MFC Finfish Advisory Comm. 11/1/05

[NCangler]

The Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) Finfish Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 1 at 10:30 a.m. The meeting will be at the Craven County Community College in the Bender Building, room #116, located at 800 College Circle, New Bern, NC. The Bender Building is the first building on the right as you enter onto the campus.
The committee will review and discuss potential temporary management measures for the 2006 fishing season as part of the Draft River Herring Fishery Management plan (FMP). The MFC is seeking the advice of the regional committees regarding potential temporary measures. The herring population is severely depleted. The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has recommended a harvest moratorium as the most expedient action to reduce the effects of fishing on the population. The MFC decided at a special called meeting on September 26th that a harvest moratorium would not be appropriate at this time, but that they would consider more restrictive measures than what are currently in place.

The MFC restricts commercial harvest to 300,000 pounds in the Albemarle Sound and Chowan River, with 200,000 pounds allocated to the Chowan River pound net fishery, 67,000 pounds to the Albemarle Sound gill net fishery, and 33,000 pounds allocated at the discretion of the DMF Director. There is a 25 river herring per person bag limit in placed in coastal waters. Gill net mesh size is restricted in Albemarle Sound to coincide with river herring and striped bass migrations. The DMF is proposing the following interim measures for the 2006 fishing year: 1) reduce the commercial harvest in Albemarle Sound and Chowan River to 100,000 pounds total, with 80,000 pounds to the Chowan River pound net fishery, 10,000 pounds to the gill net fishery, and 10,000 pounds for discretionary use; 2) the use of gill nets less than 3 ¼ inches in Albemarle Sound from January 1 – May 1; 3) in Albemarle Sounds; and 4) reduce the river herring recreational bag limit to 12 per person per day (down from 25).

The committee will receive an update on a proposal for limited entry in the Atlantic Ocean striped bass commercial fishery. The MFC asked that the Finfish Committee review the proposal.

The committee will receive updates on state fishery management plans (FMP’s). Updates will also be given on the proposals regarding snapper/grouper by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC). Public hearings will be held beginning in late November 2005. Snapper/ grouper are a species group referenced in the Interjurisdictional FMP.

The committee will receive updates on Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) FMP’s involving North Carolina. The MFC commented on Addendum 1 to the Weakfish FMP. The ASMFC is proposing an amendment to the Atlantic Croaker FMP. The ASMFC proposed an addendum to the Spiny Dogfish and approved an addendum to the Summer Flounder FMP. The FMP’s are also referenced in the Interjurisdictional FMP.

If you have any questions, please call Jess Hawkins at 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021 or Lee Paramore at 252-473-5734.

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Agenda

MFC FINFISH REGIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
Craven County Community College, New Bern, NC 10:30 a.m.

AGENDA

- Introduction

- Modifications to the Agenda

- Approval of Minutes (July 6, 2005)

- Public Comment (General)

- Update
- American Eel Endangered Species Listing
- Striped Bass Atlantic Ocean
- NMFS Whale Reduction Rule Comments
- Saltwater License
- NMFS Bottlenose Dolphin Rule

- Potential Interim Management Measures for the River Herring Fishery
- Public Comment
- Discussion
- Recommendations

- Limited Entry Proposal for Striped Bass Atlantic Ocean Commercial Fishery

- State FMP Updates
- Interjurisdictional FMP
- Southern Flounder
- River Herring
- Striped Mullet
- Sea Mullet
- Red Drum

- Update on South Atlantic Council Measures Proposed for Snapper / Grouper

- Update on ASMFC FMP’s
- Weakfish
- Summer Flounder
- Spiny Dogfish
- Atlantic Croaker

- Next Meeting
- Issues