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BIG MONEY AVALIABLE FOR BOATING FACILITIES MOREHEAD CITY - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced another round of grants to help improve docking facilities for recreational transient, non-trailerable boats along the navigable waterways of the United States for federal FiscalYear 2004. The grants are part of the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program authorized by the Sportfishing and Boating Partnership Act of 1998 and funded by excise taxes on motorboat fuel. The BIG program provides states with funding for mooring buoys, day-docks, transient slips, safe harbor facilities (including temporary safe anchorage or a harbor of refuge during a storm), floating and fixed piers and breakwaters, dinghy docks, restrooms, retaining walls, bulkheads, dockside utilities, pumpout stations, trash collections and recycling facilities, dockside electric, water and telephone capabilities, navigational aids and marine fueling stations. BIG program funds are distributed each year over a four-year period. To ensure that each state gets a share, funding is provided on a two-tiered basis. For tier one grants, all states get at least $100,000 per grant cycle as long as their proposals meet the program’s guidelines. Tier-2 projects are designated for larger, more expensive projects and are awarded on a nation-wide competitive basis. BIG transient facilities must be built in waters deep enough for boats 26 feet and larger to navigate at a minimum of six feet of depth at low tide. One-time dredging will be allowed to provide access between open water and a tie-up facility. For information about grant availability in North Carolina’s coastal waters, please contact David Taylor, North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, by mail at P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557; by phone at 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632; or via e-mail at david.l.taylor@ncmail.net. The deadline for applications is Nov. 10, 2005.
FISHERIES COMMISSION VOTES AGAINST HERRING MORATORIUM MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission decided to allow the recently reconvened River Herring Advisory Committee to continue the five-year River Herring Fishery Management Plan review process and present its recommendations to the MFC in 2006. The Commission decided against implementing a harvest moratorium on the state’s troubled river herring fishery for the 2006 season, opting instead to give the advisory committee the opportunity to complete its task. A newly completed stock assessment shows river herring continue to be in serious trouble. At the meeting the commission heard from members of its River Herring Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee, as well as commercial and recreational fishermen, and local government officials. All, but one of the speakers, opposed a herring moratorium. While acknowledging the continued low recruitment numbers and low spawning stock biomass, the MFC continues to feel strongly that local fishing pressure is not the root cause of the herring stock’s continued difficulty. Much of the discussion during the afternoon portion of the meeting centered around the 2000 Fishery Management Plan and how little of that plan had been implemented due to lack of funding and personnel. Most of the advisors and commissioners felt a significant number of the questions still being raised would have been, or would be in the process of being, answered had the plan been implemented as presented to the General Assembly. The commission requested the Division of Marine Fisheries prepare a slate of stricter river herring harvest measures for consideration at its November business meeting. These additional harvest restrictions are intended to be in place for the 2006 season. The regional advisory committees will also be discussing these additional measures between now and the November MFC meeting. Currently, the commercial fishery is restricted to 300,000 pounds of river herring divided between various user groups in the Albemarle Sound area. Recreational fishermen are allowed to keep up to 25 fish per day. For more information on this meeting, please contact Jess Hawkins at jess.hawkins@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.
Contact: Nancy Fish, Marine Fisheries SHRIMP PLAN GOES TO RALEIGH FOR REVIEW MOREHEAD CITY – The draft Shrimp Fishery Management Plan (FMP) is on its way to Raleigh for review and comment by the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the N.C. General Assembly. After a lengthy development and public review process, the N. C. Marine Fisheries Commission, at a recent August business meeting, selected preferred management options to chart the course for future management of one of the state’s most important fisheries. In 2004, shrimp was the second-most valuable seafood landed at North Carolina docks, bringing in $9.4 dollars. The commission endorsed the following proposed measures:
The commission also endorsed the proposed closing the following areas to shrimp trawling:
The commission rejected proposals to use a specific shrimp count size to open waters in the Neuse, Bay, Pamlico and Pungo rivers to trawling. The draft Shrimp FMP will be reviewed by DENR Secretary Bill Ross and the Joint Legislative Study Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture. The rulemaking process and approval of the final Shrimp FMP by the Marine Fisheries Commission should begin later this year. For more information, please contact Jess Hawkins at jess.hawkins@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.
