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SHARK POACHER NABBED BY MARINE PATROL
April 27 FRISCO – North Carolina Marine Patrol arrested a Florida man on Thursday, April 26, in Dare County, who was collecting sharks for an exotic species dealer that sold sharks to aquariums and other tourist attractions.
Eric Paul Peterson, 38, of Marathon, Florida, was charged with taking prohibited sharks and failing to possess the proper state permit. Other possible charges are pending.
Four large sand tigers ranging from 5-ft. to 6-ft., were being held in a small pen in the Pamlico Sound, behind Hatteras Island. Because of the cramped, unsanitary conditions of the holding facility, the surviving sharks were in poor health, according to specialists from the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island. The remains of two dead sand tigers were found in the marsh near the pen.
Of the sharks that were being held, one died on the scene and the three remaining sharks were transported to a quarantine holding facility at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island Aquarium. One shark is in a life-threatening situation and two are in serious condition.
COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO RENEW LICENSES EARLY
April 25 MOREHEAD CITY – License applications are in the mail for North Carolina’s commercial fishermen to renew their fishing licenses for the 2001/2002 fishing year, which begins July 1, 2001. Fishermen have the added option of mailing those renewals back to the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and avoiding long lines.
DMF Director Pres Pate urges commercial license holders to take advantage of the mail-in renewal process. “It saves valuable time for the fishermen,” said Pate. “In the past, everyone showed up on June 30 to renew their licenses. The long lines of fishermen simply overwhelmed our offices, so we have been looking for ways to better accommodate our customers.”
“Last year we began selling licenses earlier and offered renewal via the mail,” said Pate, “And about 10 percent, or 900 fishermen used the new mail-in service.”
“This year we’re anticipating the number of mail-in renewals will grow. We have streamlined the requirements and sent out approximately 9,000 renewal applications already filled out based on previous applications. The license holder only needs to sign the forms and verify any changes that have occurred during the current fishing year and mail the forms back to us. Of course, we’ll also need the check,” said Pate.
Beginning May 1, DMF license offices will also begin processing walk-in renewals at all six of the DMF offices along the coast. Fishermen are reminded to bring in current licenses and a photo identification for walk-in renewals.
Even though renewals can be processed earlier, 2001/2002 licenses still are not valid until July 1, 2001. If fishermen renew their licenses through the mail by June 15, they should receive their new licenses prior to July 1.
The Recreational Commercial Gear License (RCGL) expires one year from the date of purchase. RCGL licenses can be renewed through any DMF license office or by visiting an authorized Wildlife Resources Commission license agent.
Fishermen holding 1999/2000 Standard or Retired Commercial Fishing Licenses need to renew these licenses by June 30, 2001 to be eligible for the 2001/2002 licenses.
For more information about DMF licenses, please call 252-726-7021 or 1-888-254-2024 (toll free).
RED DRUM FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN FINALIZED
April 23 MOREHEAD CITY –The Marine Fisheries Commission recently approved a Red Drum Fishery Management Plan (FMP), charting a course for the recovery of North Carolina’s official saltwater fish and bringing to a close a 32-month development process.
In 1998, concern over the declining status of red drum led the Division of Marine Fisheries to begin preparing a long-term management strategy that would guide the recovery of this important species. Temporary rules and harvest restrictions were implemented to begin stabilizing the stock until the FMP could be developed and approved.
Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman Jimmy Johnson pointed out this particular plan has demonstrated the effectiveness of the FMP process, which was mandated by the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act and fashioned after the federal management methods. “The stock has already begun to show signs of recovery, producing several good year classes that are making their way into the spawning stock,” said Johnson. “Despite what the few detractors may say, the process works and allows managers to be proactive, rather than reactive, to fisheries issues.”
Highlights of the FMP include:
Because of continued targeting of red drum in commercial operations, the DMF Director recently issued a proclamation requiring any commercial catch containing red drum to be comprised of at least 50 percent of other species by weight, to ensure red drum is harvested only in a bycatch capacity, which is a stated objective in the FMP.
