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STATE RELEASES REPORT CARD ON HEALTH OF FISHERIES

Stocks Reclassified to Reflect Changing Status

MOREHEAD CITY – North Carolina’s coastal and ocean fisheries showed limited signs of progress as two stocks, striped mullet and sharks were upgraded to recovering, while weakfish was downgraded to overfished and summer flounder was shifted to the concerned category, according to the state’s annual stock status report.

Striped mullet was upgraded to recovering based on a recent state assessment indicating the stock has not been overfished since 1998. Fisheries managers will closely monitor this stock because market demand for the roe causes commercial fishermen to target females, potentially reducing the stock’s ability to reproduce.

Sharks were upgraded from overfished to recovering based on a National Marine Fisheries Service assessment that concludes the overall large coastal shark stock has improved since 1998.

Weakfish were downgraded from viable to overfished based on the latest Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission assessment. Federal and state fisheries managers are perplexed because the reduction in the population continues, even though coast-wide commercial fishing catches have dropped for the last several years. Harvest reduction strategies to address declining population trends are being developed.

Summer flounder were moved from the viable to the concern category as a result of the most recent ASMFC assessment indicating overfishing is occurring. The impacts of the assessment could result in additional restrictions on this species.

The N.C. Divison of Marine Fisheries’ annual stock status report evaluates the health of state’s important coastal fisheries, spotlighting successes, as well as areas of concern. Of the 40 stocks listed, 18 fall into the viable and recoveringcategories, eight are listed as concerned, eight are overfished, and six are unknown. The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission uses this report to decide priority development of the state’s fishery management plans.

To determine the status of N.C. fisheries, the DMF collects data and analyzes long-term trends in the length, weight, age, catch, and fishing effort for each stock. For many stocks it is also possible to evaluate the total weight of the fish in a stock that are old enough to spawn, the number of juvenile or immature fish, fishing mortality, natural mortality, migration, size and age at maturity, regulatory impacts and bycatch.

Fish and shellfish stocks considered viable are Atlantic croaker, black sea bass north of Cape Hatteras, striped bass in the Albemarle Sound and the ocean, dolphin/wahoo, gag, king and Spanish mackerel, Atlantic menhaden, spot, spotted seatrout (speckled trout), and shrimp.

Recovering stocks include bluefish, monkfish, red drum, scup, sharks and striped mullet.

Stocks listed as concerned include white and yellow perch, reef fish, American shad, summer flounder, bay scallops, oysters and blue crabs.

Black sea bass south of Cape Hatteras, striped bass (in waters other than the ocean, Albemarle and Roanoke sounds), southern flounder, river herring in the Albemarle Sound, spiny dogfish, Atlantic sturgeon, tautog and weakfish are listed as overfished. In North Carolina, all overfished stocks either have regulations in place, or proposed regulations being developed, to stop overfishing and allow the populations to rebuild. The rebuilding process can take many years, especially for long-lived species like red drum. Even if a species is recovering, it stays in the overfished category until a consistent recovery trend is evident.

The DMF does not have sufficient data to conduct appropriate assessments on the status of some stocks. These stocks are listed as unknown and include catfishes, American eel, river herring outside of Albemarle Sound, kingfishes (sea mullet), hickory shad and hard clams. The DMF is collecting the necessary assessment information for these important fisheries and will be moving many of these stocks into the appropriate categories over the next few years.

Visit the DMF’s Web site at: http://www.ncdmf.net/stocks/index.html to view the new stock status report, along with species profiles and a glossary of fisheries terms.

