Saving Seafood

NORTH CAROLINA: $5.2M in Relief Awarded to Fishing Industry

May 4, 2021 — More than $5.2 million in financial assistance is on its way to those eligible in fishing industries who sustained income losses because of COVID-19 in the spring of 2020.

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries issued funds last week to 197 commercial fishermen and marine aquaculture operations, for-hire fishing operations, and seafood dealers and processors, deemed eligible for assistance from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act Fisheries Relief Program, the division said Friday.

The following payments were made:

Stakeholder Category

Number of
Applications

Number
Approved

Assistance Awarded

Percent of  Total Award
Commercial Fishermen and Marine Aquaculture Operations

217

137

$3,374,022

64.2%
Seafood Dealers and Processors

35

26

$1,447,221

27.5%
For-Hire Fishing Operations

39

34

$434,243

8.3%
Total

291

197

$5,255,486

100%

An additional $161,287 went toward Division of Marine Fisheries administrative costs.

The state was allocated about $5.4 million in May 2020 from the federal CARES Act for financial relief through direct payments to fishery-related stakeholder groups affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the full story at Coastal Review Online

Efforts On to Rebuild North Carolina’s Oyster Population

April 27, 2021 — North Carolina’s estuaries were teeming with oysters 150 years ago. In the time since, a combination of factors has caused oyster populations to decline.

Development, urbanization, point and nonpoint source pollution, intensive farming, harvest pressure, and increases in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as freezing temperatures, hurricanes, heavy rains and prolonged winds have all contributed to the loss, said state marine ecologist Jason Peters.

As supervisor of North Carolina’s cultch planting program, Peters has been heading up an effort by the Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries to rebuild the oyster population.

“Cultch planting is an oyster restoration technique employed by many states along the East and Gulf coasts to return hard bottom habitat to our estuaries. This hard-bottom habitat, usually in the form of oyster shell of fossilized limestone marl, is placed in areas with suitable conditions for recruitment, growth and survival of oysters,” said Peters, who also supervises the state’s artificial reefs and oyster sanctuaries program. “The objective of this program is to mitigate habitat loss from harvest or natural events by establishing new, successful oyster reefs.”

Erin Fleckenstein is coastal scientist with the Wanchese office of the North Carolina Coastal Federation, which publishes Coastal Review. She explained that cultch planting activities are part of a comprehensive strategy to build back oyster resources and support a wild harvest fishery in the state.

Read the full story at Coastal Review Online

NORTH CAROLINA: Changes made to MFC citation program criteria

April 26, 2021 — The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries will make several changes to its Saltwater Fishing Tournament criteria effective May 1.

The tournament, popularly known as the Citation Program, is not a competition but a longstanding certification program that recognizes outstanding saltwater catches. Catches that meet minimum weight or release length requirements, along with other qualifications, are eligible for an 8½-by-11-inch citation (certificate) that is suitable for framing.

Changes to the requirements:

  • Atlantic bonito and striped bass will no longer be eligible for citations.
  • Atlantic croaker will be eligible for a citation at 1 pound, 8 ounces.
  • Black drum will only be eligible for a release citation. The minimum release length will remain 40 inches.
  • Gag grouper will be the only species eligible for a grouper citation. The minimum weight will remain 20 pounds.
  • Sea mullet will be eligible for a citation at the minimum weight of 2 pounds.
  • Sharks will only be eligible for a release citation. The minimum release length will remain 80 inches.
  • Gray tilefish a will be eligible for a citation at the minimum weight of 12 pounds.
  • Blackfin tuna will be eligible for a citation at the minimum weight of 25 pounds.

Read the full story at The Coastland Times

NORTH CAROLINA: Researchers talk coastal habitat risks from sea level rise, other hazards

April 22, 2021 — Coastal habitat loss may cost North Carolinians the natural benefits the habitat provides, but researchers are working to keep decision makers informed of the risks and potential solutions.

Representatives from Pew Charitable Trusts, the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Duke University and East Carolina University held an online workshop Monday discussing the hazards coastal habitat faces and how scientists and state officials are working to preserve and protect it. Pew Charitable Trusts Director Jennifer Browning said the workshop was a part of the trusts’ coastal habitat learning series and evolved from approximately three decades of fisheries management.

“It’s been wonderful to watch how the (N.C.) Coastal Habitat Protection Plan has evolved,” said Ms. Browning, who was on the team which developed the CHPP.

Duke University Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions Ecosystem Services program director Lydia Olander said Duke researchers, in partnership with the U.S. Climate Alliance, have been taking part in a project to map the effects of sea level rise on coastal ecosystem services. She said the project focused on six Atlantic Coast states, including North Carolina.

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times

NORTH CAROLINA: Cobia recreation fishery opens May 1

April 15, 2021 — North Carolina Marine Fisheries Proclamation FF-25-2021 opens the recreational cobia fishery in coastal fishing waters effective May 1, 2021. The recreational season will remain open through Dec. 31, 2021.

The proclamation maintains the season for the commercial cobia fishery.

For the recreation fishery, the size limit is 36 inches fork length or greater with a possession limit of one per person per day.

