November 21, 2023 — The N.C. Fisheries Association (NCFA) is urging its members to come up with a unified position on an alternative to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ (DMF) initial recommendation on a plan to reduce the harvest of striped mullet.
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC), policy-arm of the fisheries division, voted 9-0 Thursday during its quarterly business meeting in Emerald Isle to approve Amendment 2 to the striped mullet management plan for a public comment period and review by the commission’s advisory panel.
The division’s initial recommendation includes:
* 50-pound trip limit Jan. 1-31 and Nov. 16-Dec 31.
* Year-round Saturday through Sunday 50-pound trip limit.
* 500-pound trip limit Feb.1-Oct.15.
* 30,000-pound stop net catch cap.
* 50 fish recreational individual bag limit.
* For-hire vessel bag limit equal to the number of anglers they are licensed to carry (including possession in advance of a trip).
* Adaptive management, by proclamations from the division director.