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Contact: Patricia Smith MOREHEAD CITY – N.C. Marine Patrol acted quickly Wednesday to cite the owners of a gill net left in the mud at low tide in the Newport River. A N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries biologist received a call Wednesday morning informing him that someone had posted a video on YouTube that showed a large mesh gill net left in the mud at low tide with several species of fish, including red drum, black drum, bluefish and flounder. The biologist told Marine Patrol officers, who investigated and found the net had been removed. But they were able to use the video to trace the net and charge the owner Wednesday afternoon. Marine Patrol officer Mitch Stone cited Virginia Dare Fulcher Oglesby, of 740 Mill Point Lane, Morehead City with using a gill net without proper buoys or identification. The buoys on the net were not the right color and they were marked by outdated registration numbers. Oglesby was also charged with leaving a gill net in coastal fishing waters when such devices contained edible species of fish unfit for human consumption. The charges carry a fine of $35 and court costs of $110. Oglesby was scheduled for trial in Carteret County District Court Aug. 27. Contact: Patricia Smith STATE RELEASES 2007 STOCK STATUS REPORT MOREHEAD CITY – A 2007 stock status report released today shows changes to the status of some species based on new definitions for different categories describing the health of fish and shellfish populations in North Carolina coastal waters. Under the former definitions, a species was classified as overfished based on a stock assessment conducted by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission or a National Marine Fisheries Service regional council. The new definitions address the assignment of a stock status to a species that has an unapproved or no stock assessment. This could affect the state’s fisheries because the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission uses the report to prioritize development and updates of fishery management plans, which are blueprints for long-term regulations and other restoration measures. The new stock status report also changes the category overfished to depleted to incorporate those fish stocks that may have declined for reasons other than fishing pressure. In brief, under the new definitions, a stock is considered viable when it exhibits stable or increasing trends in a number of biological factors associated with healthy populations such as a normal distribution of sizes, ages and spawning-age females or when it has met biological targets for sustainable harvest. A stock is considered recovering when it shows marked and consistent improvement in the criteria listed for a viable stock, but has not yet reached its target. Stocks designated as concern are those that have seen increased fishing pressure, a decline in landings, lack a normal age distribution or are negatively impacted by environmental factors that cannot be controlled but do not have an approved stock assessment or fishery management plan. A depleted stock is a population in which there are too few spawning females to support an active fishery. Factors that can contribute to this status include, but are not limited to, overfishing, poor water quality, habitat loss, larvae survival and disease. This status determination is based on an approved stock assessment or fishery management plan. A stock is classified as unknown when there is not sufficient data to determine trends in fishing pressure, landings or biological factors. Stocks designated as unknown are often prioritized for research programs. Three species – scup, bay scallops and sharks – received a different stock status than they would have under the old definitions. Scup was downgraded from recovering to concern because there is no recent stock assessment and there is a lack of data to evaluate the stock status. Bay scallops moved from concern to depleted based on the lack of an active fishery in North Carolina. There is no stock assessment available, but effects of the red tide, hurricanes and predation have resulted in a low population. Sharks moved from recovering to concern because there is a lack of information on some species and unreliable stock assessments on others. Three species were upgraded in stock status for reasons other than the definitions change. Bluefish moved from recovering to viable based on an ASMFC/MAFMC joint 2006 stock assessment. Spiny dogfish are no longer overfished, according to a 2006 NMFS assessment. The stock was moved from overfished (depleted) to recovering because, though it is heading in the right direction, there is still apprehension related to the nature of the spiny dogfish’s life history and the reduction in number and sizes of females that could hinder successful expansion of the stock. Tautog was upgraded from depleted to concern because the latest stock assessment is unable to determine if the stock is overfished. Five species were downgraded in stock status for reasons other than the change in definitions. Black sea bass north of Hatteras moved from viable to concern because a recent Northeast Fisheries Science Center tagging study could not determine if the species is being overfished and a science panel rejected a 2006 stock assessment. Gag grouper moved from viable to concern because a South Atlantic Fishery Management Council stock assessment showed that while the supply of the fish is not yet exhausted, too many fish are being caught for the population to sustain itself over time. Monkfish shifted from recovering to concern because it is behind on a 10-year rebuilding schedule adopted in a Monkfish Fishery Management Plan in 1999 by the New England and Mid-Atlantic fishery management councils. Spot was downgraded from viable to concern because landings and fishing effort has dropped. There are also indications of a long, slow decline in the abundance of spot all along the Atlantic coast. Weakfish changed from concern to depleted based on the results of the most recent ASMFC stock assessment. There is little evidence of overfishing. The stock appears to be declining because of natural mortality. Management measures to reduce fishing effort should be in place by October. The full stock status report is available on the DMF website at www.ncdmf.net. For more information contact Trish Murphey by phone at 252-726-7021 or by email at trish.murphey@ncmail.net.
