August 29, 2014 — The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries took a major step Thursday toward curtailing the sale of over-limit red drum by commercial netters when Executive Director Louis Daniel issued a proclamation that takes effect Sept. 1 when the 2014-15 netting season opens. The proclamation said the daily amount of “by-catch” red drum that can be sold will drop from 10 to seven fish, and netters must sell their reds at the same time and place as they sell targeted species such as bluefish, flounder, mullet and spotted seatrout.
A recently appointed member of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission, Sammy Corbett III of Hubert, who is a fish dealer, played a pivotal role in getting the new regulations adopted.
“He’s very knowledgeable,” said Joe Shute, an Atlantic Beach guide and tackle-shop owner who is on the Commission. “He’s been on many advisory committees and takes a very sensible approach.”
In the past, regulations didn’t stop commercial netters from selling their daily allowance of red drum at one fish dealer and then traveling to a different dealer to sell another 10 fish. Regulations permitted netters to sell no more than 10 “by-catch” reds, but those drum — no matter their numbers — couldn’t exceed the total weight of flounder, mullet, spotted seatrout or other species sold.
Read the full story at North Carolina Sportsman