NC WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION FACING SERIOULS BUDGET CUTS

The Coastal Fisheries Reform Group (CFRG) supports the Camo Coalition in its efforts to eliminate or at least mitigate the budget cuts proposed in the NC Legislature.  Anyone wanting to help can click on the link below and send a message.]

You can also contact you NC House and Senate member, which can be found on the NC Legislature web site.  You can also visit http://www.nccamo.org/ for more information. 

Senate Budget Slashes Wildlife Appropriation Take Action!   The Senate has released its 2013 – 2014 budget proposal and it has passed through the Senate Appropriations Committee.  The cuts to the Wildlife Resources Commission budget are staggering and, if enacted, will cut long-standing and important programs of the agency significantly.  In previous years the General Assembly has appropriated about $18 million to the Commission to provide services and infrastructure to manage and protect the fish and wildlife resources of the state.  This year, the proposal is to appropriate only $9 million to the agency for these activities.  This is a cut of about 49%.  Hunters and fishermen in NC will certainly miss the fish and wildlife programs and services supported by these cut funds. The Senate will vote on the budget tomorrow, Wednesday, May 22, 2013. The budget has to be voted on in two separate days, so this cut may be addressed and funds restored on Thursday, May 23, 2013 also.  You still have time to provide important input to your Senator to correct this misguided cut. The fish and wildlife management programs and infrastructure of the Wildlife Resources Commissions contribute significantly to the state and local economies.  The programs of the agency impact the state in all areas and have been created over the years with receipts collected from hunting and fishing license sales and other receipts from agency programs. Appropriations to the WRC are typically used to support the programs of the agency that benefit all the citizens of the state. The Senate budget cut is accompanied with the implied suggestion that the Commission use the Wildlife Endowment Fund (WEF) to make up the difference.  The WEF was created to provide a supplemental source of funding to improve fish and wildlife programs and not to replace traditional sources of financial support from the General Assembly.  The WEF has been utilized over the years to keep our fish and wildlife programs efficient and current with such projects as fish hatchery improvement, improvements to law enforcement, and game lands purchases.  We need to keep this valuable asset to continue improving our fish and wildlife programs and not be required to expend these trust funds for routine operations. Click TAKE ACTION to send a message to your Senator today and ask him or her to restore the modest appropriation to the WRC budget to avoid significant reduction in services so important to the hunters and fishermen of NC.

GAME FISH INTRODUCED IN NC HOUSE

FINALLY....at long last the North Carolina legislature will vote on a game fish bill.  HB 983 was introduced in the House on Wednesday, April 17, and when it passes will be sent to the Senate for action there.

There is a twist this year.  Because of the importance of the legislation to the state's economy, the bill is entitled 2013 Fisheries Economic Development Act.  NOTE:  You can visit the NC House of Representatives web site and type in the bill number and read its full contents.

The North Carolina Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) has been sponsoring the legislation for the past three years.  The push for a game fish bill was begun four years ago by the Coastal Fisheries Reform Group (CFRG), but that bill was blocked at the committee level by opponents.  The following year, the CCA took over as the primary sponsor of the bill, but the effort failed to see the bill introduced once again.  Last year, the bill was not introduced because of a threatened veto by then Governor Bev Perdue.

This year, however, the bill will receive a vote.  If passed, no longer will the commercial sale of wild caught red drum, spotted sea trout and estuarine striped bass be permitted in North Carolina.  Ocean stripers can still be harvested from the beach out to three miles commercially, but that catch is controlled by a quota system.  In federal waters from three miles and beyond, stripers cannot be harvested.

Only red drum or specs imported or farm raised can be sold in the state.  Restaurants can sell stripers legally taken from the beach out to three miles.  Stripers from inshore cannot be sold in the North Carolina once this bill is passed.

The bill is much more inclusive than just game fish status.  It contains provisions for increasing fishing license fees that will bring in much needed revenue to the Division of Marine Resources.  It also contains provisions to financially assist commercial fishermen who can prove they have been adversely affected by the bill.

In addition, the bill provides revenue for dredging of some of North Carolina's inlets, valuable avenues for passage to not only commercial vessels, but recreational fishing boats.  Many of these inlets are in dire need of dredging since the federal monies previously used for this purpose have dried up.  HB 983 does not involve increasing boat registration fees.

In all other states that have either instituted game fish and/or an outright net ban, economic activity has increased.  Why?  Because as the fish populations, namely red drum and specs to our south, have increased, recreational fishing pressure has increased.  Fishermen spend lots and lots of money in pursuit of their favorite recreation.  We all know about that.

This has been proven in Texas, Louisiana, Florida and South Carolina.  Within the past month, the State of Georgia also designated the red drum a game fish.  North Carolina joins Mississippi as the only states from NC to Texas without game fish status for drum and specs.