To down load a copy of the Red Drum FMP, visit the DMF’s web site at: www.ncdmf.net/download/reddrumFMP_final.pdf or for more information about the FMP, contact Dr. Louis Daniel by e-mail at Louis.Daniel@ncmail.net or by calling 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.
OCEAN ANGLERS FACE TOUGHER FLOUNDER RESTRICTIONS
April 17 MOREHEAD CITY – The size limit for summer or ocean-caught flounder will increase from 15 inches to 15 ½ inches, effective April 25, according to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF). In addition, a season closure for the popular fish in the Atlantic Ocean, will be in effect from May 1 – May 14. The 8-fish-per-day bag limit remains unchanged.
Tighter restrictions come on the heels of a recent agreement by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service to reduce east coast recreational summer flounder landings by 41 percent. For the last five years, recreational fishermen along the Atlantic seaboard have exceeded their harvest target by 22 million pounds.
Each state will have to make harvest reductions based on past landings. Decreases range from 57 percent for Rhode Island to 4 percent for Virginia - North Carolina will have to reduce its recreational summer flounder landings by 32 percent.
After reviewing a number of options and giving serious consideration to a two-month season closure, which offered the simplest solution to the problem, DMF Director Pres Pate decided on the revised size limit and a shorter harvest closure.
“Ocean-caught flounder is such an important recreational species, not only to anglers, but to piers, tackle shops and charters,” said Pate, “I decided it was more important to have the opportunity to catch the fish - even at an increased size limit. Still, a short season closure was necessary to reach the 32 percent harvest reduction.”
The size limit for southern flounder, which is another species of flounder caught primarily in the state’s sounds, bays and other internal waters, remains unchanged at 13 inches.
For more information flounder, please contact Rick Monaghan by e-mail at Rick.Monaghan@ncmail.net or by calling 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021
CULTCH PLANTING MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN APRIL
April 6 MOREHEAD CITY - The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) will hold public meetings in April to receive suggestions and comments on cultch planting - where shells and rock are placed on formerly productive shellfish beds to restore the habitat. Oysters, clams and other aquatic life are attracted to the cultch and will begin to immediately colonize the material.
The DMF’s Shellfish Rehabilitation staff constantly looks for ways to improve the program, so annual meetings are held to provide fishermen and interested parties the opportunity to provide advice and input regarding planting sites, methods, materials and quantities. Previously the program only worked with oysters, but has expanded to include clams.
Other issues to be discussed at the meetings include transplanting shellfish from polluted or slow growth areas to productive growing areas, and planting hatchery-reared seed. All meetings start at 7 p.m., on the following dates:
Monday, April 16 Dare County Public Library Manteo, NC
Monday, April 16 Hatteras Village Community Building Hatteras, NC
Tuesday, April 17 Hyde County Courthouse Swan Quarter, NC
Wednesday, April 18 Pamlico County Courthouse Bayboro, NC
Thursday, April 19 Carteret County Courthouse, District Courtroom Beaufort, NC
For more information, or to submit written comments, contact Craig Hardy by mail at the Divison of Marine Fisheries, P. O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557-0769, by e-mail at Criag.Hardy@ncmail.net or by calling 1-800-682-2632 or 252- 726-7021.
MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION TO HOLD MEETING APRIL 9
April 4 MOREHEAD CITY - The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) will meet Monday, April 9 at 2 p.m., at the Division of Marine Fisheries, 3441 Arendell Street, Morehead City, to vote on permanent rules for red porgy. Several MFC members will participate in the meeting via conference call.
The MFC will be voting to make the following red porgy harvest restrictions permanent rules, in order to stay in compliance with management measures established by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
For more information about this meeting, please contact Jess Hawkins, by e-mail at Jess.Hawkins@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632.
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| NC Division of Marine Fisheries - 3441 Arendell Street - Morehead City, NC 28557 - 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632 |