Saving Seafood

Access to red snapper in South Carolina waters could improve with new legislation

February 23, 2022 — Nearly 13 years ago, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) determined the South Atlantic red snapper stock was overfished and undergoing overfishing. The fishery was closed in 2010 with a 35-year rebuilding plan put in place.

Ever since, red snapper have been virtually inaccessible for recreational anglers in South Atlantic waters which stretch from North Carolina southward through the east coast of Florida.

Save for occasional mini-seasons ranging from three to nine days in some, but not all, of those years, anglers have been forced to release red snapper.

As the numbers and size of red snapper have increased over the past dozen years, so has frustration among recreational anglers not only in South Carolina but throughout the South Atlantic Region.

Red snapper are almost exclusively caught in federal waters (3-200 miles offshore), typically in depths of about 60-120 feet off South Carolina. The reef species is very susceptible to barotrauma, which occurs when the rapid change in pressure as fish are reeled in causes the gases in the fish’s body to expand.

Read the full story at The State

Oyster awareness: Shellfish benefit environment, economy

January 10, 2022 — It may sound too good to be true that one, palm-sized organism could filter water, provide habitat, secure the coastline, and be a delicious, nutritious powerhouse on the plate. But it’s not a gimmick — the oyster does it all.

In North Carolina, a consortium of government, university, business and nonprofit stakeholders are working to restore historically depleted oyster populations in tandem with designing resilient wetlands, building a thriving industry, and preserving an icon of coastal heritage. North Carolina leads the way nationally in its collaborative, multifaceted approach to protecting, restoring, harvesting, and educating people about oysters.

In support of this superhero species, North Carolina Forever is working to spark awareness about oysters and the people behind the nimble and broad effort to bolster them as a catalyst for a resilient future, where people and ecosystems thrive. North Carolina Forever is a bipartisan coalition of North Carolinians — from businesses, agricultural, conservation and environmental organizations — aiming to influence legislation and secure the funding necessary to keep a promise held by the state constitution: “to conserve and protect its lands and waters for the benefit of all its citizenry.”

Read the full story at CoastalReview.org

North Carolina: SAVE THE DATE/EVTR Questions Workshop/Legislative Update

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

SAVE THE DATE

NCDMF MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION WILL MEET NOV. 17-19, 2021

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON NOVEMBER 17 ATTEND IN PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON NOVEMBER 18, 2021 IF YOU CARE ABOUT NC SHRIMP AND SHRIMPING IN NC.

WE HAVE ATTACHED BELOW THE SHRIMP FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT 2 DECISION DOCUMENT WHICH CONTAINS NCDMF RECOMMENDED MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR YOUR REVIEW

STAY TUNED FOR IMPORTANT UPDATES ON THIS ISSUE.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Marine Fisheries Commission to meet Nov. 17-19 in Emerald Isle

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet in-person Nov. 17-19 at the Islander Hotel & Resort, 102 Islander Dr, Emerald Isle. The commission office will also livestream the meeting online.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 17; at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 18; and at 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 19. In accordance with current guidance to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the chairman asks that everyone attending the meeting wear a mask at all times, except when giving public comment to the commission.

The commission will hold a public comment session at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17. The commission will also hold a 30-minute public comment period near the beginning of the meeting on Thursday, Nov. 18.

The following information pertains to in-person public comment:

· To accommodate as many speakers as possible, the chairman will limit each speaker to 3 minutes.

· Those making comments will be asked to speak only once, either Wednesday night or Thursday morning, but not during both public comment periods.

· Members of the public are encouraged to speak at the Wednesday night session, because the Thursday morning session is limited to 30 minutes (10 people).

· Preregistration by an online form is required to speak at the Thursday morning session. Registration will end once 10 people have signed up to speak.

· Preregistration is available, but not required, for the Wednesday night session. The online registration deadline for this session is 10 a.m. Wednesday; however, the public may also register to speak for the Wednesday night session in-person beginning at 4:30 p.m. There is no speaker limit for the Wednesday night session.

· Speaker registration will begin at noon on Nov. 3 and can be accessed through a link on the Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting webpage.

· Those who wish to submit handouts to the commission during a public comment period should bring at least 12 copies to the meeting.

· The commission will only hear from speakers attending the meeting in-person.

The public may also submit written comments:

· Written comments may be submitted through an online form accessible through the Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting webpage.

· Written comments may be mailed to November 2021 Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting Comments, P.O Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.

· Written comments may be dropped off at the Division of Marine Fisheries’ Morehead City Headquarters Office at 3441 Arendell St., Morehead City.

· Written comments must be posted online or received in the Division of Marine Fisheries Office by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 15.

· The Marine Fisheries Commission Office will not accept public comment for this meeting through email.

Due to space constraints, those who do not wish to speak at the meeting are encouraged to watch the meeting online. Links to the livestream will be posted on the Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting webpage. After the meeting, an audio recording will be posted online.

Agenda items include:

· Approving the draft Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2021 Amendment.

· Selecting preferred management options for the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan Amendment 2 and sending the draft plan for departmental review.

· Reviewing the draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3 and sending it out for public comment and advisory committee review.

· Approving the goals and objectives of the draft N.C Fishery Management Plan for Interjurisdictional Fisheries Amendment 2.