Contact: Nancy Fish, Marine Fisheries Date: Sept. 19, 2005 Phone: (252) 726-7021 RIVER HERRING MEETING SET FOR SEPT. 26 MOREHEAD CITY – The fate of North Carolina’s river herring fishery will be discussed at a meeting, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m. at the Bob Martin Agriculture Center in Williamston. At this meeting, the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission and an advisory committee charged with updating the state’s River Herring Fishery Management Plan will discuss a recent stock assessment showing river herring are in serious trouble. The focus of the meeting will be whether the commission should take immediate steps to close the fishery or let the issue work its way through the fishery management plan process. Fishery management plans were mandated by the state’s 1997 Fisheries Reform Act to set long-term strategies to effectively manage each of North Carolina’s economically significant fisheries. Once the initial plans are completed they are reviewed every five years. The River Herring Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee, composed of commercial and recreational fishermen, scientists, and environmentalist, began meeting in April 2005 to review the existing plan and make proposals to address new issues and concerns related to the herring fishery. The committee is scheduled to complete the update in late 2006. For more information on this meeting, please contact Jess Hawkins at jess.hawkins@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.
September 9, 2005 PRESS CONTACT: Tina Berger (202) 289-6400 Atlantic Coastal States Schedule Public Hearings on Draft Addendum I to the Weakfish Plan: Public Comment Accepted until October 21, 2005 Washington, DC – The Commission’s Weakfish Management Board has approved sending forward Draft Addendum I to Amendment 4 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Weakfish for public review and comment. The Draft Addendum was developed in response to concern over declines in both weakfish abundance and commercial and recreational catches, and proposes reductions in recreational bag limits, commercial and recreational seasons, and bycatch allowances. Atlantic coastal states from Rhode Island through Florida have scheduled the dates and times of their public hearings; their details follow. Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (Tentative location) Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Virginia Marine Resources Commission North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries South Carolina Dept. of Natural Resources Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission The Draft Addendum also addresses a major challenge in assessing the weakfish population, namely significant gaps in biological data such as age and length. It proposes new required levels of biological sampling intensity and considers the implications of state noncompliance. The Board will meet in early November to review public comment on the Draft Addendum and consider its final approval. Copies of the Draft Addendum can be obtained via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on Draft Amendment 1 either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. Public comment will be accepted until 5 PM on October 21, 2005 and should be forwarded to Braddock Spear, Weakfish Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 1444 ‘Eye’ Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; (202)289-6051 (fax) or comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Weakfish). For more information, please contact Braddock Spear at (202)289-6400 or bspear@asmfc.org.
CONTACT: Kim Iverson Federal Fishery Managers to Meet in Charleston, South Carolina Snapper and Grouper Fishermen Face Increases in Regulations The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet September 19-23, 2005 in Charleston, South Carolina. Fishery managers will focus on management regulations affecting the snapper and grouper fishery in the South Atlantic region. The Council is developing a regulatory amendment to its Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan to address overfishing for four species; snowy grouper, golden tilefish, vermilion snapper, and black sea bass. Both snowy grouper and golden tilefish are predominately harvested by commercial fishermen, while vermilion snapper and black sea bass are economically important species to commercial, recreational, and charter/headboat fishermen. Regulations are being considered that would reduce current quotas and trip limits for the commercial fishery. Recreational fishermen face reductions in aggregate bag limits, possible closed seasons, and increases in size limits for some species. The regulatory amendment also includes management alternatives to allow for a moderate increase in harvest of red porgy, a species that has seen recent recovery in numbers due to strict regulations currently in place. The Council will review the various management options for the regulatory amendment during its September meeting and is scheduled to approve the document for public hearings to be held later this fall. Hearings will be conducted in each of the southeastern states and a complete schedule will be publicized as soon as it becomes available. Following the public hearings, the Council will meet with members of its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel during its December 5-9, 2005 meeting in Carolina Beach, North Carolina. Advisory Panel members, consisting of both recreational and commercial fishermen as well as charter captains, headboat operators, wholesale distributors, and representatives from conservation organizations, will provide additional recommendations to the Council. The Council is scheduled to approve a final version of the amendment for Secretarial review in December. It is anticipated that regulations proposed in the amendment would become effective in spring of 2006. Other Agenda Items During the week the Council will hold meetings of various committees to address fisheries issues. In addition to the regulatory amendment, the Snapper Grouper Committee will also address the timing and development of Amendment 13B to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan that addresses management parameters for all of the 73 species in the management complex. Committee discussions will include possible inclusion of marine protected areas in the Amendment. The Controlled Access Committee will discuss goals and objectives of limited access privilege programs and will receive a presentation from Dr. Seth Macinko with the Department of Marine Affairs, University of Rhode Island, on the topic of “Who Owns America’s Fisheries”. The Committee is gathering information regarding various limited access privilege programs to evaluate whether such programs would benefit fisheries in the South Atlantic. Additional agenda items include development of the Council’s comments regarding the reauthorization of the Magnuson Meetings will be held at the Town and Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, S.C. Phone: 843/571-1000 or 800/334-6660. For a complete meeting agenda, visit the Council’s Web site at www.safmc.net or contact the Council office. Kim Iverson
