Saving Seafood

Risky Work: Commercial Fishing’s Health Toll

July 23, 2018 — North Carolina fishermen work long hours, and many fish alone. When harvesting shrimp, they can stay out on the water four to five days at a time.

Broken bones and lacerations are common. Fishermen are disproportionately affected by skin cancer. Most complain of back pain and others lose limbs, even as many don’t have health insurance.

Some die by drowning.

One hurricane or unexpected cold front can move their crop. The stakes are high.

But they don’t think much about these things and they didn’t see why a health care reporter was interested in talking to them, even as they admitted health care concerns have changed how many approached their fishing careers.

For Glenn Skinner, 45, fishing is freedom. It’s in his blood. He’s a fourth-generation fisherman from Carteret County who has been on fishing boats since he was 4 years old.

“That’s the way most people get into it,” he said. “I have farmers and fishermen on both sides of my family. I was going to do one or the other.

Read the full story at Costal Review Online

NORTH CAROLINA: Hurricane Matthew Impacts Shrimp Industry on North Carolina’s Coast

October 27, 2016 — CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. — Hurricane Matthew had a big impact on coastal marine life.

According to the Associated Press some states like South Carolina have seen an increase in larger shrimp.

The Division of Marine Fisheries in North Carolina said they also have received reports of big shrimp around inlets, but smaller shrimp were also seen in the Pamilco, Core and Bogue Sounds.

Some fishermen in Carteret County, like Beaufort Inlet Seafood, said the shrimp population has grown in recent weeks, but states further south could see a greater amount throughout the season.

Read the full story at TWC News

Judge blocks closure of southern flounder fishing

October 12th, 2016 — A Wake County Superior Court judge has issued an injunction preventing the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission from closing the entire southern flounder fishery from October 16 through January 1.

During its November 2015 meeting at Jeanette’s Pier, the commission voted 6-3 to shut down both the commercial and recreational fisheries for southern flounder during the fourth quarter of 2016.

A lawsuit was filed by the New Bern-based North Carolina Fisheries Association, the Carteret County Fishermen’s Association, as well as Dare, Hyde and Carteret counties, against the commission’s action, and resulted in a temporary restraining order being issued on Sept. 28.

The defendants are the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, as well as NCDEQ secretary Donald R. Van Der Vaart, DMF Director Braxton Davis, and all nine members of the NC Marine Fisheries Commission,

After two hours of testimony on Oct. 6 from attorneys representing the NCFA and the state, Superior Court Judge John Jolly, Jr. issued an order preventing the Division of Marine Fisheries from instituting the October 16 closure.

When the MFC voted for the closure last year, interest groups from the commercial fishing industry, which were opposed to the ban, lined up against the recreation-oriented Coastal Conservation Association and Recreational Fishing Alliance.

The 6-3 vote pitted the three recreational, two at-large, and one MFC member representing the scientific community against the three members holding commercial seats on the commission.

CCA and RFA actually came into the meeting advocating that restrictions be imposed on the commercial fishery only, but both groups eventually took a public stance accepting the closure of the entire fishery.

Read the full story at The Outer Banks Voice 

Counties and fishermen’s associations file lawsuit over flounder supplement

September 27th, 2016 — Several coastal counties have joined with commercial fishermen in litigation against the State of North Carolina regarding last year’s decision by the Marine Fisheries Commission to adopt new regulations on the southern flounder fishery by using the “Supplement” process.

According to a press release issued Monday by the N.C. Fisheries Association, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the state’s seafood industry, and distributed by the N.C. Press Association, Steve Weeks, an attorney with Wheatly, Wheatly, Weeks, Lupton & Massie of Beaufort and Todd Roessler, attorney with Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton of Raleigh, are representing the plaintiffs. The complaint was filed on Sept. 23 in Carteret County Superior Civil Court in Beaufort.

The plaintiffs include NCFA Inc., the Carteret County Fisherman’s Association Inc., Carteret County, Dare County and Hyde County.

Read the full story at The Carteret County News-Times

NORTH CAROLINA: Counties Join Commercial Fishermen in Lawsuit

September 27, 2016 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

Several coastal counties have joined with commercial fishermen in litigation against the State of North Carolina regarding last year’s decision by the Marine Fisheries Commission to adopt new regulations on the southern flounder fishery by using the “Supplement” process. Stevenson Weeks, an attorney with Wheatly, Wheatly, Weeks, Lupton & Massie of Beaufort and Todd Roessler attorney with Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton of Raleigh, are representing the plaintiffs. The complaint was filed today in Carteret County Superior Court.

The plaintiffs include the North Carolina Fisheries Association, Inc.; Carteret County Fisherman’s Association, Inc.; County of Carteret; County of Dare; County of Hyde.

Defendants served with the complaint are the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality, Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries and all members of the Marine Fisheries Commission.

The practical effect of the litigation is to stop the closure of the recreational and commercial southern flounder fisheries, scheduled to take effect this fall.

Brent Fulcher, Board Chairman of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, said “Filing a lawsuit is the last resort for us. We testified many times last year before the Marine Fisheries Commission that using the supplement is the wrong approach and should be managed by a full-blown amendment that allows full public participation. Our advice was totally ignored.”

“In my 29 years of involvement with these fisheries issues, this is only the second time that we filed litigation against the Division of Marine Fisheries”, said Jerry Schill, President of the Fisheries Association. “Fishermen must have confidence in the process for management to be successful, but with the Commission and the Division ignoring the law and even their own guidelines, we have no other option left.”

