Jerry Schill Archives - Page 2 of 3

JERRY SCHILL: Response to Ed Wall

June 20, 2016 — In response to Ed Wall’s Outdoors column, “Fisheries should be managed for all, by all,” I offer the following comments.

Mr. Wall mischaracterized my position on the referendum when he wrote that “Jerry Schill…is particularly disturbed by the fact that HB 1122 would allow a referendum on the issue by the state’s voters in the upcoming election in November. He is apparently concerned about citizens all across the state would be allowed to voice their opinions about something that he feels should be controlled solely by persons — and their representatives — in the coastal counties.”

I never said such a thing. I do not favor an illegal action, and that is what it would be if the bill in question was passed as Rep. Billy Richardson suggests. It would be a statewide election on the November ballot, and if passed, would become law with no further action by the General Assembly. It smacks at the very heart of representative government! We elect our representatives and senators to go to Raleigh, debate the issues in a deliberative manner, and then vote. If they aren’t willing to make those tough decisions, they have no business in Raleigh. The legislature has the authority to enact a net ban in North Carolina. The legislature is made up of legislators from Manteo to Murphy, so the entire state is indeed being heard, meaning that fisheries are being managed by all. Maybe not to Mr. Wall’s liking, but certainly being managed by all.

On the subject of the net ban: Mr. Wall and others with the opinion that they are not against commercial fishermen but support a net ban for the benefit of all, are either being disingenuous, or suffer from a tremendous lack of knowledge of commercial fishing. So allow me to make it perfectly clear: if you favor a net ban, you favor the elimination of commercial fishing. Period. In addition, if you favor a net ban, you think it’s OK to decimate a lot of families and quite a few rural communities.

Read the full letter at the New Bern Sun Journal

Statement from the North Carolina Fisheries Association on ASMFC Marine Monument Policy

May 11, 2016 — The following statement was released by Jerry Schill, President of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, following the passage of the ASMFC motion calling for the president not to declare a marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean:

“Recently the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission adopted a resolution in support of continuing the current New England Fishery Management Council’s coral management process. The North Carolina Fisheries Association supports the ASMFC’s resolution, and opposes a Presidential Proclamation designating a marine monument. Such a designation would have a very negative effect on our nation’s seafood industry.

A process has been set up to allow for the management of our marine resources in federal waters. It was called the Magnuson Act when passed by Congress in 1976 and we respectfully urge the President to allow the process to be served through that legislation.”

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The North Carolina Fisheries Association, Inc. was organized in 1952 and serves as the voice of the commercial fishing industry in North Carolina.

JERRY SCHILL: Kinston authors’ proposal would hurt North Carolinians

March 21, 2016 — The following is an excerpt of a Letter-to-the-Editor written by Jerry Schill, President of the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

In response to a letter to the editor, “Thoughts on marine fisheries,” Wednesday, March 16, I offer the following comments. It should be noted that the Kinston authors sent the letter to several media outlets.

On the subject of shrimp trawling, the writers fail to acknowledge the many studies done by researchers over the years that have documented bycatch associated with this fishery and that despite decades of trawling, overall benthic productivity is dramatically increased. They also ignore the efforts by commercial fishermen to work proactively to reduce bycatch. Those studies began in the late 1980s and resulted with bycatch reduction devices in shrimp trawls. Currently, even though North Carolina is ahead of federal requirements to reduce bycatch, there is cooperative research ongoing to reduce it even further.

According to Kevin Brown, a gear development biologist with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, biologists and fishermen were amazed how effective the test devices have been. “I am pleasantly shocked at where we are,” he stated at a recent workshop of a bycatch reduction team that includes state biologists, net makers, boat owners, shrimp boat captains and Sea Grant. It should also be noted that nearly 50% of the Pamlico Sound is already off limits to shrimp trawling due to the status of primary or secondary nursery areas, which were so designated with the support of the North Carolina Fisheries Association many years ago.

Read the full letter at the Carteret County News-Times

North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for March 14, 2016

March 15, 2016 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

KENDALYN ROSE LEWIS:

As noted in a separate message yesterday, Capt. Kenny Lewis and his wife Lynda, lost their daughter, Kendalyn Rose, earlier this week. Words cannot begin to express our sadness and disbelief at the loss of a vibrant young lady who was known and loved by so many. Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers. Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 16th, from 6:00 till 8:00pm at the Munden Funeral Home in Morehead City. The funeral service will be on Thursday, March 17th, at 2:00pm at the funeral home.