Scoping Meetings: September 26-October 24, 2005 All meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m. Dates and locations for the meetings are: - Tuesday, September 27, 2005: Comfort Inn, 3100 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557. - Wednesday, September 28, 2005: Norfolk Days Inn Airport, 5708 Northampton Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23455. - Monday, October 3, 2005: Crowne Plaza JFK Airport, 151-20 Baisley Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11434. - Tuesday, October 4, 2005: Southampton Inn, 91 Hill Street, Southampton, NY 11968. - Thursday, October 6, 2005: Ocean Place Resort, One Ocean Blvd., Long Branch, NJ 07740. - Tuesday, October 11, 2005: Holiday Inn Select, 480 King Street, Old Town Alexandria, VA 22314. - Wednesday, October 12, 2005: Princess Royale, 9100 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842. - Thursday, October 13, 2005: Sheraton, 173 Jennifer Road, Annapolis, MD 21401. - Monday, October 17, 2005: Congress Hall Hotel, 251 Beach Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204. - Tuesday, October 18, 2005: University of DE, College of Marine Studies, Marine Operations Blvd., Lewes, DE 19958. - Wednesday, October 19, 2005: Best Western Delaware, 26 Chapman Road, Newark, DE 19702. - Monday, October 24, 2005: Renaissance Philadelphia Airport, 500 Stevens Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19113. Prior to the first scoping meeting the scoping document will be distributed to all entities on the Council's mailing list. The scoping document will be available at all of the scoping meetings. The scoping document is currently available via the Internet at http://www.mafmc.org/mid-atlantic/comments/comments/htm, and can be obtained on request from the Council office at the address and telephone number below. SEPTEMBER 6, 2005
PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER (202)289-6400
ASMFC Releases Draft Addendum I to the Spiny Dogfish FMP for Public Comment
Comment Accepted until September 26, 2005
The Commission’s Spiny Dogfish Management Board approved sending forward
Draft Addendum I to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Spiny
Dogfish for public comment and review. The Draft Addendum proposes
establishing a multi-year specification setting process for the spiny
dogfish fishery for up to five years. Its intent is to streamline the
annual specification process for spiny dogfish, thereby, reducing
administrative costs while also providing fishermen with the ability to set
long-term business plans and goals for their fishery operations.
Under the current management system for spiny dogfish, the specification of
commercial quotas and trip limits are conducted every year and apply only
to the following fishing year. Lastly, Tthe Draft Addendum modifies the
current FMP to allow for specification of total allowable landings (TALs)
for the spiny dogfish fishery in any given year for up to five years. The
three management options under consideration in the Draft Addendum are (1)
status quo; (2) allow for multi-year management measures without annual
review; and (3) allow for multi-year management with annual review.
Implementation of Addendum 1 would provide the option, not the requirement,
for the Commission to specify multi-year management measures. The
Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils have already taken
similar action under Framework 1, recommending the adoption of multi-year
management measures without annual review to NOAA Fisheries for final
approval.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has scheduled the date and time of its
public hearing; its details follow:
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
Monday, September 19, 2005; 7:00 PM
Holiday Inn
55 Ariadne Road
Dedham, MA 02026
Contact: Melanie Griffin at (617) 626-1528
The Board will meet in early November to review public comment on the Draft
Addendum and consider its final approval. Copies of the Draft Addendum can
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 5:00 PM Monday, September 26, 2005 and should be
forwarded to Ruth Christiansen, Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan
Coordinator, at 1444 ‘Eye’ Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005;
(202) 289-6051 (fax) or comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Spiny Dogfish).
For more information, please contact Ruth Christiansen at (202) 289-6400 or
rchristiansen@asmfc.org.
PR05-23
*************************
Tina Berger
Public Affairs Specialist
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1444 I Street. NW, Sixth Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202)289-6400
FAX: (202)289-6051
Email: tberger@asmfc.org
www.asmfc.org
Contact: Nancy Fish, Marine Fisheries Date: Sept. 1, 2005 Phone: (252) 726-7021 FISHERIES RULE CLARIFICATIONMOREHEAD CITY - The new buoy rule, effective today, Sept. 1, prohibits the use of yellow or pink buoys for use with commercial crab pots. This requirement does not apply to recreationally-set crab pots, which must be marked with a pink buoy. Visit http://www.ncdmf.net/news/NR2K5/NR-39-05.htm to view other fisheries rules that went into effect Sept. 1. For more information on these new rules, please contact Jess Hawkins by e-mail at Jess.Hawkins@ncmail.net or by calling 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021. |
| NC Division of Marine Fisheries - 3441 Arendell Street - Morehead City, NC 28557 - 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632 |
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