PROCLAMATION
Preston
P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that
effective at 12:01 A.M., Saturday,
October 4, 2003, the following restrictions will apply to the taking of
flounder from the INTERNAL WATERS of
the state:
I. A. SUSPENSION OF RULE
The
portion of N.C. Fisheries Rules for Coastal Waters 15A NCAC 3M .0503 (a) (1),
which reads, “It is unlawful to possess flounder less than 13 inches total
length taken from internal waters”
remains suspended.
1. No person may possess flounder less than 13 inches total length taken from
internal waters for recreational purposes
west of a line beginning at a point on Point of Marsh in Carteret County at
35° 4.6166’N – 76° 27.8000’W, then running northeasterly to a point at Bluff
Point in Hyde County at 35° 19.7000’N – 76° 9.8500’W.
2. East of the line described in B. 1. above
and in all other state internal waters, no person may possess flounder less
than 14 inches total length for
recreational purposes.
3. No person
may possess flounder less than 13 inches
total length taken from all internal waters as part of a commercial fishing operation.
II. GENERAL
INFORMATION
A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of G.S. 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 113-182; 113-221(e); 143B-289.52 and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103; 3I .0102, 3M .0503 and 3M .0512.
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
maintain North Carolina’s compliance with the requirements of the joint
Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council – Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission Summer Flounder Fisheries Management Plan under the authority of
N.C. Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3M .0512. This proclamation continues the minimum
size limit of flounder taken for recreational purposes in internal waters west
of a line from Point of Marsh to Bluff Point at 13 inches. The size limit east of that line and in all
other internal waters is 14 inches total length. The size limit for commercial
operations remains at 13 inches total length.
D.
This
proclamation supersedes Proclamation FF-37-2003, dated August 20, 2003.
October 2, 2003
10:45 A.M.
FF-39-2003
/sab