Contact: Nancy Fish
Date: Feb. 26, 2007
Phone: (252) 726-7021

FISHERIES FORUM TO BE HELD MARCH 20

MOREHEAD CITY – If you want to learn about the latest fisheries research or find out about the newest fishery management programs, plan on attending the 2007 Fisheries Forum at the Convention Center in New Bern, March 20 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

North Carolina Sea Grant and the Marine Fisheries Commission are co-hosting this year’s forum, which will be held at the New Bern Convention Center’s Tryon Room A & B (2nd floor). Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the meeting starts at 9 a.m.

Research findings will be presented from the N.C. Fishery Resource Grant (FRG) and the N.C. Blue Crab Research Program. Both are funded by the N.C. General Assembly and administered by Sea Grant.

Topics for FRG research include the recruitment of red drum in North Carolina estuaries and an evaluation of the state’s yellow perch fishery. A presentation on new fishing gear configurations will also be featured.

Topics for blue crab research include testing the efficiency of varying colored crab pots, a study on the production of multiple clutches of eggs by female crabs, and seasonal patterns of blue crab post-larval movements.

Additionally, information will be presented on the Coastal Recreational Fishing License implementation, as well as the progress of developing procedures for distribution of license revenues. An overview on the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan implementation will also be presented.

For more information about the meeting, please contact Nancy Fish at nancy.fish@ncmail.net, 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632. Or contact Sea Grant extension specialists Marc Turano at marc_turano@ncsu.edu, 919/513-7279; or Bob Hines at rjhines@ncsu.edu, 252/222-6312.

Public Hearings Scheduled for Atlantic Group King and Spanish Mackerel

Amendment 18 calls for reduction in total allowable catches for mackerel fisheries

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is holding a series of 8 public hearings to solicit public comment on an amendment to reduce the total allowable catch (TAC) for both Atlantic group king mackerel and Spanish mackerel. Known as Amendment 18 to the Fishery Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, the amendment would also change the commercial trip limits for Spanish mackerel to reflect recent changes in the fishing year. Amendment 18 was changed from a regulatory amendment to a plan amendment in September 2006 to allow more flexibility for alternatives. While the title has changed, the alternatives and information in the plan amendment remain the same.

While both the commercial and recreational mackerel fisheries remain viable in the South Atlantic, the Council is considering a precautionary approach to reduce the current TAC for each fishery based on estimates from the most recent stock assessment data. The Council is also concerned about possible shifts to the king mackerel fishery as other fisheries reach their quotas and close early each year. Several vessels that fish for snapper grouper species also participate in the king mackerel fishery. The Council is concerned that recent regulatory reductions in the snapper grouper fishery may shift additional effort to the mackerel fisheries.

The Council is proposing to reduce the current annual TAC for king mackerel from 10.0 million pounds to 7.1 million pounds, and for Spanish mackerel from 7.04 million pounds to 6.7 million pounds. For the king mackerel fishery, 62.9% is currently allocated to recreational fishermen and 37.1% to commercial fishermen. The reduction in TAC is not expected to have an immediate effect on either sector, with projected landings for 2006/07 falling below the new allocations. However, there is concern by commercial fishermen that the quota reduction will increase the future probability of a closure before the end of the fishing year.

Public hearings for Mackerel Amendment 18 will be held in coastal areas in the southeast, beginning at 6:00 p.m. on March 6, 2007 during the Council's March 5-9, 2007 meeting in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Working jointly with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, Amendment 18 is scheduled for formal approval by both councils in June 2007.

Written comments for Amendment 18 are being accepted by the Council until April 10, 2007. Copies of the public hearing document will be posted on the Council’s web site at www.safmc.net by February 28, 2007 or may be obtained from the Council office. Comments should be addressed to: Bob Mahood, Executive Director, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, Charleston, SC 29405. Email comments to: MackerelAmendment18@safmc.net.

MACKEREL AMENDMENT 18
PUBLIC HEARINGS

All hearings are scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m.

*March 6, 2007
Jekyll Island Club Hotel
371 Riverview Drive
Jekyll Island, GA 31527
Phone: 912/635-2600
*Please note a correction to the start time of the Jekyll Island, GA hearing
as noted in an earlier post card mailing. ALL hearings begin at 6:00 p.m.

March 12, 2007
Hampton Inn St. Augustine Bch.
430 A1A Beach Blvd.
St. Augustine, FL 32080
Phone: 904/471-4000

March 13, 2007
Hutchinson Island Marriott
555 N.E. Ocean Blvd.
Stuart, FL 34996
Phone: 772/225-3700

March 14, 2007
Sombrero Cay Club Resort
19 Sombrero Blvd.
Marathon, FL 33050
Phone: 305/743-2250

March 19, 2007
Crystal Coast Civic Center
3505 Arendell Street
Morehead City, NC 28557
Phone: 252/247-3883

March 20, 2007
Shell Island Resort
2700 N. Lumina Ave.
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Phone: 910/256-8696

March 21, 2007
Baywatch Resort
2701 S. Ocean Blvd.
N. Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
Phone: 843/272-4600

March 27, 2007
Hampton Inn
678 Citadel Haven Drive
Charleston, SC 29414
Phone: 843/573-1200

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.

