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STATE OFFICIALS SIGN HISTORIC HABITAT PROTECTION DOCUMENT

MOREHEAD CITY – N. C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Bill Ross, joined representatives from three environmental commissions in a signing ceremony celebrating the completion of the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan.

In the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act, the N.C. General Assembly directed the department to prepare a plan for protecting critical fisheries habitat as a way to help in the recovery of slumping fish stocks. The CHPP describes critical habitats where marine fish and shellfish feed, spawn and grow. The CHPP also identifies threats to those habitats and makes recommendations for addressing those threats.

“Today is a celebration of all the work that has been put into this effort designed to protect and restore critical fisheries habitats,” said Ross. “ But more importantly, it is a starting point for the work that needs to be done to follow through on the plan’s recommendations.”

Joining Ross was Jimmy Johnson, chairman of the Marine Fisheries Commission, Gene Tomlinson, chairman of the Coastal Resources Commission, and Pete Peterson, representing the Environmental Management Commission.

DMF, DCM and DMF are all preparing detailed implementation plans for their respective commissions to be approved by July 1, 2005.

DENR is already taking action by enhancing enforcement of existing rules protecting fish habitat, developing a set of indicators to gauge the on-going health of the estuaries and habitats and reporting on those trends, expanding oyster restoration efforts and educating the public about the importance of these habitats.

For more information about the plan, visit http://www.ncdmf.net/habitat/index.html and for information about the event, please contact Nancy Fish, Division of Marine Fisheries, at 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.

DENR Secrtary Bill Ross (click on either of the 3 photos to download a high-resolution version)	DENR Secrtary Bill Ross signs the CHHP	(Left to Right) Gene Tomlinson, Pete Peterson, and Jimmy Johnson sign the CHHP

Release: Immediate Contact: Nancy Fish, Marine Fisheries

Date: Feb. 10, 2005 Phone: (252) 726-7021

FISHERIES PANEL ADOPTS SOUTHERN FLOUNDER FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN

MOREHEAD CITY - The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) has approved a fishery management plan for southern flounder at a recent business meeting, charting a recovery course for one of our state’s most valuable fisheries.

MFC Chairman Jimmy Johnson was pleased with the final product. “The commission, along with the help of a dedicated group of citizen advisors, has been able to put together an innovative, long-term management strategy that should allow southern flounder stocks to rebuild within a 10-year time period,” said Johnson.

In 2000, concern over the declining status of southern flounder led the Division of Marine Fisheries to begin preparing a fishery management plan. The current population of southern flounder is comprised primarily of very young fish, with few older, more productive spawners. A healthy stock generally has fish of all ages.

An advisory committee assisted the Division of Marine Fisheries in the process of developing strategies to ensure this important fishery resource is well managed and healthy. As a result of the FMP, new management measures for southern flounder include:

Effective April 1, 2005

• 14-inch size limit, eight fish harvest limit for recreational fishermen in internal waters;
• 14-inch size limit for commercial fishermen in internal waters;
• Recreational large mesh gill nets (5 ½ inches or larger stretched mesh) must be attended at all times, south and west of the Emerald Isle Bridge in internal and ocean waters;
• Flounder pound nets must have an escape panel 5 ½ inches or greater to allow small flounder to escape; and
• Commercial fishermen cannot use more than 3000 yards of flounder gill net per vessel, in internal waters.

• 3-inch minimum crab trawl tailbag mesh size in eastern Pamlico Sound and 4 inches in western Pamlico Sound; and
• 5 ½-inch stretched minimum mesh size for all flounder gill nets.

• 1000-yard minimum distance between old and new pound nets and a 500-yard minimum distance between pound nets and gill nets in Albemarle Sound, from August 15 – December 1; and
• Closed commercial fishing season from December 1 – December 31.

• Persons using gigs recreationally must have a Recreational Commercial Gear License or other appropriate license.