Contact: Patricia Smith MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION TO MEET IN RALIEGH MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will hold its regular business meeting Tuesday and Wednesday, June 26-27, at the Brownstone Inn in Raleigh. The commission is scheduled to hear presentations on socioeconomic trends in the recreational and commercial fisheries and on the pros and cons of limited access privilege programs. The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will also present its annual stock status report to the commission. The meeting is open to the public and begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. At 6 p.m. Monday, June 25, the commission will hold a public hearing on several proposed rules, mostly affecting the striped bass and river herring fisheries.
Contact: Patricia Smith MARINE PATROL CONFISCATES BLUE MARLIN FROM BIG ROCK BOAT MOREAHEAD CITY – N.C. Marine Patrol officers confiscated an undersized blue marlin brought to the docks for the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament Friday. The fish, landed by the vessel The Toplesss of Ocean City, Md., measured 97 inches in length, said Marine Patrol Officer Carter Witten. The minimum size limit for blue marlin in North Carolina is 99 inches. Additionally, the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament requires blue marlin landed to meet either a 110-inch or 400-pound size limit. Marine Patrol Officer Mitch Stone was at the Big Rock Landing when the fish was brought in to be weighed between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Friday. The boat captain, Alan Evans Fields of Juniper, Fla., was cited for possession of an undersized blue marlin and given a mandatory court appearance where a judge will decide his fine. The fish was given to Dr. Jeff Buckel, assistant professor at the N.C. State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technologies in Morehead City to be used for research Contact: Patricia Smith FISHERMAN SETS NEW STATE RECORD FOR BLACKFIN TUNA MOREHEAD CITY – A Raleigh fisherman has upped the standard for blackfin tuna caught in North Carolina waters by breaking the state record this spring. Steven B. Lockwood of Raleigh landed a 40-pound blackfin tuna April 14 that he caught aboard the charter boat Dream Girl, based out of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. The fish was caught while trolling with ballyhoo and measured 41.5 inches total length and had a girth of 28 inches. The previous state record of 39 pounds, set in 2002, was also caught off Oregon Inlet. The all-tackle world record for blackfin tuna is 49 pounds, 6 ounces. For more information, contact Carole Yoder, sportfishing specialist with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, by phone at (252) 726-7021 or (800) 682-2632 or by e-mail at Carole.Yoder@ncmail.net. Contact: Patricia Smith VERDICTS HANDED DOWN IN CRAB POT CASE MOREHEAD CITY – Three Craven County commercial fishermen were recently sentenced to probation and to pay fines and other penalties associated with the possession of 66 crab pots stolen from 20 commercial fishermen in western Albemarle Sound areas last year. Albert Lynn Campen, 51, of Havelock; Christopher Tracy Barnes, 24, of New Bern; and Thomas James Baker, 22, of Havelock were each found guilty May 29 in Washington County District Court of misdemeanor possession of stolen property stemming from a Nov. 13 discovery of stolen crab pots. Marine Patrol Officer Brian Long said he received a report from a commercial fisherman that some of his crab pots had been stolen and he had seen some in a stack of pots sitting on a dock in the Mackeys community of Washington County. Officers went to look at the stack of pots and noticed other stolen pots in the pile, Long said. Shortly afterward, the officers pulled the three men while they were moving the pots with a truck and trailer on the highway, Long said. While searching the vehicle, officers also found marijuana and drug paraphernalia, Long said. More stolen crab pots were found at a mobile home in Plymouth where the three men had been staying, Long said. The crab pots had been stolen from about 20 commercial crabbers in Chowan, Bertie, Perquimans, Washington, Beaufort, Hyde, Tyrrell and Hertford counties. Campen, who was also convicted of possessing undersized crabs, was sentenced to 24 months supervised probation. He was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service and pay fines, court costs, restitution and other penalties totaling $1,690. In addition, Judge Samuel G. Grimes barred Campen from participating in commercial fishing operations on water or on land for one year. Barnes, who was also convicted of possession of drug paraphernalia, was sentenced to 12 months supervised probation and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service and pay fines and other costs totaling $825. Baker was sentenced to 12 months supervised probation and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service and pay fines and other costs totaling $820. The judge ordered that the crab pots be returned to their owners. For more information, contact Marine Patrol Capt. Johnny Barnes at 1-800-405-7774.
