January 8, 2021 — North Carolina Marine Fisheries Proclamation FF-6-2021 opened the commercial bluefish fishery and removes the possession limit at 12:01 a.m., Jan. 1, 2021.
The proclamation applies to the commercial bluefish fishery in Coastal Fishing Waters.
The fishery will close by proclamation once the commercial quota is projected to be reached or Dec. 31, 2021, whichever occurs first.
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.
December 28, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
Fishermen are reminded that several changes to federal fishing regulations occur beginning January 1st as we ring in 2021 (and gladly bid 2020 farewell). The first day of January begins a new fishing year for some species in the snapper grouper management complex.
The South Atlantic regulation changes apply to federal waters ranging from 3 to 200 nautical miles offshore of NC, SC, GA, and the east coast of Florida.
For example, a spawning season closure for shallow-water grouper goes into place each year to help protect species such as Gag Grouper, Red Grouper, Scamp, Red Hind, Yellowmouth Grouper, and others. The shallow-water grouper season will reopen May 1, 2021 with the exception of Red Grouper off the coast of North Carolina and South Carolina, which reopens June 1st. Some other snapper grouper species will reopen for harvest January 1st.
See the Regulations Summary (click the image) available from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council for changes effective January 1, 2021. To keep up with federal regulations and changes throughout the year (recreational and commercial), download the free FishRules mobile app.
Additional regulation information and other helpful resources are available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/regulations/.
Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year!
December 14, 2020 — As winter weather sets in, the season for Atlantic bluefin tuna has arrived along the North Carolina coast, and the early season has been good so far for at least two Carteret County charter businesses.
Bluefin tuna are a commercially valuable and highly sought-after fish, with individual fish selling for thousands of dollars on the international market. The fish are managed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas in two stocks, the eastern stock and the western stock, though the two often intermingle. In the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, the baseline annual quota for bluefin tuna is 1,247.86 metric tons; this quota is further divided into sub quotas based on types of gear. The general category, which covers commercial handgear, has a sub quota of 555.7 metric tons.
Bluefin tuna traditionally show up on the North Carolina coast in December through early winter, and according Fish Whistle Fishing Charters of Morehead City’s Capt. Mike Ajamian, as of Tuesday he’s caught four.
December 11, 2020 — Local commercial fishermen have until Saturday to harvest snowy grouper.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service announced Monday the commercial harvest of snowy grouper in federal waters of the South Atlantic, including those waters off North Carolina, will close at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. During the closure, all sale or purchase of snow grouper is prohibited. Harvest or possession of snowy group in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits while the recreational sector is open.
The closure is happening because commercial landings are projected to reach the increased July through December commercial catch limit. According to the accountability measure, commercial harvest must close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.
December 11, 2020 — Recreational anglers will be required to use circle hooks when fishing for striped bass with natural bait in coastal ocean waters beginning Jan. 1, 2021.
The requirement pertains to all recreational fishing (including possession) using a hook and line with natural bait for striped bass. The circle hooks must be non-offset and made of a non-stainless-steel material. The circle hook requirement does not apply to recreational striped bass fishing in internal coastal waters.
A non-offset (also called inline) circle hook is a hook with the point pointed perpendicularly back towards the shank and the point and barb are in the same plane as the shank. Offset circle hooks and stainless-steel circle hooks are not allowed for striped bass fishing.
Natural bait is any living or dead organism or part of an organism (animal or plant).
The circle hook requirement complies with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan and is designed to reduce release mortality in the recreational striped bass fishery.
December 10, 2020 — The following was released by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality:
The blue crab season closures will go into effect Jan. 1-31, 2021 in North Carolina state waters north and east of the Highway 58 bridge and March 1-15, 2021 south and west of the Highway 58 bridge. The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission approved measures to end overfishing and achieve sustainable harvest with the adoption of the Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3 at its February 2020 meeting.
The blue crab season closure replaces the annual pot closure period and will remain closed for the entirety. Pots of any type must be removed from Internal Coastal Fishing Waters (excludes ocean) during the season closure and possession of blue crabs regardless of harvest gear type is prohibited from all Coastal Fishing Waters (ocean and internal waters).
Season closures are necessary to reduce harvest because a recent North Carolina stock assessment for blue crab determined the stock is overfished and overfishing is occurring. Overfished means the population is too small. Overfishing means the removal rate is too high. North Carolina law mandates that fishery management plans include measures to end overfishing within two years of adoption and rebuild the stock to achieve sustainable harvest within 10 years of adoption.
Division of Marine Fisheries Director Steve Murphey implemented the new measures through Proclamation M-01-2021. Proclamations are available on the division’s website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/proclamations.
Information on Amendment 3 can be found on the Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan Information webpage. For more information, contact division biologist Daniel Zapf at 252-946-6481.
December 7, 2020 — Local graduate students have an opportunity to apply for a 2021 fellowship with federal fisheries managers.
N.C. Sea Grant is accepting applications from North Carolina grad students for the 2021 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries/National Sea Grant College Program fellowships.
The opportunity is open to U.S. citizens who are doctoral students in academic institutions in the U.S. and its territories. The program provides real-world experience. Each fellow must work with a mentor from NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, who may serve on the fellow’s committee.
Applications are due to NCSG by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17.
Two categories of this joint fellowship are available, population and ecosystem dynamics and marine resource economics. This year, there is a single federal opportunity for both categories, and applicants must follow updated instructions to identify their concentration.
November 30, 2020 — Commercial fishermen in Carteret County and elsewhere are invited to help the N.C. Coastal Federation clean up the waters by collecting lost gear.
The NCCF announced Nov. 17 it’s accepting applications from commercial fishermen to assist with its lost fishing gear recover project in 2021. According to the federation’s announcement, every year crab pots and other fishing gear are lost in North Carolina’s sounds, creating hazards for boats and marine life.
“The North Carolina Coastal Federation is seeking applications to help clean up this debris through the Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project,” the NCCF said. “The Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project, is part of a statewide marine debris removal effort led by the federation. This project is open to commercial watermen and women in North Carolina.”
NCCF coastal education coordinator Sara Hallas said the project was last administered in 2019.
“We had eight boats working off the central coast, or Marine Patrol District 2,” she said. This area includes Carteret County. “Five of these crews were from Carteret County; the type of gear removed is focused on crab pots.”
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.