For more information, please contact Dr. Louis Daniel at louis.daniel@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 20, 2005
CONTACT: Kim Iverson
Public Information Officer
Toll Free 866/SAFMC-10 or 843/571-4366
kim.iverson@safmc.net

Council to Address Overfishing Through Regulatory Amendment

Approach allows more flexibility for fishery management actions

After receiving public comment and recommendations from members of its advisory panel last week, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved moving forward with a regulatory amendment to its Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan to address overfishing for four economically important species. Based on recent stock assessments, the Council is considering harvest reductions of 69 percent for snowy grouper, 35 percent for golden tilefish, 31 percent for vermilion snapper, and a range of 35 to 51 percent reductions for black sea bass. The Council had been considering an interim rule measure that could have resulted in fishing closures in late 2005 for some species. “The Council recognizes the need to end overfishing for these important species,” said Mac Currin, Chairman of the Council’s Snapper Grouper Committee. “While interim rule measures would have addressed overfishing immediately, it is clear after hearing from our constituents that the negative economic and social impacts could be substantial. Using a regulatory amendment to the existing fishery management plan allows us the flexibility needed to try and minimize impacts to the fishermen while meeting mandates to end overfishing.”

A regulatory amendment allows for implementation of long term regulations to address overfishing as well as allowing the Council to include additional measures to increase harvest of red porgy. Recent assessments show that red porgy stocks are recovering and fishermen can moderately increase catches without harming the stock. In contrast to the regulatory amendment, interim rules are implemented for a period of 180 days with a 180 day extension and used only to address overfishing, which would have eliminated options for increases in red porgy harvest. There were also concerns that an interim rule could expire before additional regulations are in place through Amendment 13B to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan. Amendment 13B addresses complex mandates dealing with stock status and assessments for all 73 species in the snapper grouper fishery management complex.

The Council approved alternatives for consideration in the regulatory amendment during its meeting last week. These include options for reductions in the annual quotas for golden tilefish and snowy grouper, establishment of quotas for black sea bass and vermilion snapper, increases in size limits, decreases in recreational bag limits, commercial trip limit reductions, and increases in red porgy harvest. The Council plans to review and approve the amendment for public hearings during its September meeting in Charleston, South Carolina and hold public hearings this fall. A complete listing of management alternatives being considered in the regulatory amendment will be posted on the Council’s web site at www.safmc.net as soon as they become available.

New Council Members Appointed

During its Cape Canaveral meeting, the Council received news from the Secretary of Commerce of the reappointment of George J. Geiger of Sebastian, Florida to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Mr. Geiger, a charter captain and environmental educator, currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Council. The Secretary also announced the appointment of David Cupka, former Council representative for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, to an at-large seat currently held by Dr. John M. Dean of Columbia, South Carolina. Dr. Dean will leave the Council in August. The Council acknowledged the retirement of Council member Bill Cole, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service representative during its meeting. Both Mr. Cole and Dr. Dean received standing ovations for their service.

For a complete listing of the summary motions from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting in Port Canaveral, Florida please contact the Council office or visit the web site at www.safmc.net. The next meeting of the Council is scheduled for September 19- 23, 2005 in Charleston, South Carolina.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, one of eight regional councils, conserves and manages fish stocks from three to 200 miles offshore of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and east Florida.

MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION TO MEET JUNE 28-29 IN RALEIGH

MOREHEAD CITY – The Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a business meeting June 28-29 at the Clarion State Capital Hotel at 320 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh. The meeting is open to the public.

On June 27, the commission will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. at the same location. The commission will receive public comment on the following proposed rules at this hearing:

• 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;
• 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 (Hwy. 58) in internal and ocean waters;
• Exempt flounder aquaculture operations from size and season requirements;
• 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; and
• Allow 80 percent of the commercial ocean-caught flounder quota to be harvested during the winter season, beginning Jan. 1 of each year.

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

SEE AGENDA

MEETING TO BE HELD JUNE 16 TO DISCUSS RECREATIONAL STRIPED BASS

MOREHEAD CITY - How many striped bass are caught by recreational anglers around Oregon Inlet and what is the best way for North Carolina fisheries managers to collect this information?

In recent years, recovering populations of striped bass have created a rapidly developing recreational fishery in the Atlantic Ocean along the Outer Banks, especially around Oregon Inlet. The committee will discuss ways to accurately capture data on the number of fishing trips, and the amount of fish harvested in this fishery, particularly when the striped bass season is closed in the Albemarle and Roanoke sounds.  Charter boat captains, along with recreational ocean striped bass fishermen, are encouraged to attend this meeting.