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CONTACT: Tina Berger
(202) 289-6400
August 26, 2005

ASMFC Releases Draft Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Croaker Plan for Public Comment:
States Schedule Public Hearings for September/October

Washington, DC – The Commission’s South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board has approved Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Croaker for public review and comment. Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina, and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission have scheduled the dates and times of their public hearings. New Jersey will also be conducting a public hearing although the specifics of that hearing have not been determined. For more information, please check the Commission’s website at http://www.asmfc.org/meetings.htm or contact Bruce Freeman at (609) 633-2408.

The details of the scheduled hearings follow.

Potomac River Fisheries Commission
October 5, 2005; 6:30 PM
222 Taylor Street
John T. Parran Hearing Room
Colonial Beach, VA 22443
Contact: AC Carpenter at (804) 224-7148

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
September 29, 2005; 6:00 PM
North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
374 Airport Road
Manteo, NC 27954
Contact Louis Daniel at (252) 726-7021

Draft Amendment 1 incorporates information from the 2004 peer-reviewed stock assessment as well as the required provisions of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act. It proposes the establishment of biological reference points (i.e., biomass and fishing mortality targets and thresholds) to manage the croaker resource and includes options to control fishing mortality regionally or on a coastwide basis. The Draft Amendment also identifies research priorities to bolster future stock assessments and encourages the states and the federal government to continue ongoing juvenile and adult surveys for data collection purposes.

The Board will meet in early November to review public comment on the Draft Amendment and consider its final approval. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on Draft Amendment 1 either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. Copies of the Draft Amendment May 23can be obtained via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400. Public comment will be accepted until 5 PM on Friday October 21, 2005 and should be forwarded to Nancy Wallace, Atlantic Croaker Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 1444 ‘Eye’ Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 289-6051 (fax) or comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Atlantic croaker). For more information, please contact Nancy Wallace at (202) 289-6400 or nwallace@asmfc.org.

Contact: Nancy Fish, Marine Fisheries
Date: Aug. 31, 2005
Phone: (252) 726-7021

NEW FISHERIES RULES GO INTO EFFECT SEPT.1

MOREHEAD CITY – Fishermen are reminded a number of new fisheries rules for coastal waters go into effect Sept. 1.

Most of the rules pertain to the blue crab and southern flounder fisheries and are being implemented as part of the fishery management plan process. The new rules include:

Crab Rules

• Shorten attendance period for crab pots from seven days to five days with a hardship provision;
• Unlawful to trawl in designated crab pot areas during certain times of the year in the Pamlico/Pungo, Bay and Neuse rivers;
• Restrict the taking of blue crabs by channel nets, except for bycatch that cannot exceed 50 percent of the catch or 300 lbs., whichever is greater;
• Change the designated pot area boundary descriptions to a standardized 6-ft. depth contour in Hyde, Beaufort, Pamlico and Craven counties.
• Extend the crab pot clean-up period to Jan. 15 – Feb. 7 of each year;
• Prohibit the use of yellow or pink buoys for commercial crab pots;
• Give the DMF director proclamation authority to settle user conflicts;
• Establish a conflict resolution process for crab pot conflicts;
• Allow the DMF director to implement a 6 ¾-inch size limit for female crabs and a 5 ¼-inch for female peeler crabs and a culling tolerance if the spawning stock biomass falls below levels set in the Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan;
• Expand the DMF director’s proclamation authority to increase crab trawl mesh size up to 4 inches to minimize waste;
• Only allow possession of white-line peeler crabs if the harvester uses them in their permitted shedding operation;
• Require white-line peeler crabs be held separately from pink and red-line peelers;

Flounder Rules

• Commercial fishermen cannot use more than 3000 yards of flounder gill net per vessel, in internal waters;
• Require 5 ½ inch stretched minimum mesh size for all flounder gill nets in internal waters, this will require the prohibition of gill nets from 5 inch to less than 5 ½-inch stretched mesh, from April 15 – Dec. 15;
• 500-yard minimum distance between pound nets and gill nets in Albemarle Sound, from August 15 – December 31;
• Flounder pound nets must have an escape panel 5 ½ inches or greater to allow small flounder to escape;
• Exempt flounder aquaculture operations from size and season requirements;
• Allow 80 percent of the commercial ocean-caught flounder quota to be harvested during the winter season, beginning Jan. 1 of each year.

Dolphin and Wahoo Rules

• Establish a 2 fish per person recreational limit on wahoo
• Establish a 10 fish per person recreational limit on dolphin, no to exceed 60 fish per boat
• Establish operator and commercial vessel permits for dolphin fro commercial and for-hire sectors
• Prohibit sale of recreationally caught dolphin and wahoo.

Others Rules

• Unlawful to possess American lobster with a carapace less than 3 3/8 inches or greater than 5 ½ inches;
• Remove dealer permit requirement for ocean-intercept shad fishery because fishery is closed;
• Technical adjustments to rules that implement the Estuarine Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan;
• Change the boundary lines of the Mallard’s Bay primary nursery area to exclude the mouth of the waterbody;
• Create a permit and training requirements for dock owners to cultivate oysters in containers under their docks;
• Modify shellfish lease fee rules to compliment statutes

Contact: Nancy Fish, Marine Fisheries
Date: Aug. 23, 2005 Phone: (252) 726-7021

MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION SEEKS ADDITIONAL BAY SCALLOP ADVISORS

MOREHEAD CITY - The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission is issuing a second request for individuals to serve as advisors in developing the Bay Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP), especially persons who have fished for scallops in the Core Sound area.