Contact: Patricia Smith MOREHEAD CITY – Col. Rex Lanier knows that Marine Patrol officers are the frontline representatives for the Division of Marine Fisheries. He has more than 20 years experience in fisheries law enforcement to back up that knowledge. “We’re the only section that wears a uniform,” Lanier said. “We drive marked vehicles so we get a lot of questions thrown our way.” That’s why Lanier, 43, has made expanding officer’s involvement in public education one of his top goals as the new head of Marine Patrol. Lanier officially took charge of Marine Patrol today at a pinning ceremony at the Division of Marine Fisheries headquarters in Morehead City. Fisheries Director Louis Daniel presented Lanier with the eagle wings of a colonel. “His vision for the Marine Patrol and his desire to expand public awareness and education on the mission of the Marine Patrol will be a great asset to the division and the department,” Daniel said. Lanier began his career with Marine Patrol in 1987 as a field officer working the Sneads Ferry area. He worked his way up through the ranks, attaining a promotion to sergeant in 1995 and to lieutenant in 1998. Since August 2003, he has served as captain of Marine Patrol’s Southern District, overseeing field operations and planning in Onslow, Pender, New Hanover and Brunswick counties. Prior to joining Marine Patrol, he worked for two years with the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department. A lifetime resident of Onslow County, and the son of two Onslow County Sheriff’s deputies, Lanier knew at a young age that he wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. He chose fisheries law enforcement after he and his father were on a shrimp boat one time and got checked by Marine Patrol officers. “I thought it would be a neat job,” Lanier said. He set a career goal for himself to become a captain, a goal he has now surpassed. “A better door opened,” Lanier said. Lanier replaces Col. Joe Lynch, who retired from the position March 31. He holds an Advanced N.C. Law Enforcement Certificate, Field Training Officer Certificate and is a graduate of the N.C. Law Enforcement Training Instructor’s Course. He is also a graduate of the Certified Public Manager Program and the Law Enforcement Management Institute. Lanier lives in Jacksonville with his wife, Charlene, and daughters Caitlin, 13, and Cally, 10.
Contact: Patricia Smith CORRECTION PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN DATE OF EDENTON MEETING MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will hold four public hearings this month on several proposed rules affecting the commercial ocean striped bass fishery. As ocean striped bass populations have improved, more fishermen have entered the fishery resulting in greater competition and conflicts between them. Among the proposed rules are those that authorize the commission to establish an Atlantic Ocean Striped Bass Commercial Gear permit that requires fishermen to choose which of three commercial gear types they will use in the fishery for three consecutive years. The proposed rules set the price of the permit at $10 per year. The proposed rules also establish a definition for “beach seine” to address conflicts between fishermen in the striped bass fishery and clarify that possession of ocean striped bass is prohibited on trawlers except during open ocean striped bass trawl season. Additionally, public comment will be taken on proposed rules that: Hearing dates are set for: For more information contact Nancy Fish with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries at (252) 726-7021 or (800) 682-2632 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 4, 2007 |
