April 19, 2016 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

HOUSE COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS FISHERIES REFORM ACT:

The House Select Committee on Wildlife Resources, chaired by Rep. John Bell, has scheduled their next meeting on Wednesday, April 20th, in Raleigh. The meeting will be in Room 544 of the Legislative Office Building and the agenda will include a Fisheries Reform Act and marine fisheries overview. Jerry & David will be there and encourage others to attend.

ADDITION TO THE HALF PERCENT PROGRAM:

Quality Seafood Company of Elizabeth City and their fishermen will be a welcome addition to our “Half Percent” program! The company has been a longtime supporter of NCFA but recently decided to increase their support through the program that deducts one half of one percent of the boat’s net when they pack out. Quality will then match that and forward to NCFA. Each fisherman is a member by participating.

The program was the idea of the late William Ellis Smith of Luther Smith & Son in Atlantic, NC. It was his vision and advocacy of the program that has been the reason for our organization to expand beyond a one person office. William Ellis was killed in an accident in Wanchese in 1991 and is sorely missed, but remembered for his love for commercial fishing in general and NCFA in particular.

Many thanks to Billy & Russell Barclift, Quality Seafood Company and the fishermen who pack with them for participating in the half percent program!

We encourage others to do likewise, so if you would like more information about it, call us. If you would like details on how easy it is to set it up, give Aundrea O’Neal of Beaufort Inlet Seafood a call and she’ll fill you in. Her number is: (252) 503-8302.

ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS ADVISORY PANEL CONFERENCE CALL:

The Atlantic Striped Bass Advisory Panel will be meeting via conference call Thursday, April

21, at 10:00 am to review current status of H.R.3070 regarding the opening of the Block Island

Transit Zone to recreational striped bass fishing, to discuss the Atlantic squid resource as it

relates to striped bass management, to elect an Advisory Panel Chairman and Vice Chairman

and to discuss any other pertinent current events.

For questions, please contact Max Appelman, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at mappelman@asmfc.org or 1-703-842-0740.

Dial 1-888-394-8197 and enter Passcode: 815277 to join conference call.

Note from NCFA: Although the primary item of this is recreational striped bass fishing, it should be of interest to listen to the discussion about “the Atlantic squid resource as it relates to striped bass management…”.

COBIA MEETING:

The South Atlantic & Mid Atlantic Councils will hold a meeting to discuss cobia on Monday, May 9th, from 6:00 – 8:00pm at the Hilton in Kill Devil Hills. To participate in the webinar, register here:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2733536913517393923

ON THE ROAD:

Jerry & David attended several meetings last week, and will provide a synopsis via a special update later this week. David attended the weeklong Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council in Montauk, NY. Jerry attended several meetings in Morehead City and Washington: Oyster Advisory Committee, NMFS Skimmer Trawl meeting, Finfish Committee (cobia), and the Shellfish/Crustacean Committee. He also participated in a conference call concerning the H2B labor issues for the crab processors.

SOUTHERN FLOUNDER:

Thanks to those of you who have contributed to our Southern Flounder Fund. Those funds will be used exclusively for issues related to southern flounder, either legally or other avenues to address the situation.

If you have not yet contributed, please do so ASAP!

Send your donations to:

NCFA

2807 Neuse Blvd; Suite 11

New Bern, NC 28562

Please make your check out to NCFA/Southern Flounder Fund or to the NC Fisheries Association and be sure to put Southern Flounder Fund in the memo.

 

CALENDAR

Apr. 20; 2:00pm: House Select Cmte on Wildlife Resources; 544 LOB; Raleigh

Apr 25; North Carolina General Assembly convenes for the Short Session

May 2; Noon; NCFA Board meeting; Civic Center, Washington NC

May 2-5; ASMFC Spring Meeting; Westin; Alexandria, VA

May 10; 5:30 – 7:30pm; Legislative Reception; Raleigh NC

May 18-20; MFC meeting; Civic Center; Morehead City

June 13-17; SAFMC meeting; Cocoa Beach, FL

June 14-16; MAFMC meeting; Newark, DE