M-9-2003
RE: FOR-HIRE FISHING PERMIT
Preston P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine
Fisheries, hereby announces that effective 12:01
A.M., Tuesday, July 1, 2003, the following management measures will be
implemented for For-Hire Fishing
Vessels:
A
vessel carrying persons engaged in for-hire fishing for recreational purposes
must be authorized with a For-Hire Fishing Permit (FH Permit) from the Division
of Marine Fisheries. The owner of a
vessel shall obtain a FH Permit if the vessel originates from or returns to a
North Carolina port taking persons to participate in any fishing activity for
recreational purposes for a fee, including bartering, in coastal waters as
defined in G.S. 113-129 (4). A separate
For-Hire Permit is required for each vessel.
To be eligible to hold a FH Permit, all masters of the vessel must hold
a valid United States Coast Guard (USCG) Operator’s License that allows taking
people for hire. The vessel owner must provide the vessel master(s) full name,
driver’s license number, mailing address, telephone numbers (home, business and
cellular), date of birth, a photocopy of the USCG Operator’s License and any
other information required by the Division.
II. PERMIT CONDITIONS
Permittees are required to abide by all conditions listed in Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3O .0502 and .0504 and on the FH Permit, including the following specific conditions.
A. The FH Permit must be in the possession of the vessel operator while the permitted vessel is engaged in for-hire fishing activity.
C. The permittee
shall notify the Division of Marine Fisheries immediately of any changes to the
vessel master(s) information, including additional vessel master(s) or
deletions of vessel masters listed on the FH Permit.
D. While engaged in for-hire fishing activity, the vessel master must hold a valid USCG Operator’s License that allows taking people for hire.
E. Each permitted vessel shall display a current FH Permit decal mounted on an exterior surface of the vessel so as to be plainly visible when viewed from the port side while engaged in for-hire fishing.
III. GENERAL
INFORMATION:
A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of G. S. 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 134; 113-181; 113-182; 113-221(e); 143B-289.52 and N.C. Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103, 3O .0500, .0502, .0504 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 a permit for
for-hire fishing vessels so that the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries can
produce an accurate and current list of participants in the for-hire fleet
fishing for recreational purposes. This
list will be used by the Division to collect effort data from the recreational
for-hire fleet.
D. For Hire Fishing Permits will be available at no cost
beginning June 1, 2003 at all Division of Marine Fisheries License
Offices.
E. The For-Hire Fishing Permit is an annual permit and will
expire each year on June 30.
F. Types of for-hire fishing vessels include the following:
Charterboat – vessel for
hire engaged in recreational fishing typically hired on a per trip basis.
Headboat-
vessel for hire engaged in recreational fishing typically hired on a per person
basis.
Guide Boat-
vessel carrying a fishing guide and recreational fishermen engaged in fishing.
Dive Boat- vessel for hire engaged in underwater diving
that allows persons to take fish for recreational purposes.
May 27, 2003
10:00 A.M.
M-9-2003
/sab