Read the full story at The Coastland Times

Marine Fisheries Commission amends sector allocations for southern flounder plan amendment

April 7, 2021 — The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission voted to amend the previously adopted sector allocations for Amendment 3 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan to gradually equalize allocations between the commercial and recreational fisheries.

The commission voted to change the allocation to 70% commercial and 30% recreational in 2021 and 2022, 60% commercial and 40% recreational in 2023 and 50% commercial and 50% recreational in 2024, states a media release from Division of Marine Fisheries.

In February, the commission had selected sector harvest allocations of 70% commercial and 30% recreational for the duration of Amendment 3. That allocation was similar to the harvest landed by each sector in 2017, the terminal year of the stock assessment on which draft management measures in Amendment 3 are based.

Read the full story at The Coastland Times

CARES Act support for fishermen, seafood dealers may come this spring

March 5, 2021 — Commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and others who make their living on the water may get federal aid sometime this spring to help make up coronavirus-related loses.

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Deputy Director Dee Lupton informed the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Feb. 25 during the commission’s online Webinar meeting that division staff is processing Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act financial aid applications from commercial and for-hire fishermen, seafood dealers and processors.

The application period for the $5.4 million in federal aid for North Carolina watermen closed Nov. 30, and according to an email Feb. 23 to the News-Times from DMF Communications Director Patricia Smith, the division received 290 applications, of which 216 were from commercial fishermen and aquaculture operations, 35 were from seafood dealers and processors and 39 were from for-hire operations.

“As of this past Monday (Feb. 22), we’ve reviewed all of them,” Ms. Lupton said at the Feb. 25 commission meeting. “One hundred and ninety-eight have been approved. We’re in the process of notifying those determined not-eligible, they will have an appeal opportunity.”

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times

SAFMC Citizen Science Update – What do you want to see out of a citizen science mobile application?

February 8, 2021 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

What do you want to see in a customizable citizen science mobile application?

The role of citizen science is an evolving and potentially powerful tool to better understand marine fish populations. With that in mind, the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program has partnered with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries to develop a mobile application that encourages and supports the capture and sharing of information about Atlantic coast fish.

We need your help to develop this application! We’re hosting a series of workshops in March and April 2021 to ensure we create something that meets the needs of all potential users.

Questionnaire

To prepare for the workshops, we invite you to contribute your voice and start the discussion by letting us know what you want out of a citizen science application.

Share your perspective by answering a short questionnaire at the link below by Monday, Feb 15 at 5pm EST. It should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete.

Citizen Science Mobile Application Questionnaire

We want to gather information from a diverse group of fishermen, fisheries scientists, and fisheries managers. So please share the questionnaire with others in your community who may be interested!

Town Hall Meetings

Want to play a larger role in the development of the citizen science application? Consider participating in one of our virtual town hall meetings. More details will be posted at the website below as they become available.

Tuesday, March 9 at 5pm
Thursday, March 11 at 10am

For more information on this project

Visit: https://safmc.net/cit-sci/customizable-citizen-science-app/

or

Contact us:

Julia Byrd
Citizen Science
Program Manager
julia.byrd@safmc.net

Allie Iberle
Citizen Science
Project Coordinator
allie.iberle@safmc.net

NORTH CAROLINA: DMF asks public to report cold stunned trout

December 29, 2020 — State fisheries managers ask residents and visitors who are out on the water or near it to keep an eye open for cold stunned fish.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries reminded the public Monday to report any cold stunned spotted seatrout they may see in North Carolina coastal waters.

During the winter, spotted seatrout move to relatively shallow creeks and rivers, where they can be vulnerable to cold stun events. Cold stun events have the potential to occur when there is a sudden drop in temperature or during prolonged periods of cold weather, making fish so sluggish they can be harvested by hand.

According to the DMF, many fish that are stunned die from the cold or fall prey to birds and other predators.

“Studies suggest that cold stun events can have a significant negative impact on spotted seatrout populations,” the DMF said.

Spotted seatrout cold stun events may be reported at any time to the N.C. Marine Patrol at 1-800-682-2632 or during regular business hours to DMF spotted seatrout biologist Tracey Bauer by phone at 252-808-8159 or by email tracey.bauer@ncdenr.gov.

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times

NORTH CAROLINA: NMFS accepts comments on proposed gear restricting zones

November 27, 2020 — Carteret County residents and others have an opportunity to provide input to federal fisheries managers on potential restrictions to fishing gear.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service is accepting public comment on Regulatory Amendment 34 to the fishery management plan for the snapper-grouper fishery of the South Atlantic Region.  Comments on the proposed rule are due by Wednesday, Dec. 16. The proposed rule would create 30 special management zones around artificial reefs off North Carolina, including six off the coast of Carteret County, and four off of South Carolina. The the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources have requested these SMZs.

The proposed SMZs range in size from 0.041 to 1.01 square miles. There would be additional gear and harvest restrictions within the proposed zones.

The stated purpose of the framework amendment is to restrict use of fishing gear that could result in high exploitation rates to reduce adverse effects to federally managed snapper-grouper species at these sites. Harvest of snapper-grouper species would only be allowed with handline, rod and reel and spear in the SMZs. Therefore, the action would prohibit the use of bandit reel, powerhead, pot and longline gear at the sites.

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times