May her soul and the souls of all of the faithful departed, rest in peace.

BLUELINE TILEFISH:

Below is part of an article that is on the NC Coastal Federation website about commercial fishermen donating to a local food pantry. Dewey Hemilright, an NCFA Board member, is one of those fishermen.

You can see the entire Coastal Federation article here: http://www.nccoast.org/2016/03/paying-it-forward-in-blueline-tilefish/

Here are some excerpts from the article:

Blueline tilefish are commercially harvested off the N.C. coast, provide lean, white meat and delicately flavor.

Several commercial fishermen from the Outer Banks have been paying it forward this winter with donations of fish to a local food pantry. Buddy Coppersmith (F/V Emily Shay), Jimmy Taylor (F/V Windy Gale), and Dewey Hemilright (F/V Tar Baby), have been commercial fishermen for most of their lives. Recently, they’ve been working under a cooperative research grant collecting data that will improve future stock assessments for blueline tilefish.

Hemilright, an avid community outreach volunteer with the Coastal Federation’s office in Manteo is well-known for leading education lessons for students and adults and was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the Coastal Federation’s northeast education program with a Pelican Award in 2015.

While participating in the cooperative research project to gather fisheries- independent data on blueline tilefish and snowy grouper, the fishermen were sent out to fish and collect samples. Since the fishermen were receiving payment through the cooperative research grant, they could not sell their catch. Nor did they want to see it go to waste, and so sought out other options for it.

HEARINGS FOR BLUELINE TILEFISH:

And speaking of blueline tilefish, there are some hearings coming up about it. From the Mid Atlantic Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting public input on a draft amendment to address management and conservation of blueline tilefish in the Mid-Atlantic. Four public hearings will be held between March 21 and March 29, 2016. Written comments will be accepted until Wednesday, March 30, 2016.

The draft amendment considers adding blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps) as a managed species in the Golden Tilefish Fishery Management Plan, effectively turning that plan into the Golden and Blueline Tilefish Fishery Management Plan. The management measures proposed in the amendment are needed to constrain fishing mortality on the blueline tilefish stock and effectively manage the blueline tilefish fishery in waters off the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts.

Additional information and documents, including a public hearing document (to be posted by March 14), may be obtained from http://www.mafmc.org/actions/blueline-tilefish.

Members of the public are invited to comment on any aspect of the draft amendment. Following a review of comments received, the Council will choose preferred management measures and submit the Amendment to the Secretary of Commerce for approval and publication of proposed and final rules, both of which have additional comment periods.

For more information, contact Jason Didden at (302) 526-5254 or jdidden@mafmc.org.

Hearings for our area are listed below in the Calendar section.

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.

God bless, Jerry

CALENDAR

Mar 17; 4:00pm; MFC Sea Turtle Advisors; DEQ office; Washington, NC

Mar 21; 6:00pm; Blueline tilefish; Dare County Admin Bldg; Manteo

Mar 22; 7:00pm; Blueline tilefish; Hilton Oceanfront; Virginia Beach

Apr 4; Noon; NCFA Board meeting; Civic Center; Washington NC

Apr 6; 5:30pm; MFC Southern Advisory Cmte; DMF office; Morehead City

Apr 7; 5:30pm; MFC Northern Advisory Cmte; DEQ office; Washington

Apr 11; 6:00pm; Oyster/Hard Clam Advisors; DMF office; Morehead City

Apr 12-14; MAFMC meeting in Montauk, NY

Apr 14; 6:00pm; Shellfish/Crustacean Advisors; DMF office; Morehead City

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

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

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

View a PDF of the Weekly Update

North Carolina Fisheries Association Releases Weekly Update for March 7, 2016

March 7, 2016 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

INFO NEEDED!

Thanks to the efforts of Aundrea O’Neal at Beaufort Inlet Seafood, NCFA now has the information needed to plug into our database for vital information for those fishermen who pack at that facility. Our biologist, David Bush, needs that information to quantify how regulations may impact fishermen. For example, our new database will include the fishermen’s name, address, phone, email if any, gear type used, areas fished and targeted species.

Whether it’s to assess potential regulations or to fight what we perceive as overzealous regulations by state and/or federal regulators, we need this data to make it easier for David to compile it.

