RE: COMMERCIAL GILL NETS - PAMLICO
SOUND - GILL NET RESTRICTED AREA (GNRA)
Preston P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine
Fisheries, hereby announces that effective 12:01
A.M., Saturday, September 15, 2001, the following management measures will
be implemented for commercial gill net
fisheries in Pamlico Sound in
the areas described below as the Gill
Net Restricted Areas (GNRAs).
I.
GNRA DESCRIPTIONS:
A. Shallow Water
Gill Net Restricted Areas (SGNRA)
1. SGNRA 1
The area from Wainwright Island to Ocracoke Inlet bound by
the following points: Beginning at a point on Core Banks at 34° 58.7963’N- 76° 10.0013’W, running
northwesterly to Marker # 2CS at the mouth of Wainwright Channel at 35° 00.2780’N- 76° 12.1682’W, then
running northeasterly to Marker “HL” at 35° 01.5665’N- 76° 11.4277’W, then running northeasterly to Marker #1 at 35° 09.7058’N- 76° 04.7528’W, then
running southeasterly to a point at Beacon Island at 35° 05.9352’N- 76° 02.7408’W, then
running south to a point on the northeast corner of Portsmouth Island at 35° 03.7014’N- 76° 02.2595’W, then
running southwesterly along the shore of Core Banks to the point of beginning.
2. SGNRA 2
The area from Ocracoke Inlet to Hatteras Inlet bound by the
following points: Beginning at Marker #7 at the mouth of Silver Lake at 35° 06.9091’N- 75° 59.3882’W, running
north to Marker # 14BF at Big Foot Slough Entrance at 35° 09.3627’N- 76° 00.6259’W, then
running northeasterly to a point at 35° 13.4489’N- 75° 47.5531’W, then running south to a point northwest of the
Ocracoke/Hatteras Ferry terminal on the Ocracoke side at 35° 11.5985’N- 75° 47.0768’W, then
southwesterly along the shore to a point of beginning.
3. SGNRA 3
The area from Hatteras to Rodanthe bound by the following
points: Beginning at Marker “HR” at 35° 13.3152’N- 75° 41.6694’W, running northwest to Marker “42 RC” at Hatteras
Channel at 35°
16.7617’N- 75°
44.2341’W, then running easterly to a point off Marker #2 at Cape Channel at 35° 19.0380’N- 75° 36.2993’W, then
running to Marker #1 at the Avon Channel Entrance at 35° 22.8212’N- 75° 33.5984W, then
running northerly to a point on Gull Island at 35° 28.4495’N-75° 31.3247’W, then running north to Marker “ICC” at 35° 35.9891’N- 75° 31.2419’W, then east
to Marker
#6 at Rodanthe Harbor at 35° 35.7001’N- 75° 28.3024’W, then in a southerly direction along the shore to
the point of beginning.
B. Ocracoke
Corridor (OC)
The area in Ocracoke Inlet bound by the following points:
Beginning at a point at 35° 07.9390’N- 76° 03.8080’W, then running northeasterly to Marker #9 at Nine
Foot Shoal Entrance at 35° 08.4411’N- 76° 02.6848’W, then running northeasterly to Marker “14 BF” at
35°
09.3627’N- 76°
00.6259’W, then running southeast to Marker #7 at the mouth of Silver Lake at
35°
06.9091’N- 75°
59.3882’W, then following the shoreline southwesterly to a point at the north
side of Ocracoke Inlet at 35° 04.4200’N- 75° 59.9245’W, then crossing the inlet to a point on Portsmouth
Island at 35°
03.6916’N- 76°
02.2540’W, then in a northerly direction to a point on Beacon Island at 35° 05.9352N- 76° 02.7408’W, then
running in a northwesterly direction to the point of beginning.
C. Hatteras
Corridor (HC)
The area in Hatteras Inlet bound by the following points:
Beginning at a point at 35° 13.4489’N- 75° 47.5531’W, running east to the site of an old platform at
35°
14.0100’N- 75°
45.8097’W, then running northeast to Marker “42 RC” at the mouth of Hatteras
Channel at 35°
16.7617’N- 75°
44.2341’W, then following the channel to Marker “HR” at 35° 13.3152’N- 75° 41.6694’W, then
following the shoreline to a point on the north side of Hatteras Inlet at 35° 11.3408’N- 75° 44.9907’W, then
crossing the inlet to the south side to a point on Ocracoke Island at 35° 11.0793’N- 75° 45.9645’W, then
following the shoreline northwest to a point northwest of the Ocracoke/Hatteras
ferry terminal at 35° 11.5985’N- 75° 47.0768’W, then running in a northerly direction to the
point of beginning.
