BREAKING NEWS!!!!!
MEDIA ADVISORY:
Commercial Fishing Resource Funding committees to meet by webinar July 30
Public may listen by telephone or listen and watch online
MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Funding Committee will meet jointly with the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Committee by webinar at 2:30 p.m. July 30.
The public may listen to the meeting by phone or listen and view presentations in real-time by joining online. Directions for calling in by phone or joining the webinar online, including information on system requirements and testing are available here.
Public comment will not be accepted during the meeting. Members of the public may submit written comments to the commission in two ways:
Online Comments – Public comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. July 28 through an online format that can be reached by clicking here. Mailed Comments – Written comments may be mailed to July 2020 CFRF Meeting Comments, P.O Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557. Comments must be received by the division by 5 p.m. July 28.
Public comment will not be accepted through email.
The committees will review and vote on extending the current NC Commercial Fishing Public Relations project by six months with 50% of the budget from 2020 under the current guidelines. The committees voted to request this proposal at its June 3 meeting. The meeting agenda and meeting packet are available online here.
The Commercial Fishing Resource Fund receives money from an increase in commercial fishing license fees that took effect in 2015. The fund pays for observer coverage to fulfill the state’s obligations under incidental take permits for sea turtles and Atlantic sturgeon under the federal Endangered Species Act. Any additional money left in the fund is to be used for projects to develop and support sustainable commercial fishing in the state.
Spending for these projects must be approved by the Commercial Fishing Resource Funding Committee, which is made up of six commercial fishing representatives, and the Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Committee, comprised of members of the commission holding the three commercial fishing seats.
For more information, contact William Brantley with the Division of Marine Fisheries’ Administrative Services Office at 252-808-8015 or William.Brantley@ncdenr.gov.
BLUEFISH RESTRICTIONS
POSTED JULY 9, 2020
Starting July 15, anindividual or commercial fishing operation, regardless of the number of persons, license holders or vessels involved, can possess, sell or offer for sale no more than 300 pounds of bluefish per day or per trip, whichever is more restrictive.
The 2020 North Carolina commercial bluefish landings are higher than the commercial landings at this time in 2019. North Carolina bluefish landings from federally-permitted dealers through the end of June 2020 were 479,418 pounds compared to 420,153 pounds landed by federally-permitted dealers at the same time last year. These landings do not include those from state permitted dealers, which account for approximately 15% of North Carolina’s annual bluefish landings. North Carolina gets 32.06% of the coast wide quota, which is 887,058 pounds. The landings in 2019 exceeded this amount on September 23. Over 1.1 million pounds of bluefish were landed in North Carolina in 2019.
A 300-pound trip limit will certainly impact some trips, and the trip limit might need to be lowered again based on the landings later this year. However, the impact from closing the commercial bluefish fishery in September is far greater. No commercial bluefish landings are allowed after the quota is reached, and it is very unlikely that North Carolina will be able to get a quota transfer from another state due to the low coast wide commercial quota (2.77 million pounds). In addition, any landings overage would be deducted from North Carolina’s commercial bluefish quota in a subsequent year.
POSTED JULY 9, 2020
Starting July 15, anindividual or commercial fishing operation, regardless of the number of persons, license holders or vessels involved, can possess, sell or offer for sale no more than 300 pounds of bluefish per day or per trip, whichever is more restrictive.
The 2020 North Carolina commercial bluefish landings are higher than the commercial landings at this time in 2019. North Carolina bluefish landings from federally-permitted dealers through the end of June 2020 were 479,418 pounds compared to 420,153 pounds landed by federally-permitted dealers at the same time last year. These landings do not include those from state permitted dealers, which account for approximately 15% of North Carolina’s annual bluefish landings. North Carolina gets 32.06% of the coast wide quota, which is 887,058 pounds. The landings in 2019 exceeded this amount on September 23. Over 1.1 million pounds of bluefish were landed in North Carolina in 2019.
A 300-pound trip limit will certainly impact some trips, and the trip limit might need to be lowered again based on the landings later this year. However, the impact from closing the commercial bluefish fishery in September is far greater. No commercial bluefish landings are allowed after the quota is reached, and it is very unlikely that North Carolina will be able to get a quota transfer from another state due to the low coast wide commercial quota (2.77 million pounds). In addition, any landings overage would be deducted from North Carolina’s commercial bluefish quota in a subsequent year.
Secretary of Commerce Allocates $65 Million for Fishery Disasters
click link to read all about it
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/media-release/secretary-commerce-allocates-65-million-fishery-disasters?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
MISSION STATEMENT
The North Carolina Watermen United organization represents the needs of our coastal communities by protecting the livelihood of the people who rely on fishing to make a living and provides a voice for fair regulations.
Fishing is much more than fish.
It is the great occasion when we may return
to the fine simplicity of our forefathers
- HERBERT HOOVER
North Carolina Watermen United
Protecting your freedom to fish.
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PO BOX 536
HATTERAS, NC 27943 |