We appeal to you to make this information available, so if you need more information, please contact Aundrea at Beaufort Inlet Seafood and she’ll tell you how it’s done. Her contact info is: Beaufort Inlet Seafood: (252) 504-2036 Cell: (252) 503-8302

MONKFISH & REGULATIONS:

Monkfish, or the “poor man’s lobster” is really good! For those that appreciate monkfish but can’t find it at your favorite fish market, consider this:

Last week I was in Dare County and one of the meetings I attended was the monkfish meeting on Thursday evening at the DMF office in Manteo. There were a total of 4 at the meeting: 3 DMF employees and me. One might wonder why fishermen aren’t taking the time to attend an information meeting about monkfish. Consider this: by law, they can only fish for about 4 weeks in March/April. They can only fish between 2 & 3 miles in the ocean. It’s illegal to fish for monkfish in federal waters, which begins at the 3 mile mark. They can only fish if the water temps are under 52 degrees.

Rationale? Not so much for monkfish, but “other issues”, such as sea turtles. If the temps are above 52 degrees, there is a better possibility of interaction with sea turtles, so the fishery closes. Inside of 2 miles there is a possibility of interaction with marine mammals.

Point being this: with the restrictions outlined above, there is not much of an incentive for a fishermen to target monkfish. As a result, the landings will be minimal in North Carolina, not because there aren’t any monkfish, but because there is not an adequate economic incentive to fish for them. Those who are always proclaiming that the sky is falling will then cite the declining landings and allege that commercial fishermen are catching them all! It’s a vicious cycle that is not unique to monkfish!

Meanwhile, a rash of letters to the editor recently allege that commercial fishermen in North Carolina have few regulations!

SOUTHERN FLOUNDER:

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.

God bless, Jerry

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CALENDAR

Mar 7-11 SAFMC meeting in Jekyll Island, GA

Mar 17; 4:00pm; MFC Sea Turtle Advisors; DEQ office; Washington, NC

Apr 12-14; MAFMC meeting in Montauk, NY

View a PDF of the weekly update

North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for Feb 1, 2016

February 2, 2016 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

CARTERET COUNTY FISHERMEN’S ASSOCIATION TO MEET

The Carteret County Fishermen’s Association has scheduled a meeting for Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Marshallberg Community Center at 6:30pm.

SOUTHERN SHRIMP ALLIANCE & SHRIMP IMPORTS:

The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) is an organization of shrimp fishermen, shrimp processors, and other members of the domestic industry in the eight warmwater shrimp producing states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.

Founded in 2002, the SSA works to ensure the continued vitality and existence of the U.S. shrimp industry. The livelihoods of U.S. shrimpers are threatened by cheap, unfairly traded imported shrimp. The U.S market has become a dumping ground for shrimp that are turned away from other major seafood importing countries. Proposed restrictions on shrimp fishing and rapidly increasing costs of doing business also loom over the industry. The SSA is committed to preserving the long term viability of one of our nation’s most valuable fisheries, which for decades has been a foundation of the economy and social structure of countless coastal communities throughout the Gulf and Southeast regions.

SSA is currently conducting a sunset review, which is required to determine if antidumping duties should remain for imported shrimp from certain countries. John distributed surveys for shrimpers and processors. It is very important for shrimpers and shrimp processors to participate in this survey! If not, the antidumping duties could be lifted.

We have copies at the office, so call if you want us to send you one or more. Or you can contact John Williams of the Southern Shrimp Alliance directly: john@shrimpalliance.com or call: 727-934-5090.

PROPOSED BOUNDARY EXPANSION TO MONITOR NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY

After several years of scientific and archaeological assessment and in coordination with the public, NOAA is proposing to expand Monitor National Marine Sanctuary off North Carolina’s Outer Banks to include additional maritime heritage resources. The proposed expansion would protect a nationally significant collection of shipwrecks that currently have little or no legal protection, including one of America’s only World War II battlefields.

For more details and maps see http://monitor.noaa.gov/management/expansion.html.

This expansion could have significant impacts on fishermen off the Outer Banks. Please plan to attend one of the following public meetings:

Raleigh, NC

Tues., Feb. 9 from 6-9 p.m.

North Carolina Museum of History

5 East Edenton Street

919-807-7900

Beaufort, NC

Wednesday, Feb. 10 from 6-9 p.m.