You can visit the CCA's web site at http://ccanc.org/ and learn of the economic benefits of the legislation.  These economic statistics have largely been compiled from the records of the NC Division of Marine Fisheries.

The CFRG urges all North Carolina residents to contact their NC House Representative and Senator.  Ask them to vote for the bill.  These members can be obtained by visiting http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/ At that site click on either House or Senate, then on member lists.

Please be courteous and respectful to these elected officials.

With your assistance, we can finally see some improvements in our fishery.  And we can help improve our state's economy.

Thanks and good fishing.

CFRG'S POSITION ON PROPOSED QUARRY OPERATION ON BLOUNTS CREEK

 

On March 14, 2013, the North Carolina Division of Water Quality will hold a meeting to seek public comment on a limestone quarry that is proposed for construction in the watershed of Blounts Creek, a tributary of the Pamlico River in Beaufort County. The Coastal Fisheries Reform Group urges individuals concerned about water quality and particularly those who fish to attend this meeting and speak out in opposition to this planned quarry for the following reasons:

1. The quarry will pump 9 million gallons of water per day from the aquifer in order to wash rocks. Our aquifers have gotten dangerously low and the removal of this much water on a permanent daily basis will be detrimental.

2. The quarry will dispose of its 9 million gallons of wash water every day by dumping it into feeder streams that lead into the headwaters of Blounts Creek and ultimately into the Pamlico River. This will cause a major ecological change in this area due to both the alteration of pH and the influx of fresh water. The Pamlico River is already challenged by the infusion of fresh water from the phosphate mine a short distance downstream from Blounts Creek.

Many species of important estuarine fish, including striped bass, speckled sea trout, and red drum, spawn and are nurtured in the sheltered waters of Blounts Creek. These fish spend much of their life cycle in Blounts Creek and surrounding estuarine and fresh waters. Blounts Creek is a productive and popular fishing and recreational area. The huge influx of waste water from the aquifer every day will change the fragile and productive ecology of Blounts Creek and surrounding waters. Another important factor to consider is the very low turnover rate of water in Blounts Creek due to its narrow opening into the Pamlico River. This fact increases the adverse impact of the large freshwater influx from the proposed quarry and any toxic spill from the quarry will be devastating as it concentrates in the bay. The adverse affects of spills will be virtually impossible to remediate.

It is imperative that anyone who is interested in the health of Blounts Creek attend this meeting to speak or send written comments to: NC Division of Water Quality, Wetlands and Storm Water Branch, 1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1650. Attn: Cyndi Karoly.

email --

Cyndi.karoly@ncdenr.gov

Meeting time and location: Thursday March 14, 2013, beginning at 7:00 pm at the Beaufort County Community College, Building 8-Auditorium, 5337 Highway 264 East, Washington, NC 27889. Doors will open at 6:00 pm for speaker registration and sign-in.

For more information go to:

http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=be079a52-ac61-4941-bdbd-e75049854b7c&groupId=38364



The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission will meet this week and discuss the establishment of a"hook and line" commercial fishery for striped bass in North Carolina coastal waters inside the three mile limit.  Outside the three mile remains under the jurisdiction of the federal government.

The CFRG sent the following position on the proposal for inclusion in the public record.  You will note we are advocating the establishment of a "rod and reel" fishery.  Hook and line could result in long lines being used to catch stripers, something we are opposed to.

CFRG Position on Rod and Reel Commercial Fishing for Striped Bass

The CFRG favors the proposal before the Marine Fisheries Commission for consideration to adopt a "rod and reel" commercial fishery for striped bass. We believe the following requirements should be met when adopting new regulations.

1. The rod and reel should be allowed as an approved commercial gear for taking striped bass in the Atlantic Ocean.

2. The rod and reel should replace the currently allowable method of trawling for striped bass in the Atlantic Ocean.

3. The current commercial striped bass quota for trawling in the Atlantic Ocean should be transferred to rod and reel.

4. Only those persons holding a Standard Commercial Fishing License who also held a special striped bass ocean

fishing permit at some point during the last three years should be eligible to use rod and reel as commercial gear for striped bass harvest in the Atlantic Ocean.

5. Strict daily limits for taking and possessing striped bass with rod and reel should be adopted based upon recommendations of fishery biologists of DMF and strictly enforced. The season quota should replace the current quota for trawling and be set by Division of Marine Fisheries biologists in conjunction with any federal requirements for harvesting these fish, with a goal of maintaining healthy and sustainable populations of striped bass.

6. The present fees of licenses and permits for commercial harvesting and sale of striped bass are too low and should be increased to at least pay the cost of administering this special fishery. Striped bass are a valuable state resource for North Carolina and should be treated as such by increasing fees for all applicable licenses and permits.

