A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. on October 4, at the same location. Items of interest at these hearings include a proposed rule to restrict gill nets and seines in areas surrounding the Sunset Beach Fishing Pier, rules to establish or redefine Division of Marine Fisheries’ harvest permits, and rules to establish permanent size and harvest limits for eels, horseshoe crabs, American lobster, and red drum.

A public meeting will be held immediately after the hearing to discuss any issues the public would like to bring before the Marine Fisheries Commission.

For more information, contact Jess Hawkins at 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021. NOTE: Meeting Agenda

21 September - RALEIGH – Gov. Jim Hunt has named three North Carolinians with strong fisheries backgrounds to serve on the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission.

The nine-member commission is responsible for developing policies and implementing laws affecting marine resources, as well as advising the administration on fisheries issues in North Carolina.

“These individuals will play key roles in our on-going efforts to protect one of our state’s most precious resources and continue our fisheries management reform efforts,” Hunt said. “They will bring outstanding fisheries experience to this important panel and understand my administration’s strong commitment to restoring and protecting our fisheries for commercial and recreational use.”

Hunt appointed Norman Bradford, of Nags Head; R.T. “Rusty” Russ, of Shallotte; and Mac Currin of Raleigh to fill three recreational fishery seats on the commission. They have been appointed to three-year terms on the board.

Bradford, an avid recreational angler, serves on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Red Drum Advisory Board and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Atlantic Croaker Advisory Board. He also served on the advisory committee for the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture.

Russ, an insurance agent, is an avid recreational fishermen and regular participant in king mackerel tournaments. He served as president of the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce and is a former county commissioner.

Currin worked 11 years as a fisheries research technician/biologist with N.C. State University. He also served three years as a marine policy analyst with the state of North Carolina researching the impacts of gas and oil drilling. He currently provides sportfishing education programs through his own company. Currin also served on the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture.

Bradford, Russ and Currin replace Pete Moffitt, Kirk Fickling and Bob Eakes on the commission.

September 14 MOREHEAD CITY – A striped bass public meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 5:30 p.m. at the Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo, North Carolina.

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries is seeking public input on the commercial striped bass harvest in the Atlantic Ocean for the 2001 season. Fishermen and the public are encouraged to attend and share their ideas and concerns about this fishery with the division.

For further information, please contact Sara Winslow, Division of Marine Fisheries, by e-mail at Sara.Winslow@ncmail.net or by phone at 800-338-7805 or 252-264-3911.

September 7 MOREHEAD CITY – The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission will hold two hearings in the next few weeks in Wilmington and Atlantic Beach to seek pubic comment on a number of fisheries issues.

Items of interest at these hearings include a proposed rule to restrict gill nets and seines in areas surrounding the Sunset Beach Fishing Pier, rules to establish or redefine Division of Marine Fisheries’ harvest permits, and rules to establish permanent size and harvest limits for eels, horseshoe crabs, American lobster, and red drum.

Both of the following hearings begin at 7 pm:

For more information about these hearings, please contact Jess Hawkins by e-mail at Jess.Hawkins@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632.

September 7 MOREHEAD CITY – Commercial fishermen have until Sept. 16 to apply for disaster assistance for income or gear losses from Hurricane Floyd.

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has announced that 1,083 fishermen have applied for assistance since the Hurricane Assistance Grant Program began accepting applications last February. So far, 676 fishermen have received approximately $4.3 million in compensation from the state-funded program.

In order to qualify for compensation for income loss, fishermen have to demonstrate a 25 percent total drop in September and October 1999 landings compared to the two previous years and also show a 25 percent loss in an “affected” fishery for the same time period. Compensation only covers income losses from September and October of 1999.

Fishermen are also eligible to apply for compensation for fishing gear that was lost or damaged as a result of Hurricane Floyd between Sept. 16 and Nov. 15, 1999.

Compensation will cover 60 percent of hurricane-related losses.

In response to Governor Hunt’s request, the General Assembly set aside $11.4 million during the 1999 special session for grants for commercial fishermen. In early August, the General Assembly’s Government Operations Committee reallocated $3.7 million of the grant monies for other redevelopment needs, leaving a total of $7.1 million in the program for commercial fishermen.

Applications are available from any DMF office or by calling the Hurricane Assistance Grants Office, at 252-726-0216 or 1-877-352-0216 (toll free NC only).

September 7 MOREHEAD CITY - The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) is looking for interested individuals to serve as advisors to fill vacancies on the Crustacean Standing Advisory Committee.

The Crustacean Committee advises the MFC on issues affecting shrimp and crabs and their associated fisheries in North Carolina. Individuals interested in serving as advisors should be willing to attend monthly meetings and actively participate in the committee process. Advisors will be reimbursed for travel and other expenses incurred in relation to their official duties.

Applications are available at Division of Marine Fisheries offices or by calling the MFC staff 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632. Applications should be returned by September 26, 2000 to Jess Hawkins, Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557.