North Carolina Maritime Museum

315 Front Street

252-728-7317

Hatteras, NC

Thurs., Feb. 11 from 6-9 p.m.

Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum

9200 Museum Dr.

252-986-2995

Washington, D.C.

Tues., Feb. 16 from 6-9 p.m.

US Navy Memorial – Main Auditorium

701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

202-380-0710

Nags Head, NC

Wed., Feb. 17 from 6-9 p.m.

Jennette’s Pier – Oceanview Hall

7223 S. Virginia Dare Trail

252-255-1501

JERRY’S COMMENTS

Last fall WRAL aired a documentary that was not at all complimentary to our state’s commercial fishermen. I was interviewed for it and offered some suggestions for other interviews to the producer, Clay Johnson. After I watched it, I sent him a note and said it was the most subjective piece of fisheries journalism I’ve experienced. He didn’t agree with that statement, but I maintain that it’s a fact.

Since then, there are some fishermen who wonder why I would even consent to an interview. At the same time, we all seem to agree that we “need to get the word out”, and quit preaching to the choir. How do we do that by saying no to a request for an interview, when the question is, “would you be interested in being interviewed for a documentary about commercial fishing”? Before saying yes, I did some research on the producer. I watched several of his documentaries with one being about commercial fishing in 2008. The others were not about commercial fishing but all of them, in my opinion, were fair and objectively done.S

Below is the link to the video, “Net Loss”, produced by Clay Johnson in 2008. If you haven’t watched the other one that aired last year, let me know and I’ll forward to you.

http://www.wral.com/wral-tv/video/3599816/

CALENDAR

Feb 2-4 ASMFC Winter meeting; Alexandria VA

Feb 6 Carteret County Fishermen’s Association; 6:30pm;

Feb 9 Monitor National Marine Sanctuary hearing; 6-9pm; Raleigh

Feb 10 Monitor National Marine Sanctuary hearing; 6-9pm; Beaufort

Feb 11 Monitor National Marine Sanctuary hearing; 6-9pm; Hatteras

Feb 9-11 MAFMC meeting in New Bern NC

Feb 17 Monitor National Marine Sanctuary hearing; 6-9pm; Nags Head

Feb 17-19 NC MFC meeting in Wrightsville Beach, NC

Mar 7-11 SAFMC meeting in Jekyll Island, GA

View a PDF of the Weekly Update

NCFA Weekly Update for January 25, 2016

January 25, 2016 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association (NCFA):

WEEKLY UPDATE: 1/25/2016
NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION
“Serving the Commercial Fishing Families of North Carolina since 1952”
Phone: (252) 633-NCFA (6232)
www.ncfish.org

Jerry Schill, President: jerryschill@ncfish.org; ext. 100
David Bush, Fisheries Biologist: davidbush@ncfish.org; ext. 102
Peggy Page, Accounting: peggy@ncfish.org; ext. 103

NOTE: Since this update is already very lengthy, we will send out a supplement to this tomorrow. In it, we will include information on:

* The Sneads Ferry Open House by Camp Lejeune about the K-2Range New River. Jerry attended and will give an update;

* Fundraising efforts for Ginger Shackelford, daughter of Britton and AudraShackelford, who is fighting cancer.

* Calendar of events & meetings coming up.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING recap:

Congratulations to Sonny Davis & Glen Skinner of Carteret County and Joey Daniels of Dare County, as the newest members of the Board of Directors!!

The following were elected as officers of the Board:

Chairman: Brent Fulcher
Vice Chairman: Glen Skinner
Treasurer: Leslie Daniels
President & Corporate Secretary: Jerry Schill

After a lengthy discussion on southern flounder, including comments from attorney Steve Weeks, the following motion was approved by the membership:

To pursue administrative, legal and legislative options;

To create a southern flounder fund for the purpose of challenging the NC Marine Fisheries Commission’s decision on southern flounder in November 2015 and expose the illegal actions of the commission.

The motion requires that NCFA staff exhaust all efforts to resolve the problems associated with the illegal decision made by the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission regarding southern flounder. To that end, NCFA will establish a “Southern Flounder Fund” that will be set aside to pay for costs associated with this effort. Those costs may be legal, public relations or communications Contributions to this fund will not be used for administrative costs. More details will be included in a press release in a few days.

