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Contact: Nancy Fish, Marine Fisheries On November 29, 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.
Nancy Fish Jodie B. Owen
Saltwater Fishing License Will Be Required Jan. 1 RALEIGH, N.C. (Nov. 20) — Effective Jan. 1, anyone 16 years and older fishing recreationally in North Carolina’s coastal waters will need a fishing license. Anglers under 16 will not need to purchase a license. A Coastal Recreational Fishing License (CRFL) will be required to harvest finfish in the state’s coastal fishing waters, which include sounds, coastal rivers and their tributaries, out to three miles into the ocean. Recreational anglers who catch fish from three miles to 200 miles offshore will be required to have this license in order to transport fish back to the shore. Anglers fishing recreationally in joint waters — areas managed by the Marine Fisheries Commission and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission — will need either a CRFL or an inland fishing license. Currently, anglers 16 and over need a license when fishing in public, inland waters, which are managed by the Wildlife Resources Commission. Revenues generated from sales of CRFLs must be used to conserve and enhance North Carolina’s marine fisheries resources, according to Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) Director Pres Pate. ”License revenues will go into two marine resources funds managed by the state’s Wildlife Resources and Marine Fisheries commissions,” Pate said. “A grant program is being established to disburse the revenues in four main areas: habitat protection, public access, resource enhancement and public information. We envision academic institutions, government agencies and conservation groups, among others, having the opportunity to apply for these grants.” In 2005, North Carolina had over 2 million recreational anglers fishing from coastal waters and was ranked third in the nation for the amount of recreationally harvested saltwater fish. “In addition to providing additional revenues, data generated from the new license will also provide fisheries managers with more accurate estimates on the numbers of recreational anglers and the type and amount of fish they are catching.” said Pate. “That enhanced data will help us make better decisions about allocations, about setting seasons and about resolving user conflicts.” Prices for the CRFL will vary depending on residency, age, duration and type of license purchased. For residents, the annual cost for a CRFL will be $15; for a 10-day license, $5. For non-residents, the annual cost for a CRFL will be $30; for a 10-day license, $10. Those who purchased a lifetime sportsman or lifetime comprehensive fishing license, issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission, do not need to purchase a CRFL if they purchased their lifetime license before Jan. 1, 2006. To view a complete list of license options, visit DMF’s Web site, www.ncfisheries.net, or the Wildlife Resources Commission’s Web site, www.ncwildlife.org. The cost to fish in North Carolina’s public, inland waters will remain at $15 annually for residents. A CRFL, available for sale Jan. 1, can be purchased in four ways: 1) Call the Wildlife Resources Commission at 1 (888) 248-6834. Hours of operation are: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Those who receive food stamps, Medicaid or Work First Family Assistance can obtain a subsistence waiver through their county Department of Social Services. This annual waiver allows the holder to fish recreationally with hook-and-line in inland waters (with the exception of Public Mountain Trout Waters), joint waters and coastal waters. For more information on the CRFL, including a comprehensive list of all available licenses, or to download a frequently asked questions document, visit the Wildlife Resources Commission’s Web site, www.ncwildlife.org.
NOVEMBER 7, 2006 Nontraditional Stakeholders Sought for Participation in ASMFC Advisory Panels for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass The Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board is in the process of re-configuring its three species advisory panels. As part of that process, the Board is seeking nominations from nontraditional stakeholders to fill two seats on each of the three advisory panels (summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass). Examples of such stakeholders include, but are not limited to, nongovernmental organizations, grassroots organizations, and individuals/groups with an interest in fisheries and habitat conservation. The intent of this action is to broaden the scope of public input to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council as they develop Amendments 14 & 15 to the Fishery Management Plans for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass. Amendment 14 focuses on scup rebuilding while Amendment 15 deals with a wide-range of management issues affecting all three species. The Commission believes that input from nontraditional stakeholders will strengthen its efforts in successfully managing these species. Individuals interested in serving as advisors can obtain an advisory panel nomination form by contacting the Commission at (202)289-6400 or downloading the nomination form via the Commission's website at http://www.asmfc.org/ad_panel.htm. A completed nomination form must be submitted to the Commission by 5:00 PM on November 30, 2006. The Commission's advisory panel process was established to address its increasing responsibilities under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act. The Act mandates, among other considerations, that the Commission provide adequate public participation in its fishery management planning process, including at least four public hearings and procedures for submission of written comments to the Commission. In 2002, the Commission established the Advisory Panel Oversight Committee, comprised of a subset of legislative and governor-appointed Commissioners and Advisory Panel Chairs, to provide oversight to its advisory panel process. Advisory panels have been developed for Atlantic croaker, Atlantic herring, Atlantic menhaden, American eel, American lobster, black sea bass, bluefish, coastal sharks, horseshoe crab, northern shrimp, red drum, scup, shad & river herring, spiny dogfish, striped bass, summer flounder, tautog, weakfish, and winter flounder. For more information, please contact Tina Berger, Public Affairs Specialist, at (202)289-6400 or tberger@asmfc.org. ************************* 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 MOREHEAD CITY - Just in time for oyster season, five new oyster shell drop-off centers have been established in Brunswick County. The oyster shell collection bins were built at four county waste disposal convenience sites. The locations are: Calabash (736 Seaside Rd., Hwy 904) An area for residents to drop off oyster shells has also been designated at the county landfill in Bolivia. The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will also provide a collection trailer at large oyster roasts. The new drop-off centers are the most recent additions to a growing number of locations residents can use to help restore oyster habitat by recycling shells. The Oyster Shell Recycling Partnership, led by the DMF and supported by volunteers and conservation organizations, is working with restaurants, seafood dealers, community organizations and individuals to collect oyster shells. The shells are used to build oyster reefs in protected sanctuaries. Recycled oyster shells purchased from oyster shucking operations are the primary source for current oyster reef restoration efforts. However, these shells are in such high demand they have become a limiting factor for oyster restoration projects. The Oyster Shell Recycling Partnership is working to increase recycling by placing drop-off locations throughout eastern North Carolina. The partnership has recycled over 24,000 bushels of oyster shells since its inception in 2003. In 2007 the DMF will deploy 300,000 bushels of oyster reef material in sanctuaries and harvest areas. This represents an increase from 239,000 bushels in 2005 and 277,000 in 2006. Visit http://www.ncdmf.net/shellfish/recycle1.htm to learn more about the program and view collection locations. For more information please contact either Sabrina Varnam at sabrina.varnam@ncmail.net or by calling 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021, or Stephen Taylor at stephen.taylor@ncmail.net or by calling 800-248-4536 or 910-796-7289.
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