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FF-13-2010
PROCLAMATION Dr. Louis B. Daniel III, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M., Monday, January 25, 2010 the season for the harvest of striped bass with gill nets in the Atlantic Ocean waters of North Carolina SHALL OPEN. The following restrictions shall apply: II. HARVEST RESTRICTIONS B. The quota for the gill net fishery will be 160,160 pounds. C. It is unlawful for an Atlantic Ocean Striped Bass Commercial Gear Permit gill net permit holder to sell or possess more than 15 striped bass per calendar day during the open season. An ocean gill net operation consisting of more than one AOSBCGP designated gill net permit holder may land or sell no more than two daily harvest limits (30 fish). An AOSBCGP designated gill net permit holder must accompany each single harvest limit (15 fish) until the time of sale to a dealer who possesses a valid 2009/2010 Striped Bass Dealer Permit validated for the Atlantic Ocean. D. Harvest will be allowed from Monday, January 25, 2010 through Sunday, January 31, 2010 unless closed earlier by proclamation when the harvest quota is reached. E. For the purpose of this proclamation, a gill net is defined as a net deployed from and retrieved into a vessel and set vertically in the water to capture fish by entanglement by the gills in its mesh as a result of net design, construction, mesh size, webbing diameter or method in which it is used. III. LANDING RESTRICTIONS IV. DEALER PERMITS B. Only a STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT validated for the Atlantic Ocean may be used for transactions involving striped bass taken from the area opened by this proclamation. C. Striped bass lawfully sold to a permitted dealer may be resold to a non-permitted wholesale or retail market provided the initial permitted dealer records their dealer identification number on each bill of lading or receipts involved in the shipment of striped bass. Any individual or corporation who holds a current finfish dealer license must obtain a STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT validated for the Atlantic Ocean in order to sell any striped bass personally harvested. V. SALE TAGS B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Director under his delegated authority pursuant to N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 03H .0103. C. The intent of this proclamation is to allow the commercial harvest of striped bass from the Atlantic Ocean by traditional gears within the 480,480 pound quota established for the 2009/2010 season by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Fishery Management Plan for Striped Bass. D. The NMFS Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Plan prohibits the use of gill nets, greater than or equal to 7 inch stretched mesh, at night from December 16 through April 14, unless tie downs are used from the NC/VA border (36° 33’ N) to Cape Lookout (34° 35.4’N). Tie downs shall be spaced not more than 15 feet apart along the float line, not more than 48 inches in length from the point where it connects to the float line to the point where it connects to the lead line. Night is any time one hour after sunset and one hour prior to sunrise. E. The NMFS Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Plan prohibits the use of gill nets, greater than or equal to 7 inch stretched mesh, at night from December 16 through April 14 from Cape Lookout (34° 35.4’N) to the NC/SC border and requires that such nets be removed from the water at night. Night is any time one hour after sunset and one hour prior to sunrise. F. The waters of the Atlantic Ocean, as applicable to this proclamation are defined as waters seaward of the G. The AOSBCG Permits were to have been obtained from North Carolina Marine Fisheries License Offices by November 1, 2009. H. All striped bass taken during season closures and all undersized striped bass shall be immediately returned to the waters where taken, regardless of the condition of the fish. I. Hook-and-line fishing equipment is not commercial fishing equipment in the striped bass fishery and it is illegal to sell or purchase striped bass taken by hook-and-line in accordance with N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 03M .0201 (b). K. Dealers whose businesses are located in Beaufort, Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties may obtain tags by contacting the Morehead City Marine Patrol Office at 1-800-682-2632 or (252) 726-7021. Dealers whose businesses are located in Hyde, Dare, Tyrrell, Washington, Bertie, Chowan, Pasquotank, Camden, Hertford and other northern counties may obtain tags by contacting the Columbia Marine Patrol at 1-800-405-7774 or (252) 796-1322. Allow 48 hours for delivery. January 22, 2010 |