NCFA’s membership also agreed to:

* Assure that the current definition of a commercial fisherman remains as is;

* Reaffirm its opposition to catch shares or individual quotas.

SOUTHERN SHRIMP ALLIANCE & SHRIMP IMPORTS:

John Williams, Executive Director of SSA presented an overview of the history of SSA and their efforts and successes in curbing the importation of shrimp being “dumped” into US markets.

We have copies at the office, so call if you want us to send you one or more. Or you can contact John Williams of the Southern Shrimp Alliance directly: John@shrimpalliance.com or call: 727-934-5090.

Jerry’s comments:

I would like to add my personal thanks and congratulations to those who were re-elected to NCFA’s Board, and to Sonny Davis, Glen Skinner & Joey Daniels for their willingness to serve. Special kudos to Brent Fulcher, Glen Skinner and Leslie Daniels as officers. It takes a significant amount of time to serve on our Board as we meet monthly, and the meetings are not short! They all deserve the gratitude of everyone involved with commercial fishing and those who support it.

In addition, I appreciate the support of the Board in appointing me to continue for another year as President and Corporate Secretary. It’s a role that I don’t take lightly, and offer my assurances that we will do our utmost to address the challenges facing the industry and assure that commercial fishermen will have a future in North Carolina.

It was very gratifying to see the excellent turnout for our annual meeting, and speaking for David & Peggy, the staff appreciates everyone that took the time to attend our annual meeting and also the bycatch reduction workshop and the presentation by John Williams of the Southern Shrimp Alliance prior to our meeting. It was the best attendance of any annual meeting that I’ve been involved with and allows us to build upon that energy for the coming year. David & Peggy spent a considerable amount of time in preparation for the day’s events and did an outstanding job!

There is one issue that I would like to mention here concerning the Annual Meeting. I would like to expand on the comments I made at the meeting regarding 2015. When reviewing the last year, it’s hard to jump up and down with joy. Would you agree? I made the statement that in my 29 years of being involved, it was the harshest to commercial fishing that I can remember. My purpose in saying that was not to depress everyone, as I’m sure everyone agreed that last year was a tough one, but to let those involved in commercial fishing know that we, meaning the staff at NCFA, feel it too. We are not oblivious to the negative effects of overzealous regulations that y’all face. While it’s our job at NCFA to promote a positive face, our members will wonder what we’ve been smoking if we don’t acknowledge the harsh climate facing fishermen!

However, I should have spent more time in speaking about the positives and how those positives can be used to approach the issues in 2016. For example, the relationship we have with the North Carolina General Assembly is the best it’s ever been. Commercial fishermen have many friends in the legislature and they’re not only from the coast. That is a benefit that is directly responsible to the effort we, and others, have put into it. Personally, I missed very few days being in Raleigh when they were in session last year. We do need to do the same for our congressional folks in Washington and we’ve been working on that, especially with Senator Burr, Senator Tillis and Congressman Rouzer. Congressman Walter Jones is staunchly in our corner but we do need to maintain that dialogue with his office so they understand our positions. Likewise, his staff keeps us informed on upcoming issues at the federal level.

We also have Tradewinds back and try to make it better with every issue. Our website and Facebook pages are being kept current thanks to Aundrea O’Neal. Using technology enables us to do our best in educating consumers. Of course, those efforts need to be expanded. For the past 2 years, we have partnered with North Carolina Watermen United and NC Catch in educational efforts at the Seafood Festival and the State Fair. We have a very good relationship with Farm Bureau as they have been a steadfast ally. And we have a Board of Directors that’s as pro-active as any I’ve seen. In the “old” days we had quarterly Board meetings. We now have monthly meetings that cover a multitude of issues.

The challenges are many, but we have a positive base to build on to address those challenges.

What we really need now is for more participation in terms of MEMBERSHIP, especially half percenters. If you commercially fish and are not a Half Percent Member, you need to be! It’s an easy way for you to do your part in addressing the issues facing commercial fishing. If you are a dealer and not participating, you need to be! The days for letting the other guy carry the load are over if you want commercial fishing to continue! We can assist you in getting started as a half percenter.

Give us a call or drop us a note. Stop by the office in New Bern. Or call one of the members of the Board. Get involved!

God bless,
Jerry

View a PDF of the release

NORTH CAROINA: Marine officials and fishermen exchange concerns about fishing risks

January 27, 2016 — SNEADS FERRY, Onslow County – Officials from Camp Lejeune met with dozens of commercial fishermen at the Sneads Ferry Community Center Wednesday evening to discuss and exchange concerns about possible risks in a part of the New River.

