Saving Seafood

Dorian’s deluge: Carolinas batten down for battering

September 6, 2019 — The death toll in the Bahamas rose to 23 as the eye of Hurricane Dorian moved off of South Carolina’s Cape Romain, near Myrtle Beach. At 2 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, Sept. 5, the storm was headed NNE with sustained winds of about 110 miles per hour, according to NOAA.

The hurricane was expected to bring an intense storm surge with heavy rainfall, high winds and tornadoes to the Carolinas before moving up the coast to lash the Northeast with bands of rain throughout the weekend.

Dorian’s hit comes almost exactly one year after Hurricane Florence came ashore near Wilmington, N.C., close to the South Carolina border.

On Thursday, the storm had knocked out power for about 250,000 customers in South Carolina, and about 360,000 residents of the state had evacuated. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a State of Emergency for all 100 counties in his state. Fishermen throughout the Carolinas were busy removing gear from the water as Dorian beat down on the Bahamas over the weekend.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

North Carolina streamlines shellfish aquaculture permit process

July 31, 2019 — North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper recently signed into law Senate Bill 648, the Support Shellfish Aquaculture program, which establishes new large-scale leasing rules and a newly streamlined permitting process.

The “enterprise” areas proved to be one of the key reasons why this year’s effort on aquaculture was successful. The House passed Senate Bill 648, Support Shellfish Aquaculture, on June 12 in a 116-0 vote. In early May, the Senate approved the bill in a 47-0 vote, according to local press reports.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NORTH CAROLINA: Fisheries panel raises concerns about proposed flounder reduction

May 31, 2019 — The Carteret County Marine Fisheries Advisory Board convened for the first time since February of last year to discuss what they feel is a misguided attempt to save the southern flounder population.

At the end of the Wednesday meeting at the county administration building, board members decided to send a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper and other state figures.

At issue is a portion of the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan.

Amendment 2 of the plan recommends a 62% reduction in catch of southern flounder the first year, followed by a 72% reduction the following year.

The first year begins this fall.

Members of the county advisory board feel the proposed reduction is too stringent and would place an undue burden on commercial fishermen in the county and throughout the state.

The letter mentions the importance of southern flounder fishing to the area’s economy.

“These proposed reductions will have devastating impacts to the fishing economies of Carteret County,” reads a portion of the letter the panel plans to send to the governor’s office. “The Division of Marine Fisheries and the (Marine Fisheries Commission) have decided to pursue an accelerated timeline for adoption of Amendment 2 to adopt substantial reductions in commercial and recreational harvest and have chosen fishing reduction goals that are not practicable or reasonable when considering the economic impacts, biology of southern flounder, management history and possibly environmental conditions.”

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times

North Carolina fishermen getting $11.6 million in Hurricane Florence relief funding

April 8, 2019 — North Carolina commercial fishermen will soon get a second round of checks as part of $11.6 million being distributed by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries under the Hurricane Florence Commercial Fishing Assistance Program.

For this round, 1,002 checks totaling $7,231,500 are going to fishermen to help compensate for October and November harvest reductions due to Hurricane Florence.

“When the storm hit, coastal communities suffered tremendous damage to homes, businesses, schools and their entire economy,” Governor Cooper said. “Helping the commercial fishing industry recover is critical for the people and places who rely on it for their livelihood, and these funds are an important boost.”

The program is designed to help make up for losses to the state’s nearly billion-dollar commercial fishing industry due to the storm and is part of a package of Hurricane Florence relief efforts Governor Cooper signed into law on December 3, 2018.

The first round of checks to fisherman went out in February and included 678 checks totaling more than $3.2 million to help compensate fishermen for reductions in the September harvest.

Distribution of the money is based on reported commercial fishing landings in September, October, and November 2018 as compared to the same months in 2015, 2016, 2017. The state collects records of all marine fish and shellfish sold at North Carolina docks.

Read the full story at WNCT

NORTH CAROLINA: Commercial Fishermen to Receive Funds

February 1, 2019 — The first round of checks were mailed Friday to North Carolina commercial fishermen hit hard by Hurricane Florence, Gov. Roy Cooper’s office announced Friday.

The funds are from the $11.6 million Hurricane Florence Commercial Fishing Assistance Program designed to help make up for losses to the state’s nearly billion-dollar commercial fishing industry due to the storm, according to the governor’s office.

“Hurricane Florence dealt a serious blow to North Carolina’s fishing industry last fall, disrupting fishing and destroying boats and gear for fishermen all along our coast,” Cooper said in a statement. “Getting these funds directly into the hands of commercial fisherman will be a big help as they and their families and communities work to recover.”

Distribution of the money is based on reported commercial fishing landings in September, October and November 2018 as compared to the same months in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The state collects records of all marine fish and shellfish sold at North Carolina docks.