Joe Albea

Coastal Fisheries Reform Group

BREAKING NEWS....BREAKING NEWS

 

     The Marine Fisheries Commission at their meeting today in Morehead City voted 8-1 to amend the Shrimp FMP.  The vote signalled a turnaround from the Division of Marine Fisheries' previous intent to only seek a revision of the shrimp FMP.

 

     The CFRG and other groups fought hard for an amendment to the FMP rather than a revision of it.  A simple revision would have meant the FMP would have stood for at least five more years.  The CFRG contended the FMP glossed over the by catch issue.

 

     The Commisioners voted to amend the plan and focus on the issue of by catch.  Director Louis Daniel of the DMF stated his agency's position to seek a revision had changed following public input requesting the amendment.  He urged the Commissioners to vote for an amendment.

 

 

Coastal Fisheries Reform Group Presents Proposal to Reduce Shrimp Trawl Bycatch

In order to protect our juvenile finfish stocks from excessive bycatch in shrimp trawls and to maintain our important shrimp fishing industry, the Coastal Fisheries Reform Group (CFRG)  presented a 5-point proposal to the MFC at today's meeting.

Every year, North Carolina shrimp trawlers kill hundreds of millions of juvenile fish as bycatch, which seriously damages our fish stocks. To reduce this bycatch, the CFRG is proposing new limits on trawl net size, shrimp size, tow times, and trawling near inlets, along with proper monitoring of fish populations to determine how these changes effect the stocks.

The changes proposed by CFRG are a serious compromise that will protect both the fish and local commercial shrimpers. It is expected that the Marine Fisheries Commission will make these changes before shrimp season starts in 2013 as they formulate an amendment for the shrimp management plan. To view the full CFRG proposal on trawling rule changes,see the following post CFRG 5-Point Proposal to Reduce Trawler By Catch 

 

 



CFRG 5-POINT PROPOSAL TO REDUCE TRAWLER BY CATCH

 

North Carolina once had a recreational fishery that was second to none and a source of great pride to our state. Today this fishery pales in comparison to what it once was and many of our fish species are now depleted from years of overfishing. In 1998, a study on shrimp trawling by the National Marine Fisheries Service was reported to the U.S. Congress (1). It showed that in 5695 tows by shrimp trawlers, an average of 4.5 pounds of bycatch occurred for every pound of shrimp that was harvested. Most of the bycatch consisted of small finfish such as croaker, spot, and weakfish. This study opened many eyes and caused states all along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts to begin enacting rules to try to lessen shrimp trawl bycatch. The result over several years was that out of eight shrimp-producing states in this region, four eliminated commercial trawling in inshore waters (GA, SC, TX, and FL), and three severely restricted it via head rope size (LA, AL, and MS). That left North Carolina as the only state to allow virtually unrestricted shrimp trawling to occur in inshore waters. While others heeded the national study and enacted measures to protect their fish nurseries, North Carolina trawled on.

 

 

Recently, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) repeated the national trawler study in North Carolina waters by analyzing bycatch from 505 tows by commercial shrimp trawlers (2, 3). As one might expect, the end result was very similar to the prior study with an average bycatch to shrimp ratio of 3.6 to 1 (by weight). As was seen before, most of the bycatch consisted of young croaker, spot, and weakfish. Part of the North Carolina study added a new piece of information by counting individual species in addition to weighing them. This fish count produced another eye opening result. The juvenile finfish were small and had an average weight of between 20-30 fish per pound. Some simple math revealed that over the last five years, North Carolina’s average shrimp harvest of just over 7 million pounds per year was causing approximately 25 million pounds of bycatch per year. Astonishingly, at the lower estimate of 20 fish per pound, this would extrapolate to an average of approximately 500 million small fish being killed every year! Even more astonishing was the fact that this result was expected and was considered as “nothing new” by those who have studied this problem for years.

 

 

In spite of knowing all of this, and with new studies in hand, the NCDMF recommended a “revision” of the shrimp management plan. This meant that the management plan would continue on with no substantial changes to address the problem of bycatch. The NCDMF also recommended additional studies on the issue of bycatch, even though they had just completed a large study that had results similar to those reported by the larger national study. In the time since that recommendation was made several months ago, the news of the results of the bycatch studies spread and the public outcry has grown louder with recreational fishermen demanding that the shrimp management plan be “amended” to allow rule changes that would lessen bycatch. More studies are not needed, it is simply time to act upon the data we already have.

