Releases – June 7, 2012
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission now has available on its mobile website, www.ncwildlife.org/mobile.aspx, a map outlining the joint and coastal water boundaries along the coast.
Data for the maps were produced using the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Geographic Information System Program. These maps were produced for illustrative purposes as a general guide, and anglers should be aware that the accuracy of GPS locators on mobile devices varies. The exact location of the boundary lines between all of the Inland, Joint and Coastal waters are defined by points of latitude and longitude in rules of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission and are prominently marked by metal signs adjacent to the affected waters.
Mobile-device users accessing the Commission’s full website, www.ncwildlife.org, will be redirected automatically to the mobile site, www.ncwildlife.org/mobile.aspx. The map is located under the “Maps” tab on the home page.
For more information on fishing in public, inland and joint waters, visit www.ncwildlife.org/fishing.
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting applications for proposals for the 2012-2013 funding cycle from the N.C. Marine Resources Fund. The fund, which receives proceeds from the sale of Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses, provides grants for projects that help manage, protect, restore, develop, cultivate, and enhance the state’s marine resources.
Only universities, North Carolina local government entities, the state Division of Marine Fisheries, and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are eligible to apply. Others must partner with one of these eligible entities.
Proposals will be evaluated based on the CRFL Strategic Plan for the Conservation and Improvement of North Carolina’s Marine Resources. The plan considers priority research needs identified in fishery management plans approved by the Marine Fisheries Commission, issues identified in the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan, and research needs identified cooperatively with other agencies.
The strategic plan can be found on the Division of Marine Fisheries’ website at http://portal.ncdenr.org.
Projects submitted for this funding cycle should fall under one of three programmatic areas: (1) Fish – Projects that estimate fishing effort, harvest and mortality of important coastal fish species, the socio-economic attributes of coastal fisheries, or the characterization of catch and release mortality; (2) Habitat – Projects that improve the effectiveness of existing environmental programs or that identify, designate, or protect coastal fish habitat; (3) People – Projects that provide increased access to fisheries resources and enhancement structures or provide better public education and enrichment products.
All proposals must be submitted to the director of the Division of Marine Fisheries by 5:00 p.m. on July 31. Directions for submitting a proposal and an application form can be downloaded from the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ website at http://portal.ncdenr.org. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
For more information, contact CRFL Project Coordinator Tiffany Frazier at (252) 808-8004 or (800) 682-2632 or Tiffany.Frazier@ncdenr.gov.
The “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” safety campaign saw fewer alcohol-related boating arrests and accidents during Memorial Day weekend than the same holiday period last year.
The 2011 Memorial Day weekend saw 50 operating-while-impaired arrests, compared to 42 this Memorial Day weekend. Total boating violations also were down, 1,568 versus 1,176.
“That makes it a success,” said Wildlife Officer Kim Knight, with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “When people hear the message and heed it, whether at the wheel of a car or at the helm of a boat, it keeps all of us safer when we travel.”
Any driver with a blood-alcohol concentration that meets or exceeds .08 or is appreciably impaired by alcohol and/or drugs is subject to arrest in North Carolina.
The “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign combines law enforcement resources to increase awareness of the dangerous consequences of impaired operation. Leading the campaign are the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, responsible for enforcing boating regulations; the State Highway Patrol, providing for highway safety; and the Alcohol Law Enforcement division, enforcing “Be 21!” underage drinking laws. The campaign is joined by local police and sheriff’s departments and supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
“There is still much to be done to reduce North Carolina’s alcohol-related injuries and fatalities,” Knight said, “but this weekend’s statewide waterway patrol results are encouraging.”
There are more than 200 sworn, full-time wildlife officers across the state who patrol 5,000 square miles of inland streams, rivers, lakes, and coastal waterways and instruct certified boating safety education courses. The public can assist them by reporting boating violations to (800) 662-7137.