The 30-page complaint alleges the management measures made by the defendants were arbitrary and based on inadequate scientific data using an abbreviated regulatory process and did so in violation of the North Carolina Open Meetings Laws.

NORTH CAROLINA: Suit in the works over flounder

September 22, 2016 — BEAUFORT, N.C. — Carteret County will join fisheries groups in fighting the state Marine Fisheries Commission’s southern flounder supplement changes to reduce catch, which local fishermen say will kill the flounder industry here and cause a ripple effect in other local economic sectors.

“I fished for a living, I know what the implications would’ve meant for my family if you’d have taken half of my income from the fall,” Commissioner Jonathan Robinson told the county board. “It means somebody’s not going to have Christmas. It means somebody’s going to have to decide whether to be cold this winter or have something to eat.”

On his recommendation, county commissioners unanimously agreed to a resolution supporting a potential lawsuit from state and regional fishermen’s associations, primarily the N.C. Fisheries Association, against the MFC during their Monday meeting in the administration building.

Consideration of the complaint follows the November 2015 adoption of a supplement to southern flounder management regulations, a process which critics say circumvented standard amendment procedures after stopgap reassurances in the form of stock assessments failed to pass peer review.

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times

Congressman Walter Jones Opposes More Federal Restrictions on ENC Waters

The following was released by the office of Congressman Walter Jones (NC-3):

April 11, 2016 — Washington, D.C. – Last week, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) joined Dare and Carteret counties in opposing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) proposed expansion of the Monitor Sanctuary off the Eastern North Carolina coast.  The existing sanctuary protects the remains of the USS Monitor, a Civil War ironclad that sank in December 1862.  In January, NOAA published proposals to significantly expand the Monitor Sanctuary.   Dare and Carteret counties subsequently passed public resolutions opposing expansion due to concerns they may be used in the future to restrict public access to large areas of federal waters off the North Carolina coast.

“There is no need for new designations or access restrictions for fishermen and boaters that may flow from them in the future,” said Congressman Jones.

Congressman Jones has long been an advocate for Eastern North Carolina fishermen by fighting against overreaching government regulations on recreational and commercial fishing.  He has also secured much-needed money for dredging at Morehead City Harbor, and Oregon, Hatteras, and New River Inlets, in addition to fighting the Obama administration’s assault on fishing access through unilateral marine monument designation.  

For additional information, please contact Maria Jeffrey in Congressman Jones’ office at (202) 225-3415 or at maria.jeffrey@mail.house.gov.

NORTH CAROLINA: Fishing Group Meets in Beaufort

BEAUFORT, N.C. — February 24, 2016 — One of the most successful organizations intended to aid commercial fishermen, consumers and the state’s economy will hold its annual summit in Carteret County this year for the first time since 2012.

The N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort will host the summit of N.C. Catch on March 7-8. The nonprofit group works to promote N.C. seafood and works with similar regional groups along the coast.

Things will get rolling on the first night at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center on Harkers Island. Dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. will be a clambake and frogmore stew. Free trolley service will be available to the museum from the Beaufort Inn.

Wes Step, owner and head chef of the Red Sky Café in Duck, will be the featured speaker. He is the author of Tastefully Fit, described as “a plan for clean eating.”

Read the full story from Coastal Review Online

NORTH CAROLINA: Environmental issues roll into 2016

January 1, 2016 — Offshore drilling draws opponents

After a year of growing opposition from coastal communities against offshore drilling off the North Carolina coast, close watch will be kept on decisions in Washington in the upcoming year.

The Obama Administration is expected to release its proposed Atlantic oil leasing plan in early 2016.

To date, 93 communities along the Atlantic coast have gone on record against offshore oil and gas exploration activities.

That number includes several in the local area:

In Onslow County, the towns of Holly Ridge, Swansboro and Surf City have adopted resolutions.

In Carteret County, Emerald Isle, Morehead City and Beaufort have adopted resolutions opposing offshore drilling; and Atlantic Beach councilmen agreed to a resolution to be formally adopted this month. The Carteret County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Development Authority have also taken a stance against it.

Read the full story at Jacksonville Daily News

NORTH CAROLINA: Bluefin tuna sighted early in season off Outer Banks

December 26, 2016 — MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. — Bluefin tuna season is here again, traditionally running from November through March, sometimes into April, and there have already been landings in Carteret County, as well as some anecdotal reports of the prized commercial fish showing up off the Outer Banks. 

Bluefin tuna are a sought-after commercial finfish for sushi, and individual fish can sell for several thousand dollars on the international market. Matt Frost, owner and operator of Homer Smith Seafood in Beaufort, said as of Wednesday he’s had about 6,100 pounds of bluefin tuna landed at his fish house.

“I’ve had about 20 fish this year (so far),” he said. “My first was Nov. 18. They’re pretty much right off our beach, within 3-15 miles.”

While the bluefin tuna mean a good profit for those who catch them, Mr. Frost said he’s still not sure if this will be a good tuna season.

“In a really good season, you’d see 10-20 fish a day,” he said. “Only about eight to 10 percent of the boats fishing (for bluefin tuna) have caught a fish yet.”

Carteret County isn’t the only area where the tuna are showing up. Brad McHale, branch chief of the National Marine Fisheries Service’s highly migratory species division, said Dec. 7 his division has heard from commercial fishermen in North Carolina that bluefin tuna have been spotted off the state coast, in particular near Southport.

Read the full story at Carteret County News-Times