Contact: Nancy Fish
Date: Feb. 15, 2007 Phone: (252) 726-7021

MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION TO MEET FEB. 21-23

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet February 21-23 at the Marriott in Carolina Beach, N.C. The meeting is open to the public.

A public meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. on Feb. 21 at the same location. There is no set agenda for the public meeting, it is simply a time the commission sets aside to hear concerns and comments from fishermen and interested parties regarding fishery issues.

For more information about this meeting, please contact Nancy Fish by e-mail at nancy.fish@ncmail.net or by calling 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.

AGENDA

Contact: Nancy Fish
Date: Feb. 13, 2007 Phone: (252) 726-7021

MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION SEEKS ADVISORS

MOREHEAD CITY - The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) is looking for interested individuals to fill vacancies on several of its advisory committees.

Advisors assist the commission with development of regional, statewide and species-specific management actions and serve three-year staggered terms, many of which expire in early 2007. The MFC is soliciting advisors for the Finfish, Habitat and Water Quality, Crustacean, and Shellfish advisory committees, in addition to four regional advisory committees from the following areas:

Northeast - Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Martin, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, and Washington counties.

Central - Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Hyde, Jones, and Pamlico counties.

Southeast - Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Onslow, and Pender counties.

Inland - All non-coastal counties.

Advisory committees provide information and guidance to the MFC when developing future fisheries regulations. Individuals interested in serving as advisors should be willing to attend bimonthly meetings and actively participate in the committee process. Advisors will be reimbursed for travel and other expenses incurred in relation to official duties.

The MFC will be accepting applications for these openings until March 15, 2007. Applications are available at N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries offices or can be obtained by calling Kelly Mullen at 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021 or Kelly.Mullen@ncmail.net.

Contact: Nancy Fish, Marine Fisheries
Date: February 9, 2007
Phone: (252) 726-7021

CULTCH PLANTING MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN FEB. & MARCH

MOREHEAD CITY - The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) will hold public meetings in February and March to receive suggestions and comments on cultch planting - where shells and rock are placed to enhance shellfish habitat in potentially productive shellfish areas. Oysters, clams and other aquatic life are attracted to the cultch and will begin to immediately colonize the material.

The DMFs Shellfish Rehabilitation staff constantly looks for ways to improve the program, so annual meetings are held to provide fishermen and interested parties the opportunity to provide advice and input regarding planting sites, methods, materials and quantities. Previously the program only worked with oysters, but has expanded to include clams.
The meetings are on the following dates:

Monday, Feb. 19 Roanoke Island Festival Park 6 P.M.
Manteo, NC

Tuesday, Feb. 20 Swan Quarter Fire Station 6 P.M.
Swan Quarter, NC

Wednesday, Feb. 21 District Courtroom 6 P.M.
Carteret County Courthouse
Beaufort, NC

Thursday, Feb. 22 Pamlico County Courthouse 6 P.M.
Bayboro, NC

Monday, Feb. 26 North Topsail Beach Town Hall 6 P.M.
2008 Loggerhead Court
N. Topsail Beach, NC

Tuesday, Feb. 27 Division of Marine Fisheries 6 P.M.
127 Cardinal Drive Extended
Wilmington, NC

Thursday, March 1 Town Hall 6 P.M.
Varnamtown, NC

Contact: Nancy Fish
Date: Feb. 6, 2007 Phone: (252) 726-7021

RECREATIONAL SIZE LIMIT INCREASES
FOR OCEAN-CAUGHT FLOUNDER

MOREHEAD CITY - Anglers are advised the size limit for flounder recreationally caught in the Atlantic Ocean will increase from 14 inches to 14½ inches effective Thursday, February 8.

This size increase is necessary in order for North Carolina to stay in compliance with the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Fishery Management Plan for Summer Flounder. Both the coastwide recreational and commercial quotas for summer flounder were lowered in 2007 in order to help end overfishing of this important stock
.
The eight-fish daily harvest limit for the ocean is unchanged. In addition, the harvest limit for flounder taken in internal waters, such as sounds and rivers, remains the same - 14 inches and eight fish per day.

For more information about summer flounder, please contact Chris Batsavage, DMF - Morehead City, by e-mail at chris.batsavage@ncmail.net or by phone at 800-682-2632 or 919-726-7021.