Read the full story at Coastal Review Online

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Cooper Vows Continued Help for Fishermen

January 21, 2019 — Gov. Roy Cooper watched Thursday afternoon with Brent Fulcher, owner of Beaufort Inlet Seafood Co., as hundreds of pounds of shrimp were processed at the seafood business on Old Causeway Road.

The two were discussing the continued recovery effort from the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.

Cooper said he was in the Carteret County town because he wanted to listen to commercial fishermen to hear about the effects of Hurricane Florence.

“Clearly there’s a period of time after the storm that’s devastating economically for our commercial fishermen,” Cooper explained, adding that significant funding has been proposed to help commercial fishermen. There’s a program now in place, for which commercial fishermen can apply to receive financial help to help them recover.

The 2018 Hurricane Florence Disaster Recovery Act and an act to provide additional disaster relief allocated funding to the Department of Environmental Quality. This legislation directed $1.6 million to the Division of Marine Fisheries to compensate commercial fishermen and shellfish harvesters for equipment and income losses from harvest reductions. Another $10 million was directed to the division for commercial fishing assistance for holders of a Standard Commercial Fishing License, Retired Standard Commercial Fishing License and N.C. Resident Shellfish License between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, 2018, for reductions in landings as reported from trip ticket data compared with average landings over the prior comparable period. In all, the legislature approved $11.35 million for economic assistance to the industry.

Read the full story at Coastal Review Online

NORTH CAROLINA: Disaster declaration OK’d for fishing industry storm damage

December 11, 2018 — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross on Friday granted Gov. Roy Cooper’s request for a disaster declaration related to damage from Hurricane Florence to North Carolina’s fishing industry.

The storm destroyed boats, gear and buildings critical to fishing businesses.

Cooper requested the declaration in a letter dated Nov. 1, saying federal fisheries disaster assistance was needed for long-term recovery after initial relief from state appropriations. The declaration is a critical step for Congress to appropriate fishery disaster assistance, the governor’s office noted Friday.

“Recreational and commercial fishing are important economic drivers for our state and families along North Carolina’s coast. I appreciate Secretary Ross’s recognition of the damage to these vital industries caused by Hurricane Florence. We must rebuild smarter and stronger than ever and I will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to bring recovery funds to those who need them,” Cooper said in a statement.

Read the full story at The Outer Banks Voice

NORTH CAROLINA: Authorities surveying fishermen, others about hurricane damages

December 10, 2018 — Fishermen, for-hire boat captains and others associated with North Carolina’s marine fisheries may get a phone call from federal or state authorities asking about impacts from Hurricane Florence.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA-Fisheries) is working with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries to evaluate fisheries damages from the storm. The survey is in response to Gov. Roy Cooper’s request that the U.S. Department of Commerce declare a federal fishery resources disaster for North Carolina’s recreational and commercial fisheries.

The determination of a federal fishery resources disaster could provide federal financial relief to the state’s fishing industry.

Read the full story at The Coastland Times

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Cooper urges feds to help fisheries

November 12, 2018 —  Gov. Roy Cooper has requested help from the federal government to assist state fisheries hit by Hurricane Florence, and some local fishermen and seafood dealers are pleased with his actions.

According to a Nov. 2 press release from the governor’s office, Gov. Cooper has urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to help provide additional resources and funding to help North Carolina fisheries affected by Florence. This request follows a $1.6 million appropriation in September by the state, in response to a recommendation from Gov. Cooper to appropriate $12 million, which the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will use to compensate fishermen and shellfish harvesters for equipment and income loss.

In Beaufort, Cannon Seafood owner and operator Gary Cannon was pleased with the governor’s efforts to help restore the fisheries.

“There’s a lot of fishermen that have been put out of business by the storm,” he said. “We were put out of work two to three weeks.”

Mr. Cannon said his seafood dealership got four feet of water in its buildings, and he lost $30,000 in fishing gear.

What makes losses like this especially difficult for commercial fishermen is that they can’t get insurance for it.

“Farmers have crop insurance,” Mr. Cannon said, “but fishermen don’t have anything like that.”

Insurance for lost gear and income seems to be a significant concern for commercial fishermen.

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Cooper calls for federal help for fisheries hit by Florence

November 9, 2018 — Gov. Roy Cooper is calling for federal help for North Carolina’s commercial and recreational fisheries impacted by Hurricane Florence in September.

In a letter to Secretary Wilbur Ross, Cooper asked the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare a federal fishery resources disaster, because of the damage caused by Hurricane Florence. Declaring a federal fishery resource disaster can assist with long-term relief for families that rely on recreational and commercial fisheries.

Read the full story at The Outer Banks Voice