“We’re soliciting public feedback to determine the next steps ahead as we try to mitigate this hazard,” said Camp Lejeune Public Affairs Director Nat Fahy.

At issue is a 2012 to 2014 study that turned up more than 7,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance and debris from the waters alongside Camp Lejeune’s K-2 range.

For now, the base says it will put up signs warning against activities that would disturb the bottom of the river–activities like clam raking, crabbing, and anchoring.

Our position is very simple and that is that these are not federal waters, the waters don’t belong to the military, they are state waters,” said Jerry Schill, President of the North Carolina Fisheries Association. “Camp Lejeune cannot enact restrictions in these waters. That can only come from the Army Corps of Engineers.”

Read the full story at WCTI News

NORTH CAROLINA: Fishermen meet to determine disbursement procedures

January 21, 2016 — Work will begin today to establish procedures for authorizing the disbursement of money collected through a new state fund created to meet requirements for the protection of sea turtles while also supporting projects that enhance the state’s commercial fishing industry.

The funding committee of the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Fund and a corresponding committee of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission will hold their first meeting today at 2 p.m. at the division headquarters, 3441 Arendell St. in Morehead City.

Jerry Schill of the North Carolina Fisheries Association said the meeting will be organizational as work begins to establish a Memorandum of Understanding.

“We’re getting together to initiate an MOU that will outline how we go about doing what we’re charged to do,” Schill said.

Specifically, the Memorandum of Understanding will set forth the procedure for authorizing the disbursement of funds from the Commercial Fishing Resource Fund.

Read the full story at Jacksonville Daily News

NORTH CAROLINA: Fisheries division criticized for avoiding recommendations to regulators

November 12, 2015 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission is a nine-member regulatory body that was created by the North Carolina General Assembly to regulate fishing activity and conserve the marine and estuarine fishery resources in state waters. The General Assembly has stated in law that the Commission has the duty to provide fair regulation of fishing groups in the interest of the public. The Division of Marine Fisheries is the state agency that is charged to offer scientific support to the Commission and carry out the regulations adopted by the Commission.

Currently, the issue of most concern of the Commission and the Division is that of southern flounder. Since February, the Commission has been debating various proposals to reduce the catch of southern flounder, which is our state’s most important finfish fishery for commercial fishermen. The total economic impact of this fishery averages $17 million per year to North Carolina, just for those fish caught commercially.

Remarkably, since the Commission started the process of debating the issue of southern flounder management over 9 months ago, the Division of Marine Fisheries has not offered any recommended actions to reduce the catch of southern flounder. Currently, only one of the nine Commission members has a scientific background in fisheries, and even that experience is not based on saltwater fisheries. Yet, the Division, who has the expertise on staff that could assist the Commissioners, has not made any formal recommendations on the options being considered by the Commission or offered any options of their own.

“We wonder why the Division exists, if not to offer assistance and make recommendations to the members of the Marine Fisheries Commission in carrying out their conservation responsibilities”, said Brent Fulcher, Chairman of the Board of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, (NCFA).

The MFC has put six options on the table for consideration under a fishery management plan “supplement”, and the issue will be decided at its meeting next week in Nags Head.

“In the 28 years I’ve been involved with this process, I cannot remember a time when the Commission has faced such a contentious and important issue such as this one, where the Division was silent in assisting the Commission with recommended actions from a scientific perspective”, said the President of NCFA, Jerry Schill. “This decision, which will have a huge effect on many commercial fishing families and many coastal communities, is on a track for a decision to be devoid of any science and based totally on politics. That is a sad day in fisheries management for our state. Our fishermen and consumers deserve better.”

The North Carolina Fisheries Association urges the Director of Marine Fisheries, Dr. Louis Daniel, to offer recommendations based upon science to the Marine Fisheries Commission, prior to its deliberations next week.

Schill concluded, “The angst over this measure was made much more contentious when the Commission adopted the draconian net ban language, which is clearly outside the scope of the supplement process. Add the Division’s failure to offer recommendations based upon science, and you have a recipe for a very combative atmosphere.”

The North Carolina Fisheries Association is a non-profit trade association representing the interests of North Carolina’s commercial fishing families.