February 8, 2016 — The Following is a weekly update from the North Carolina Fisheries Association:

Last week David Bush was at the ASMFC meeting in Alexandria VA.

This week, David is attending the Mid Atlantic Council meeting in New Bern. We both participated in a conference call earlier with some folks in DC about a media campaign that will address several issues. You’ll hear more specifics on that later.

I will be attending legislative meetings on Wednesday & Thursday. One is in Belhaven and the other in Raleigh.

Next week, February 17 – 19, David & I will both be attending the Marine Fisheries Commission meeting at the Blockade Runner in Wrightsville Beach. That meeting begins with a public comment session on Wednesday evening with the business portion of the meeting on Thursday & Friday. There will be another public comment session first thing Thursday morning.

The public may listen to the meeting on the Internet. Directions for participating in the webcast, including information on system requirements and testing, can be found at: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/listen-online.

 

The commission is scheduled to:

Receive a presentation on and select preferred management options for amendments to the Oyster and Clam fishery management plans;

Select replacement candidates for the governor’s consideration for North Carolina’s obligatory seat on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council;

Consider a request for a declaratory ruling from American Eel Farm;

Receive a presentation on the 2015 Coastal Habitat Protection Plan Update and give final approval of the plan;

 

Discuss the Standard Commercial Fishing License criteria;

Consider delegating authority to the commission’s Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Committee to develop and implement a memorandum of understanding with and the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Funding Committee. The memorandum of understanding will set procedures for agreeing to and authorizing disbursements from the fund;

 

Receive a brief update on the division’s progress toward setting total allowable landings for pound nets by waterbodies for Supplement A to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 1.

A full meeting agenda and briefing book can be found at: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/mfc-meetings

 

Jerry

 

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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.

IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN THE DOMESTIC SHRIMP INDUSTRY AND CONCERNED ABOUT IMPORTS, YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY!!!

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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 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 7223 S. Virginia Dare Trail

252-255-1501

 

CALENDAR

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