From Our Executive Director- Glenn Skinner

At the special MFC meeting held June 6 the Marine Fisheries Commission approved their preferred management options for Amendment 2 to the Southern Flounder FMP.

The preferred management measures chosen would:



-            Establish seasonal closures to reduce the harvest of Southern Flounder in both the recreational and commercial fisheries by 62% in 2019 and 72% in 2020.

-            Reduce commercial anchored large mesh gill net soak times to single overnight soaks where nets may be set no sooner than one hour before sunset and must be retrieved no later than one hour after sunrise in the Neuse River, Tar/Pamlico River and Albemarle Sound areas which are currently exempt from these restrictions.

-            Reduce the maximum yardage for commercial large mesh gill nets to 1500 yards in management A, B, and C and to 750 yards in management units D and E.

-           Continue the development of Amendment 3 and more robust management strategies.

NCDMF RECOMMENDATIONS

-           2019 commercial seasons (62% reduction)

Northern – Sept. 15 through Oct. 13;

Central – Sept. 15 through Oct. 17; and

Southern – Sept. 15 through Nov. 2.

2020 commercial seasons (72% reduction)

Northern – Sept. 15 through Oct. 6;

Central – Sept 15 through Oct. 11; and

Southern – Sept 15 through Oct. 20.

2019 recreational seasons (62% reduction)

The recreational hook-and-line and gig harvest season will close by proclamation immediately following the August 2019 MFC meeting and will not re-open until the

identified season in 2020.

Upon the closure of the recreational hook-and-line fishery, the RCGL large mesh gillnet harvest season will also close as the recreational and commercial seasons must

both be open to allow this gear.

2020 recreational seasons (72% reduction)

Allow an Aug. 16 through Sept. 30 recreational hook-and-line and gig harvest season;

Allow RCGL large mesh gill nets to operate from Sept. 15 through Sept. 30

These management measures will be discussed for final approval at the August MFC business meeting in Raleigh.

Legislative Update

The Senate finished their version of the budget and since it differs with the House version, will go to conference to work out the differences before sending to the Governor. The Senate and House conferees were appointed on Thursday.

The only other fisheries related item acted upon this week was S-648, SUPPORT SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE. The bill was given a favorable report by the House Regulatory Reform Committee on Tuesday and by the House Rules Committee on Thursday. It will now go to the House floor, probably next week.

Jerry

H-169 , the bill to make the Loggerhead Sea Turtle the state reptile passed the House and in Senate Rules. No action in the Senate this week.

H-483: LET THEM SPAWN

Voted favorably 11-3 in Wildlife Resources on April 16; now in Rules.

Should be dead as it did not make it through the House before crossover.

NCFA OPPOSES H-483

H-486 COMMERCIAL FISHING LICENSE REFORMS

Voted favorably 6-4 in Wildlife Resources on April 16; now in Finance.

This is similar to a bill filed last year, but it died in committee. This bill would eliminate the RCGL or recreational commercial gear license, would only allow one standard commercial license per person with person including corporation; doubles the license fees. We understand it was discussed in Republican caucus but unsure of status. No action this week.

NCFA OPPOSES H-486

S-517: PROTECT THE MILITARY/FISHERIES/TOURISM; by Senator Peterson

In Senate Rules. No action this week.

Would prohibit offshore drilling. Same as H-545 below.

S-554: MARINE FISHERIES REFORMS; by Senators Sanderson, Brown, Tillman and Steinburg

Passed on the Senate floor on May 7 ^th , 46 to 1.

Now in the House Rules Committee. No action this week.

S-648: SUPPORT SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE; by Senators Sanderson, Rabon and Steinburg

Passed on the Senate floor on May 7 ^th , 47 to 0.

Taken out of House Rules and re-referred to the House Regulatory Reform Committee. Received a favorable report in Committee on June 4 ^th and then referred to House Rules, where it received a favorable report on June 6 ^th . The bill be now go to the House floor.

H-545: PROTECT THE MILITARY/FISHERIES/TOURISM; by Rep. Harrison, Martin, Russell and others

No action this week: In the House Rules Committee. Same as S-517 above.

H-598: BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN AS STATE MARINE MAMMAL by Reps Hanig, Grange and others.

Passed the House and sent to the Senate.

In the Senate Rules Committee. No action in the Senate this week.

H-597: WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION AMENDS; sponsored by Adams, Henson, Wray, Yarborough and others.

Substantially raises license fees and makes changes in proclamation authority.

Passed the House Wildlife Resources Committee; Although given a favorable report by the Finance Committee on May 15 ^th , there were concerns noted from some legislators. It is now in Rules and perhaps more discussions there.

H-809: SUPPORT SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE; McElraft, Yarborough, Shepard, Harrison and others.

Similar to S-648 mentioned above. In House Environment Committee.

Since S-648 passed the Senate and now in the House, no action will be taken on this bill.

H-810: MARINE FISHERIES REFORMS; Yarborough

Similar in name to S-554 and H-860 but NOT the same in content!

In House Rules Committee. No action this week.

NCFA opposes H-810.

H-860: MARINE FISHERIES REFORMS: Cleveland, McElraft, Butler

Similar to S-554.

In House Rules Committee.

Since S-554 passed the Senate and now in House, no action will be taken on this bill.

H-479: ERC STUDIES/SCOPE: Dixon

Provides legislative oversight of marine fisheries issues by the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources.

Passed the House and sent to the Senate.

In Senate Rules. No action this week.

THIRD DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL RACE

The two top vote getters from the Republican Primary will be in a runoff on July 9 ^th . They are Greg Murphy from Greenville and Joan Perry from Kinston.



Joan Perry attended the May meeting of the God and Country Christian Alliance in New Bern. She spoke for a while and then answered questions for about 45 minutes.

Greg Murphy was scheduled to be at the group’s June 17 ^th meeting but had a conflict. One of the other candidates may be at the June meeting. The other candidates are Allen Thomas, Democrat; Tim Harris, Libertarian and Greg Holt, Constitution.

June 19 at 1:00 p.m.

MFC Commercial Resource Funding Committee

and North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Funding Committee Meeting

Department of Environmental Quality

Washington Regional Office

943 Washington Square Mall, Washington, NC

June 27 at 6 p.m.

Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee

Development of Amendment 3 to the Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan

N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Washington regional office

943 Washington Square Mall, Washington, NC

July 10, 2019

NCFA Board Meeting

2019 W. 15 ^th Street, Washington, NC

https://ncfish.org/calendar/