Saving Seafood

Agencies acknowledge confusion fisheries conflict creates

January 9, 2023 — Third and final in a series investigating why, after years of consistent seasons for inland, joint and coastal waters, recreational anglers found themselves negotiating different flounder and mullet rules in 2023.

Disagreements between the two commissions that manage state waters began to flare in 2019 after they formed an interagency committee to work on the required 10-year review on rules for the joint waters they both manage.

With the threat of these rules expiring in 2022 looming over the Wildlife Resources Commission that manages inland waters and the Marine Fisheries Commission manages coastal waters and the two never coming to an agreement, the governor’s office directed the agencies in February 2022 to adopt the existing joint rules without any changes.

The joint rules address scope and purpose, the classification of inland, coastal and joint waters, posting dividing lines, applicability of rules and special regulations for joint waters, and estuarine striped bass management.

Though there was mounting conflict evident between the agencies, what highlighted the impasse was the two recreational flounder seasons in September 2023. The WRC season was the first two weeks and MFC’s was the second two weeks, leading to confusion and even warnings issued to some fishers for breaking one agency’s rules.

North Carolina Fisheries Association Executive Director Glenn Skinner told Coastal Review that with the two agencies trying to decide who has authority over what, “you’ve got a lot of stakeholders that are really caught in the middle. And that’s a shame whenever it comes to that.”

What kept the inland and coastal seasons concurrent was a 2011 Wildlife Resources Commission rule to mirror the recreational seatrout, flounder and red drum seasons set by the Marine Fisheries Commission or Division of Marine Fisheries, which carries out the Marine Fisheries Commission’s rules. The Wildlife Resources Commission amended this rule in late 2021 to establish its own flounder season and limits as well as dozens of species-specific rules that went into effect March 2023.

Read the full article at CoastalReview.org

NORTH CAROLINA: Commercial fishermen have taken a nosedive in the past 20 years

August 16, 2021 — North Carolina commercial fishermen have complained for decades that government regulations and a variety of other factors threaten their livelihood and have them headed the way of endangered species.

Glenn Skinner of Newport, executive director of the North Carolina Fisheries Association an advocacy group of commercial fishermen, said statistics back that up.

According to the state Division of Marine Fisheries, the number of people with commercial licenses who sold seafood has dropped more than 50 percent since 2001.

The number was 4,273 in 2001 and it was 1,897 in 2020 — a decline of 2,376.

“These declines are the result of many different factors. with regulations, the fear of future regulations or outright bans on commercial fishing gears being a significant factor,” Skinner said.

Read the full story at The Free Press

North Carolina flounder: Prices rise, but Southern species cut back to rebuild stock

August 9, 2021 — North Carolina’s summer flounder trawl fishery typically occurs in waters off New Jersey and New York, outside of the Southern flounder range, with the catches landed in North Carolina under the state’s summer flounder quota — the lion’s share among East Coast states at 27.44 percent.

For the 2019-21 fishing seasons, the coastwide commercial quota is set at 11.53 million pounds, approximately a 49 percent increase over the previously set 2019 quota.

Harvest of both summer and Southern flounder in North Carolina remained consistent for the past several years. Prices have also remained consistent with the average retail price from $8 to $12 a pound for filets and $4 to $5 a pound for whole fish. Price to fisherman has varied between a low of $3.50 to $5 throughout the season.

Jeff Styron of Garland Fulcher Seafood, Oriental, N.C., says things are looking up after a year of covid.

“We were basically shut down last year,” says Mr. Styron. “With few restaurant purchasing products, we ended up with a lot of frozen fish and slim markets. Now the demand has gone crazy.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

NC Fisheries Association seeks to intervene in civil suit against state

February 11, 2021 — A seafood industry nonprofit seeks to intervene in a civil case between a conservation group and state fisheries managers.

The N.C. Fisheries Association, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the state seafood industry, filed Jan. 28 in Wake County Superior Court a motion to intervene in the civil complaint filed Nov. 10, 2020, by the Coastal Conservation Association’s North Carolina branch against the state. CCANC, a recreational fishing and conservation nonprofit, alleges state officials have mismanaged coastal fisheries resources.

According to a statement posted Feb. 5 on the NCFA’s website, the association “felt obligated to protect the interest of our members and those who rely on commercial fishermen as their source to access North Carolina seafood.”

“Along with our motion to intervene, we have filed a proposed motion requesting the dismissal of the CCA lawsuit against the state,” the association said. “Regardless of the outcome of these motions, the NCFA will address, in court or publicly, each false claim put forward by the CCA.”

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times

North Carolina Fisheries Association Files Motion to Intervene in CCA Lawsuit

February 5, 2021 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

On Thursday, January 28, 2021 the North Carolina Fisheries Association filed a motion to intervene as a party-defendant in the lawsuit filed against the State of NC by the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of North Carolina.

On November 10, 2020 the CCA filed a lawsuit alleging that, by allowing the use of gillnets and shrimp trawls, the State has violated the NC Constitution and/or the public trust doctrine by failing to protect our coastal fisheries resources.

Among their many allegations, the CCA claims the State of NC has shown a bias towards the fishing industry by “allowing the commercial fishing industry to dictate or exert a disproportional influence on the States coastal fisheries resources management policies and plans.”

They assert that this alleged bias has, in part, resulted in the mismanagement of our marine resources, violating the public trust doctrine and recreational angler’s constitutional rights.

The CCA’s view – that recreational fishing is a constitutional right which cannot be infringed upon, while commercial fishing is a narrow, limited privilege afforded only by statute – is not a view shared by the NCFA.

