FF-19-2003
RE:
BLACK SEA BASS – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS
Preston P. Pate, Jr.,
Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective
at 12:01 A.M., Sunday, March 2, 2003,
the following restrictions will apply to the black sea bass commercial fishery north of Cape Hatteras
(35° 15’N. Latitude):
I. SIZE LIMIT It is unlawful to
possess black sea bass less than 11
inches total length.
II. TRIP LIMITS
During the period beginning at 12:01 A.M., Sunday, March 2, 2003 and
ending at 6:00 P.M., Tuesday, March 11, 2003, no commercial fishing
operation, regardless of the number of people involved, may have total landings
of more than 5,000 pounds of black
sea bass taken from the Atlantic Ocean (See Section IV. C.).
III. GEAR RESTRICTIONS
A. TRAWLS:
The following restrictions apply when 500 or more pounds of
black sea bass are possessed on board a vessel from January through March or
100 pounds from April through December:
1. No person may
use or possess on deck:
(a) Trawl nets with a cod end (tailbag) less than 4 ½ inches
(hung on a diamond) applied throughout the cod end for at least 75 continuous
meshes forward of the terminus (end) of the net; or
(b) Trawl nets with cod ends less than 75 meshes (including an
extension) with a mesh size less than 4 ½ inches (hung on a diamond) applied
throughout the net.
2.
Tailbag
liners of any mesh size or double hung cod ends may not be used or possessed on
deck of a vessel.
3. Rollers used in roller rig or rock hopper trawl gear shall be
no longer than 18 inches in diameter.
B. FISH TRAPS/POTS:
Black sea bass pots or traps must conform with the Federal
rule requirements for escape vents specified in 50 CFR 648.144 (b)(2) and for
degradable fasteners specified in 50 CFR 648.144 (b)(3)(i), (ii) and
(iii). (See Section IV.H).
A) This proclamation is issued under the
authority of G.S. 113-134; 113- 170.4; 113-170.5; 113-181; 113-182; 113-221(e);
143B-289.52 and NC Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3M .0503, 3M .0506 and .0512
and 3O. 0500.
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 landing prohibition beginning at 6:00 P.M.
on March 11, 2003 will allow the Division to review landing reports. Landings will be allowed by proclamation
after that date if the 2003 annual quota has not been met.
D) For the purposes of this proclamation, fish
shall be considered landed when fish are unloaded or the vessel is tied to the
dock, whichever occurs first.
E) Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3I .0113 specifies
that it is unlawful for any licensee under Chapter 113, Subchapter IV of the
General Statutes to refuse to allow the Fisheries Director or his agents to
obtain biological data, harvest information, or other statistical data
necessary or useful to the conservation and management of marine and estuarine
resources from fish in the licensee=s possession.
F) The intent of this proclamation is to allow North Carolina to comply with the requirements of the joint Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council-Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) and to manage the commercial black sea bass fishery under the state quota system established by the FMP.
G) The minimum size limit for black sea bass south of Cape Hatteras remains 10 inches in total length.
H) Copies of escape vent specifications for black sea bass pots north of Cape Hatteras are available via the Federal Register posted on the Internet at www.nero.nmfs.gov/ro/doc/the648.htm and from the Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557.
I) This proclamation supersedes Proclamation FF-70-2002, dated December 19, 2002.
February 27, 2003
3:30 P.M.
FF-19-2003
/sab