Wildlife Resources Commission Memorial Day weekend citation totals: Operating While Impaired: 42; Careless and Negligent Operation: 8; Other Boat Violations: 343; Other Boat Warnings: 783; Total:1,176.
Wildlife officers routinely stop vessels for safety checks or violations. The goal of this enforcement is always safety. For more information on recreational boating in North Carolina, visit www.ncwildlife.org/Boating.aspx.
The States of New Jersey, Delaware, North Carolina, and the Commonwealth of Virginia have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the Public Information Document (PID) to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Black Drum. The PID provides the public an opportunity to submit input on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s development of a Black Drum FMP. Public comment is being solicited on changes observed in the fishery; actions to be taken in terms of management, enforcement, and research; and any other concerns about the resource or fishery. The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries meeting is scheduled for July 9, 2012, at 6:00 PM, at the Central District Office, 5285 U.S. Highway 70 West, Morehead City, North Carolina. The contact is Chris Stewart at (910) 796-7370.
The Commission’s South Atlantic State-Federal Fisheries Management Board approved the PID to the Black Drum FMP for public review and comment in May. As the first step in the development of the FMP, the PID presents the current status of the fishery and resource, and solicits public input on all aspects of the fishery and the resource. The FMP is being initiated in response to concern regarding significant increases in harvest in recent years and the fact that the fishery primarily targets juveniles. The Commission is also moving forward with conducting the first coastwide assessment of this species.
The assessment will be developed concurrently with the FMP to support establishment of the interstate management program
Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the PID either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. The PID can be obtained via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at (703) 842-0740. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on July 25, 2012, and should be forwarded to Danielle Chesky, FMP Coordinator, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite 200A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; (703) 842-0741 (FAX); or at dchesky@asmfc.org (Subject line: Black Drum PID). For more information, please contact Danielle Chesky at dchesky@asmfc.org or (703) 842-0740.
We may never know exactly just how many fish anglers catch in a given year, but we can get a pretty good estimate. By gathering data such as how often anglers catch fish, what species and size of fish, and what happens to each fish after it is caught, NOAA can provide the most accurate, up-to-date information to fishery managers and decision makers. They use this catch data to make determinations about fishing regulations and the health of the fish populations.
In 2006, NOAA Fisheries began a major overhaul of the way these estimates are made. The result is the Marine Recreational Information Program, or MRIP, which is helping to do a better job of counting anglers’ catch and providing new ways to ensure that their catch counts.
The program’s founding goal was to evaluate everything known or thought known about the best way to get the most accurate information about anglers’ catch. Because catch data varies depending on the stocks’ geographic region and time of year, NOAA also wanted to verify what the most important aspects of the catch data were to those using the data—fisheries managers, scientists, coastal communities, fishing clubs, anglers, and everyday ocean goers. One of MRIP’s ongoing objectives is to provide data in a form and on a schedule that meets the most pressing needs of those people that rely on the data.
Now, the estimates are more accurate because they take into consideration factors like possible differences in catch rates at high-activity and low-activity fishing sites, or the amount of fishing occurring at different parts of the day. In statistics, variables like these are called potential biases and can skew the actual numbers if they’re not fully considered.
Implementing these elements builds the scientific and statistical foundation necessary to make other significant improvements that are also part of MRIP, like enhanced angler surveys, more frequent reporting, and more precise estimates to meet the needs of fishermen, stock assessors, managers, and others.
Today, MRIP is fundamentally changing the way we count and report what saltwater recreational fishermen catch and how many trips they take. Based on recommendations made by the nation’s leading scientists working on behalf of the National Research Council, as part of MRIP, NOAA has launched many improvements, including the National Saltwater Angler registry, a new way to estimate fishing activity, and dozens of pilot projects.
Getting accurate estimates of angler catch is key for fishermen, managers, and scientists. Armed with the most up-to-date information, NOAA can make the most informed decisions about the health of our oceans and the future of sustainable recreational fishing.
Find out more about how NOAA counting catch by visiting www.CountMyFish.noaa.gov.
