Contact: Nancy Fish
Phone: (252) 726-7021

STATE RELEASES REPORT CARD ON HEALTH OF FISHERIES
North Carolina Stocks Remain Stable.

MOREHEAD CITY – North Carolina’s coastal and ocean fisheries remained relatively stable this year, according to the state’s annual stock status report, with striped mullet being the bright spot, as the stock was upgraded from recovering to viable.

While the striped mullet meets all the criteria for a viable stock, fisheries managers continue to closely monitor mullet because market demand for the fish’s roe causes commercial fishermen to target females, potentially reducing the stock’s ability to reproduce.

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

In addition to the change for stiped mullet, weakfish were moved from overfished to conerned. According to DMF’s Dr. Louis Daniel, “Weakfish continue to be a special species to watch with significant declines in commercial landings over the last several years.” Daniel explained the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will be considering measures to address the declining catches when they meet in August.

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, gag, king and Spanish mackerel, Atlantic menhaden, spot, spotted seatrout (speckled trout), striped mullet, and shrimp.

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

Stocks listed as concerned include yellow perch, reef fish, American shad, summer flounder, weakfish, 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 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. 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), white perch, 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.

Contact: Nancy Fish
Date: June 29, 2006 Phone: (252) 726-7021

NEW SHRIMP AND MULLET RULES IN EFFECT JULY 1

MOREHEAD CITY – Both commercial and recreational fishermen need to be aware new harvest rules for shrimp and striped mullet go into effect July 1, 2006.

The following are new shrimp rules recommended in the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan approved by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission earlier this spring:
1. Limit the length of trawl headropes to 90 feet in inshore waters, except in the Pamlico Sound and portions of the Neuse and Pamlico rivers;
2. Allow skimmer trawls with a combined headrope of less than 26 feet to be used by Recreational Commercial Gear License holders; and
3. Implement a 48-quart heads on (30-qt. heads off) per person possession limit on recreationally caught shrimp.

The following areas are closing to trawling:
1. Newport River upstream of a point running from Penn Point to Hardesty Farms;
2. White Oak River upstream of Hancock Point;
3. Intracoastal Waterway from Marker #105 to Wrightsville Beach drawbridge;
4. Cape Fear River in the bays south of Fort Fisher and the Baldhead Island creeks; and
5. Core Sound along the banks side north of Drum Inlet to Wainwright Island.

The following areas are closing to shrimp trawling (crab trawling will still be allowed):
1. Neuse River upstream of a point running from Wilkinson Point to Cherry Point;
2. Pamlico River upstream of Wades Point and Goose Creek; and
3. Pungo River upstream of Wades Point and Abels Bay.

The MFC also established a four-year phase out of otter trawls, to be replaced with skimmer trawls, in the New River upstream of the Hwy. 172 Bridge. This rule will be implemented in April 2010.

Additionally, the Division of Marine Fisheries director will issue a proclamation restricting channel nets in the upper New River and Topsail Sound area when these areas are closed to mobile gear and any portion of a channel net set in the marked channel from the Intracoastal Waterway to New River Inlet will be prohibited by proclamation.

The following new rules were recommended in the Striped Mullet Fishery Management Plan and will also go into effect July 1:
Allow fishermen using striped mullet as bait to be exempted from the mutilated finfish rule; and
Restrict the recreational harvest of striped mullet to 200 mullet per person per day.

For information about the proposed shrimp rules, please contact Rich Carpenter at 800-248-4536 or 910-796-7215. For information of the proposed striped mullet rules, please contact David Taylor at 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.

Bob Curry
(919) 707-0221
robert.curry@ncwildlife.org

Removal of Cape Fear River Locks and Dams Could Improve Fish Populations

RALEIGH, N.C. (June 26, 2006) – The removal of three obsolete dams in North Carolina could improve recreational and commercial fisheries for striped bass, American shad, hickory shad, and help tremendously in restoration efforts for river herring, Atlantic sturgeon and shortnose sturgeon.

The demolition of locks and dams No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 along the Cape Fear River would restore very important spawning and nursery habitat for these migratory fish in the river, and increases in their populations would likely result, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service

If recovery of the striped bass, American shad and hickory shad populations happened as predicted, recreational and commercial fisheries for these fish would improve. Coastal marine fisheries would benefit also because juvenile shad and herring spawned in fresh waters migrate downstream to the ocean and provide an important prey base for other popular fish species, such as red drum, flounder, bluefish and seatrout.

“The combined effects of increased shad and striped bass populations along with the benefits of an increase forage base for other game fish could potentially generate millions of dollars annually to North Carolina’s economy,” said Mike Wicker of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “River herring and sturgeon, species that are at all time record low numbers, would greatly benefit by once again having access to their historic spawning and nursery area habitats.”

Nationwide, removal of old and non-functioning dams from rivers and waterways is a growing trend. Many small dams which once provided water power to turn grist mills or saw blades now serve no useful function but in many areas, block migratory fish from their historic spawning and nursery areas.

In North Carolina, the removal in 1998 of Quaker Neck Dam on the Neuse River resulted in migratory striped bass and American shad being able to reach their former spawning grounds near Raleigh. Since removal of Quaker Neck Dam, other smaller dams on Little River, a tributary of Neuse River, have reopened many more miles of spawning habitat as well.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates Lock and Dams No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 on the Cape Fear River, and these structures are no longer used for navigation, which was their intended purpose. The Corps is interested in “decommissioning” the dams and is currently studying their options as part of a General Reevaluation Report for the Wilmington Harbor Deepening Project.

Although the Cape Fear River locks and dams were not designed for water supply, Wilmington, Fayetteville and other local users depend on impounded waters behind these dams for their water supply source. The fishery agencies are committed to working in partnership with these water users and other agencies to find water supply solutions that will satisfy municipal water needs before any of the three Cape Fear River lock and dams are removed.

State and federal fishery agencies promoting removal of these dams are anxious to work collaboratively with municipalities and citizen groups to restore fisheries habitat in North Carolina’s coastal rivers.

“The benefits of restoring healthy fish populations in the state’s rivers and streams go far beyond the enjoyment of just catching a fish,” said Bob Curry, chief of the Wildlife Resources Commission’s Division of Inland Fisheries. “They extend to our economy, to our culture and to our dedication to conserving our rich heritage of natural resources.”

Bob Curry, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, (919) 707-0221
Nancy Fish, N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, (252) 726-7021
Mike Wicker, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (919) 856-4520, ext. 22
Prescott Brownell, National Marine Fisheries Service, (843) 953-7204]

Contact: Nancy Fish, Marine Fisheries
Date: June 15, 2006 Phone: (252) 726-7021

MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION TO MEET JUNE 27 & 28

The Marine Fisheries Commission will meet on June 27 –28 at the Brownstone Hotel in Raleigh, NC. The meeting is open to the public. 

On June 26, the commission will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. at the same location to discuss fishery issues.
For more information, please contact Nancy Fish at 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.

See Agenda