　

　

 

 

While an amendment to the shrimp management plan is being considered, the Coastal Fisheries Reform Group (CFRG), which represents recreational fishermen in North Carolina, is requesting that immediate changes be implemented. These changes can be made without delay by using the power of proclamation at the February 2013 Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) meeting. A proclamation can be used because the third most abundant finfish species in our bycatch is the weakfish (grey trout). The NCDMF studies indicate that tens of millions of juvenile weakfish are killed in our shrimp trawlers every year. While we waste these fish, they are sadly classified as depleted after being severely overfished for many years. The MFC and NCDMF can act immediately by proclamation to protect any fish that is in such bad shape and they must not delay. It should also be noted that lessening weakfish deaths in bycatch will also lessen the destruction of croaker and spot, two species which have also greatly declined after once being a plentiful and popular target of recreational fisherman. These fish all need protection now and the CFRG proposes the following changes to address the unacceptably large loss of juvenile finfish that occurs during shrimp trawling:

　

 

 

1. Limit all trawl nets in inshore coastal waters to a maximum headrope size of 35 feet and only allow one net per boat. This would remove the large nets and their excessive bycatch but would allow the small trawlers that have shrimped in our sounds for generations to continue working uninterrupted. These boats are mostly local boats, with local crews that sell their catch at local fish houses in North Carolina. Such a rule change would greatly benefit the vast majority of North Carolina shrimpers while truly helping our coastal economies and our marine resources.

　

 

 

2. Limit tow times to 45 minutes. This would allow for some bycatch to be released alive and also increase the chance of sparing any endangered turtles which are entrapped in the net.

　

 

 

3. Delay shrimp season until the shrimp size has reached the level of having 36 to 41 (or lower) shrimp per pound. This would postpone the harvest of shrimp and allow juvenile finfish to grow larger and have more of a chance of escaping shrimp trawls. These fish would also have more time to move out of their nursery areas where the trawlers are now working. In addition, this change would cause the shrimp to be larger when they are harvested and market value would be greater, thereby benefiting shrimp fishermen.

　

 

 

4. Establish trawler prohibition zones around both sides of our inlets. This would allow juvenile finfish that are transitioning to a life in the open ocean to escape our sounds without being killed by a shrimp trawler. These fish become concentrated when they are near the inlets and are especially vulnerable to trawlers until they can disperse into the ocean.

　

 

 

5. Set easily measured parameters that will allow for the monitoring of any changes in measures such as biomass, juvenile abundance index, and fish population so that the effects of these trawling rule changes can be assessed. This will allow North Carolina to determine if the health of our sounds is improving and indicate whether additional changes are required.

　

　

These changes can and must be made immediately in order to protect juvenile finfish. We expect that this will be done at or before the February 2013 MFC meeting so that all changes will be in place well before shrimp trawling season begins next year. We are asking North Carolina to implement these reasonable protective measures in the hope that more restrictive measures can be avoided if we are forced to approach this problem in an alternative manner.

References

1. Nance, J. M. (Editor). 1998. Report to Congress. Southeastern United States Shrimp Trawl Bycatch Program, 154 p. Contributors are listed in alphabetical order: Foster, D., Martinez, E., McIlwain, T., Nance, J., Nichols, S., Raulerson, R., Schirripa, M., Scott, G., Scott-Denton, E., Shah, A. and Watson, J.

2. Brown, K. 2009. Characterization of the near-shore commercial shrimp trawl fishery from Carteret County to Brunswick County, NC. Completion report for NOAA award # NA05NMF4741003. North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, Morehead City, NC.

3. Brown, K. 2010. Characterization of the commercial shrimp trawl fishery in Pamlico Sound and its tributaries, NC. Completion report for NOAA award # NA05NMF4741003. North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, Morehead City, NC.



MFC SETS NOVEMBER MEETING SCHEDULE

 

 

     The meeting schedules have been set for the Marine Fisheries Commission to decide whether to amend or revise the shrimp FMP. Also, the commission will be asked to select preferred management options for the commercial flounder fishery and vote to send a draft amendment to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan for Department of Environment and Natural Resources legislative review.

     The CFRG is on record as supporting an amendment to the shrimp FMP. If the Commission elects to only do a revision, the FMP will basically remain the same and no discussion of shrimp by catch will be required. The CFRG believes the by catch issue is glossed over in the existing FMP and a much more comprehensive amendment is needed to rectify this.

     The meetings will be held Nov. 7-9 at the Crystal Coast Civic Center, 3505 Arendell St., Morehead City. Public input will be received at the Nov. 7 meeting which begins at 6:00 p.m. Speakers will be limited to five minutes. On Nov. 8, the meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. and presentations will be limited to three minutes. Remember, you can only speak at one of the meetings.

     For those of you unable to attend the meeting, you can submit your comments to nancy.fish@ncdenr.gov. Your comments will be forwarded to the Chairman of the Commission and added to the public record.

     The CFRG encourages everyone to participate in this extremely important process. Numbers count and we must make our voices heard, if we expect the MFC to make changes to the way shrimp are harvested in our inshore waters. The goal of the CFRG is to encourage the MFC to develop methods and time lines for reducing by catch of fin fish.