The advisory committee will be composed of representatives from the commercial, recreational, and scientific communities to assist in developing long-term management goals for bay scallops.

FMPs include information on the nature and concerns of the fishery, habitat and water quality issues, and status of the stock. The goal of the FMP will be to develop management options for the stocks to address issues and concerns. Options may include restrictions on gear, harvest, and when and where bay scalloping can occur. The FMP will be prepared by the Division of Marine Fisheries.

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.

Advisor applications are available at Division of Marine Fisheries' offices or by calling 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632. The advisory committee is scheduled to begin meeting in October. Applications should be returned by September 9, 2005 to the Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, North Carolina 28557, Attention: Jess Hawkins.

For information about bay scallops and the advisory committee process, please contact Tina Moore by e-mail at tina.moore@ncmail.net or Trish Murphey by e-mail at trish.murphey@nc.mail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.

Contact: Nancy Fish, Marine Fisheries

Date: Aug. 23, 2005 Phone: (252) 726-7021

NEW REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR STRIPED BASS ANGLERS

MOREHEAD CITY – Beginning Sept. 1, recreational fishermen from Ocracoke Inlet north to the Virginia state line will be required to report their catch of striped bass harvested from the Atlantic Ocean.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is taking this action to improve estimates of striped bass being caught by ocean anglers during warm weather months. The reporting requirements will be lifted Oct. 31. In following years, the reporting requirement will run from May through October.

Fishermen will need to complete a catch card for any striped bass harvested from the Atlantic Ocean during the restricted period. These cards are available from reporting stations at marinas, tackle shops and piers in Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties. Visit http://www.ncdmf.net/content/strbass/stribassreport1.htm to view participating locations. Once a catch card is completed, fishermen will be given a landing tag to attach through the mouth and gill cover of their striped bass.

For-hire vessels may apply for on-board catch cards, as well as landing tags. All striped bass caught on a for-hire vessel must have a landing tag attached to the fish before removing the fish from the vessel. In addition, the landing tag needs to be attached prior to removing the vessel from the water.

If fishing from a private vessel, the angler must complete a catch card and receive a landing tag, prior to removing the fish from the vessel. In addition, the landing tag needs to be attached prior to removing the vessel from the water.

If fishing from an ocean pier, anglers are to report the catch at the pier house to complete a catch card and receive a landing tag before leaving the pier.

Surf fishermen should go to the nearest reporting station to complete a catch card and receive a landing tag.

For after-hours reporting, anglers should call 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021 with the following information:

• Date of landing
• Angler name
• For-Hire Permit number
• Phone number
• Vessel name
• Trip type (charter boat, private boat, or head boat)
• Total length and weight of each fish

The 28-inch minimum/2 fish per person per day recreational harvest limit remains in effect year-round. 

AUGUST 16, 2005
PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER (202)289-6400

AUGUST 17, 2005
PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER (202)289-6400

MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION TO MEET AUGUST 30-31, 2005

Morehead City –The Marine Fisheries Commission will meet August 30-31 at the Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel, Atlantic Beach, N.C. The meeting is open to the public.

On August 29, the commission will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. at the same location.

For more information, contact Jess Hawkins by email at: Jess.Hawkins@ncmail.net or by calling 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.

Agenda

MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA
SHERATON OCEANFRONT HOTEL, ATLANTIC BEACH
AUGUST 30 -31, 2005

August 30
9 a.m. Call to Order
Invocation
Roll Call
Approval of Agenda and Minutes*
Public Comment
Issues from Commission Members
9:30 a.m. Chairman’s Report
-Primary Nursery Area Rule Suspension-Mallard Bay [NCAC 15A 03R.0103(d)] (Action)
-Saltwater Fishing License Update
-Albemarle Sound Striped Bass
-2006 Meeting Schedule (Action)
10 a.m. Advisory Committee Reports
Noon Lunch
1:30 p.m. Modification of MFC FMP Guidelines
2:30 p.m. Non-native Oyster Report – Dr. Pete Peterson
4 p.m. FMP Status Reports
5 p.m. Southern Flounder FMP
6 p.m. Adjourn

August 31
8:30 a.m. Draft Shrimp FMP
-Overview of Public Comments
-Overview of Committee Review
-Preferred Management Options (Action)
-Approval to Send Draft FMP to DENR Secretary and Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture for Review (Action)
11 a.m. River Herring FMP Interim Rules (Action)
Noon Lunch
1:30 p.m. River Herring FMP Interim Rules (continued)
2:30 p.m. Division of Marine Fisheries Director’s Report
-Legislative Update
-CHPP Update
-ASMFC Update
-Marine Patrol Report
-MAFMC Update
-Highly Migratory Species Update
-SAFMC Update
3:30 p.m. Adjourn

* Times indicated are merely for guidance. The Commission will proceed through the agenda until completed.

MFC Meetings for 2005: November 17-18 Ocracoke