· Final approval of amendments and re-adoption of a slate of rules under a mandatory periodic review schedule (G.S. 150B-21.3A), including rules prohibiting the repacking of foreign crab meat in North Carolina.

· Discussion of additional labeling requirements for repacked foreign crab meat, including selection of preferred management option and approval of associated proposed language for rulemaking.

· Approving a slate of nominees for the North Carolina Obligatory Seat on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

A full meeting agenda and briefing book materials will be posted on the Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting webpage as they become available.

WHO:

N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission

WHAT:

Quarterly Business Meeting

WHEN:

Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.
Nov. 18 at 9 a.m.
Nov. 19 at 9 a.m.

WHERE:

The Islander Hotel & Resort
102 Islander Dr, Emerald Isle

Livestream:
Click here  for links

 

NC fishing industry takes wait-and-see approach on coastal wind projects

October 29, 2021 — There has been a lot of recent discussion on major wind-energy projects along the North Carolina coast, and the state’s fishing industry has been watching closely to see how any announcements may affect their fisheries.

This year has had a lot of big headlines about wind-power on the N.C. coast. On June 9, Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order saying that the state would strive for development of 2.8 gigawatts of offshore wind-power generation by 2030, ramping up to 8 GW by 2040.

Then on Oct.13, there were two separate major developments. At the Governor’s Mansion, Cooper signed a compromise clean-energy bill, which will lean heavily on renewable energy, likely including offshore wind projects. That same day, President Joe Biden’s administration announced a major wind-power plan that would span much of the country’s seaboard, with one of the seven proposed sites being off the Wilmington coast. Biden wants to have 30 GW of wind-energy production in place by 2030, in large part using these sites.

Currently, the projects being proposed do not affect areas of the North Carolina coast that fishermen rely on, but representatives of the state’s fishing industry say they are taking a wait-and-see approach to the impact of any future plans.

“The things that are being proposed right now off the coast of North Carolina, those windmills would not be in an area that we actively participate in fishing,” said Jerry Schill, former executive director and current government relations director for the North Carolina Fisheries Association, a trade organization representing the state’s commercial fishermen. “There might be some transit interest, boats going back and forth, but off North Carolina, it would not negatively affect our fisherman in terms of where they fish.”

Read the full story at the North State Journal

 

Resources Available to Assist Fishermen with Transition to Electronic Reporting

October 7, 2021 — The following was released  by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is moving away from paper vessel trip reporting requirements in the Greater Atlantic Region. Beginning on November 10, 2021, most fishermen permitted to fish federal marine waters from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to the Canadian border will be required to submit their vessel trip reports electronically. They must be submitted to NOAA Fisheries within 48 hours of the conclusion of a fishing trip. The new reporting requirement applies to all federally permitted vessels except those holding only a permit for American lobster.

There is a wealth of information for fishermen making the transition from paper to electronic reporting, including a number of detailed tutorials and recordings of previously held training webinars. Learn more and watch a new short video on how to use the new eVTR app on our website.

If you have additional questions about electronic reporting requirements in the Greater Atlantic region:

•Contact the Industry Support Line at (978) 281-9188.

•Contact your local Port Agent.

Read the full release from the NOAA Fisheries

 

NC Coalition Forms To Advocate For Offshore Wind Energy Projects

September 27, 2021 — A group of 10 advocacy groups has formed the Offshore Wind for North Carolina coalition, or OSW4NC, to lobby for funding, legislation and anything else that will get wind turbines turning off the North Carolina coast.

The move comes as North Carolina, the U.S. and the rest of the world race to get global warming under control by reducing reliance on fossil fuels. To get there, President Joe Biden’s administration and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper are pushing for more renewable energy development, including offshore wind energy.

Members of the new offshore wind coalition include Audubon North Carolina, Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy, Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Entrepreneurs, North Carolina Coastal Federation, North Carolina Conservation Network, North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, Sierra Club North Carolina and Southeastern Wind Coalition.

Read the full story at Blue Ridge Public Radio

NORTH CAROLINA: Panel with stakes in clean water adds to coastal habitat plan

September 21, 2021 — Natural solutions, voluntary, incentivize — these are some of the ways suggested by a stakeholder workgroup to enhance and protect North Carolina’s coastal waters.

In all, 10 recommendations in Appendix A from the workgroup have been tacked on to the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan approved for public review by the three regulatory commissions with oversight on coastal issues.

“The goal was to identify and make recommendations on actionable nonregulatory strategies for improving and protecting water quality to safeguard fishery habitats,” said Leda Cunningham, The Pew Charitable Trusts officer.

The proposal of a workgroup was born out of the Jan. 21 meeting of the CHPP Steering Committee when committee chair Martin Posey raised the idea to form a group that would come up with recommendations with a focus on water quality-related issues that could quickly be accomplished, according to the minutes of that meeting.

Read the full story at CoastalReview.org

 

NORTH CAROLINA: Judge allows fisheries management lawsuit to proceed

September 8, 2021 — A Raleigh judge says a lawsuit filed by dozens of North Carolina residents and a recreational fishing advocacy group against state regulators can move forward.

The Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina, along with 86 other plaintiffs, filed the suit against the state in November over what they call “abject failure” to “properly manage” coastal resources.

“The complaint details how the State has for decades tolerated overfishing of flounder and other species of coastal fish that are valued by the fishing public,” the advocacy group said last week in a release.

Read the full story at CoastalReview.org