Cultch Planting Meetings To Be Held In April

[NCangler]

Meeting times are listed below and are not all at 7 p.m we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused in a previous announcement.

CULTCH PLANTING MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN APRIL

MOREHEAD CITY - The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) will hold public meetings in April to receive suggestions and comments on cultch planting - where shells and rock are placed on formerly productive shellfish beds to restore the habitat. Oysters, clams and other aquatic life are attracted to the cultch and will begin to immediately colonize the material.

The DMF’s Shellfish Rehabilitation staff constantly looks for ways to improve the program, so annual meetings are held to provide fishermen and interested parties the opportunity to provide advice and input regarding planting sites, methods, materials and quantities. Previously, the program only worked with oysters, but has expanded to include clams.

Meetings will be held at the following locations:

Monday, April 18 at 6 p.m.
Carteret County Courthouse
District Courtroom
Beaufort

Tuesday, April 19 at 6 p.m.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Regional Office
127 Cardinal Drive
Wilmington

Thursday, April 21 at 7 p.m.
Roanoke Island Festival Park
Film Theater Room
Manteo

Monday, April 25 at 6 p.m.
Ocracoke Fire Department
Ocracoke

Tuesday, April 26 at 6 p.m.
Fire Station
Swan Quarter

Wednesday, April 27 at 6 p.m.
Pamlico County Courthouse
Bayboro

For more information about these meetings, please contact Craig Hardy, by e-mail at craig.hardy@ncmail.net or by calling 800-682-2632.