The following restrictions will apply to the commercial gill net fisheries occurring
in the areas of Pamlico Sound described above on the dates indicated. Large
mesh gill nets are defined in this proclamation as those gill nets with stretched
mesh of 5 inches and greater. Small
mesh gill nets are defined as those gill nets with stretched mesh less than 5
inches.
1. From September 15
through December 15, 2001, fishing operations will be limited to a maximum
of 2,000 yards of large mesh gill net and a maximum of 2,000 yards of small
mesh gill net in the SGNRAs. The use of
commercial gill nets will require a
GNRA Permit (as outlined below).
2. From September 15
through October 31, 2001, attendance is required for fishing operations using small mesh gill nets.
1. From September 15 through December 15, 2001, the
use of large mesh gill nets in the OC is prohibited. Commercial fishing operations using small
mesh gill nets will require a GNRA Permit and will be limited to a maximum of
2,000 yards.
2. From September 15
through October 31, 2001, attendance is required for fishing operations using small mesh gill nets.
1.
From September 15 through December 15, 2001, the use of large mesh gill nets in the HC is prohibited. Commercial fishing operations using small mesh gill nets will
require a GNRA Permit and will be limited to a maximum of 2,000 yards.
2. From September 15 through October 31, 2001,
attendance is required for fishing
operations using small mesh gill nets.
D.
Individual commercial fishing operations setting gill nets in more than
one of the GNRAs will be
restricted to a maximum of 2,000 yards of large mesh and a maximum of 2,000
yards of small mesh gill
nets.
III.
PERMITS AND PERMIT CONDITIONS
A. A Gill Net Restricted Area Permit (GNRA) is required for participation in commercial gill net fisheries in the GNRAs from September 15, 2001 through December 15, 2001. The procedures outlined in Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3O .0500 apply.
B. A single GNRA permit is required for each commercial fishing operation, regardless of the number of persons involved. A fishing operation is defined as all individuals, the vessel actively deploying and fishing gill nets in the GNRAs, and all nets used under one Permit and one Standard Commercial Fishing License (SCFL). The operation shall have the GNRA Permit in possession at all times while on the water. A vessel shall be listed on only one GNRA Permit.
C. An individual must hold or be assigned a Standard Commercial Fishing License (SCFL) or a Retired Standard Commercial Fishing License to obtain a GNRA Permit. When a SCFL is assigned, the GNRA Permit will be issued in the name of the assignee. The vessel used in the commercial fishing operation must be identified on the GNRA Permit application. A list of all members of the commercial fishing operations (designees) is required at the time of application. A change in designees or vessels must be called in the Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) Communications Center in Morehead City, NC by phone at 1-800-682-2632 or (252) 726-7021 prior to fishing under the GNRA Permit.
IV.
SEA TURTLE INTERACTION REPORTING:
Fishermen shall report all sea turtle interactions with gill
nets in the GNRAs to the NCDMF Communication Center in Morehead City, NC by
phone at 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021 within 24 hours. Failure to report interactions may result in
suspension or revocation of the GNRA Permit.
V. GENERAL INFORMATION:
A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of G. S. 113-134; 113-181; 113-182; 113-221(e); 143B-289.52 and N.C. Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103, 3I .0107, 3I .0113, 3J .0103, 3O .0500, and 3O .0506.
B.
It is unlawful to
violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director
under his delegated authority per 15A NCAC 3H .0103.
C.
The intent of this
proclamation is to implement management measures in the fall gill net fisheries
in southeastern Pamlico Sound that are expected to reduce interactions with
threatened and endangered sea turtles from September 15 through December 15,
2001. These actions are expected to provide increased levels of protection for
threatened and endangered sea turtles in Pamlico
Sound gill net fisheries.
D. “Attendance” is defined in N.C. Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3I .0101 (b) (40).
E. Gill Net Restricted Area Permits will be available beginning August 29, 2001 at no cost from all Division of Marine Fisheries License Offices.
F. This proclamation supplements, but does not supersede, the small mesh gill net attendance requirement for areas described in Marine Fisheries Temporary Rule 3J .0103 (approved May 1, 2001) from May 1 through October 31 each year.
G. This revised proclamation supersedes M-11-2001, issued August 22, 2001. The definitions of small and large mesh gill nets to make them consistent are the only changes.
August 27, 2001
10:00 A.M.
M-11-2001
/sab