We believe all stakeholders, recreational, commercial, and consumer have a right to access our marine resources and a duty to protect them for future generations.

With this in mind the NCFA felt obligated to protect the interest of our members and those who rely on commercial fishermen as their source to access NC seafood.

Along with our motion to intervene we have filed a proposed motion requesting the dismissal of the CCA lawsuit against the State.

Regardless of the outcome of these motions the NCFA will address, in court or publicly, each false claim put forward by the CCA.

If you would like to contribute/donate to NCFA to help with this lawsuit, please make checks payable to:
NCFA Legal Fund
PO Box 86
Morehead City, NC 28557

Motion to Intervene

Affidavit of NCFA Executive Director John Glenn Skinner

Motion to Dismiss

North Carolina state fisheries under legal attack

November 12, 2020 — The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries is fielding attacks from two recreational fishing groups, alleging the agency exhibits “abject failure in properly managing the state’s coastal fisheries resources.”

The lawsuits have been filed by the North Carolina Coastal Fisheries Reform Group (NCCFRG) and most recently, by the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina (CCA).

Both actions take aim at the state’s “public-trust responsibilities to manage coastal fish stocks in a way that protects the public-trust rights of the public.”

According to Glenn Skinner, executive director of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, these attacks on the state’s fisheries agencies and the commercial industry are nothing new, but he has noted a change.

“While none of this is surprising, the number of attacks has definitely increased,” says Skinner. “There seems to be an effort to ‘go for the throat’ lately on multiple fronts. Attacks such as these mirror a lot of what’s gone on in other states, especially regarding the CCA.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

NORTH CAROLINA: That Seafood May Not Be What You Think

September 21, 2020 — Jeffrey Styron sold a lie.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of lies neatly packaged for buyers — primarily small seafood retailers and restaurants — who trusted they were buying crabmeat harvested in the United States.

After all, that’s what the labels on crabmeat from Garland Fulcher Seafood Co. Inc. said.

Earlier this month, Styron, treasurer of the corporate board of officers for Garland Fulcher in Oriental, pleaded guilty to falsely labeling crabmeat as “Product of USA.”

Glenn Skinner, executive director of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, warns consumers to stay away from imported seafood “since you don’t know what you’re getting.”

“To me whether it’s local or not shouldn’t determine whether they should buy seafood,” he said. “I would try to get domestic, whether caught or farm raised, either way.”

Read the full story at Coastal Review Online

NC Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Launches New Statewide Public Relations Campaign Called Always NC Fresh

May 22, 2020 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

The NC Commercial Fishing Resource Fund (NCCFRF) this week launched a statewide public relations campaign called Always NC Fresh. Always NC Fresh, funded by the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Fund (NCCFRF), works to increase awareness of commercial fishing and fishermen, support existing sustainable fishing practices and help commercial fishermen communicate their contributions – economic, cultural and environmental – to the state and its citizens.

Glenn Skinner, Executive Director of NC Fisheries Association (NCFA) and NCCFRF Committee Member, stated, “The Always NC Fresh public relations campaign could not have come at a better time as many of our fishermen have been hit hard by the impacts of COVID-19.” Skinner added, “Commercial fishing has been a part of North Carolina’s coastal communities and economy for hundreds of years, and it was time for us to reintroduce our fishermen to the citizens of this great state. We have a great story to tell and we’re proud to be a part of this new campaign.”

“Commercial fishermen are good people who are a fundamental part of the economy and way of life in North Carolina’s coastal communities,” said Brent Fulcher, NCFA Chairman. “They want nothing more than to provide fresh, wholesome seafood and go to great lengths to care for the natural resources that sustain their way of life. The public should know that, and Always NC Fresh is an important step in reconnecting consumers to the hardworking, responsible men and women who harvest their seafood.”

The Always NC Fresh launch includes a new brand, billboards, videos, website (www.alwaysncfresh.com) and a robust social media campaign (@alwaysncfresh). The NCCFRF awarded the public relations campaign to two Raleigh-based public relations firms, S&A Communications and Blue Red Marketing.

The Commercial Fishing Resources Fund is composed of a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the commercial fishing licenses issued by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF). The NC General Assembly created the fund to support the development of sustainable commercial fishing in the State.

Outbreak, Safety Measures Start to Take Toll on North Carolina Fishermen

April 9, 2020 — Local commercial fishermen and seafood businesses are persevering through the novel coronavirus outbreak, but restrictions and safety measures are starting to take their toll.

N.C. Fisheries Association President and commercial fisherman Glenn Skinner said Wednesday retail markets are still doing business with fishermen and seafood dealers; however, he said these markets are “a small percentage” of the normal markets for locally harvested seafood, so retail markets alone are “not enough to keep fishermen on the water.”

Read the full story from the Carteret County News-Times at Seafood News

NORTH CAROLINA: Outbreak, safety measures start to take toll on fishermen

April 7, 2020 — Local commercial fishermen and seafood businesses are persevering through the novel coronavirus outbreak, but restrictions and safety measures are starting to take their toll.

N.C. Fisheries Association President and commercial fisherman Glenn Skinner said Wednesday retail markets are still doing business with fishermen and seafood dealers; however, he said these markets are “a small percentage” of the normal markets for locally harvested seafood, so retail markets alone are “not enough to keep fishermen on the water.”

“I don’t have an estimate of the economic impacts in terms of dollars and cents,” Mr. Skinner said, “but I can tell you that 80 percent of domestic seafood goes through food service businesses, primarily restaurants. With the entire country shutting down restaurants, there is very little market for most of what N.C. fishermen produce.”

Mr. Skinner said there is seafood available for harvest and “literally tons of product” that’s been frozen.

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times