Releases – July 10, 2014
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ 2014 Stock Status Report reclassifies the Albemarle/Roanoke striped bass stock from “viable” to “concern,” due to biological factors associated with a declining population.
The division annually grades the status of important marine finfish, shellfish, shrimp, and crabs as viable, recovering, concern, depleted, or unknown. The grades serve as a barometer of the overall health of the state’s fishery resources, and they are used to prioritize development of fishery management plans.
While a 2010 stock assessment concludes the stock is not overfished, several population trends have prompted concern about the status of striped bass fishery. Since 2002, the number of young fish entering the population has declined, causing a steady decrease in landings from the peak harvest in 2004. A new Albemarle/Roanoke striped bass stock assessment is scheduled to be approved in August, and reductions in harvest limits likely will be necessary.
Striped bass in North Carolina are managed by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, and data collected by both agencies are used to assess the status of the stocks. Amendment 1 to the N.C. Estuarine Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan was approved by both commissions in 2013.
Stocks exhibiting declining landings may be classified as “concern” even if they have an approved stock assessment and fishery management plan, as is the case with the Albemarle/Roanoke striped bass stock.
The stock status of all other species remained the same as the 2013 report.
Bluefish, shrimp, and summer flounder stocks remained in the “viable” category. A stock is considered “viable” when it exhibits stable or increasing trends in a number of biological factors associated with healthy fish populations.
Spotted seatrout and southern flounder were still in the “depleted” category and are awaiting the completion of state stock assessments that are underway now. A “depleted” stock is one where the population of spawning females or the entire population is too low. Factors that can contribute to this status include overfishing, poor water quality, habitat loss, larvae survival, and disease.
Red drum stocks remained in the “recovering” category, and oyster and blue crab stocks remained in the “concern” category. A “recovering” stock shows marked and consistent improvement in the criteria listed for a “viable” stock, but has not yet reached its target.
Full definitions for the stock status grades can be found at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/stock-status-categories-and-definitions.
The complete 2014 Stock Status Report can be found at the Division of Marine Fisheries’ website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/stock-status-reports.
For more information on the 2014 Stock Status Report, contact Lee Paramore at (252) 473-5734, ext. 222 or Lee.Paramore@ncdenr.gov.
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will collect red snapper carcasses from recreational fishermen during the upcoming red snapper mini-season.
The division has set up freezers at eight locations along the coast where fishermen can take their carcasses. In return, the angler will receive a citation (certificate) from the N.C. Saltwater Fishing Tournament.
The freezers are located at:
Hurricane Fleet, 9975 Nance St., Calabash
Ocean Isle Fishing Center, 65 Causeway Beach, Ocean Isle Beach
Carolina Beach Fishing Center, 313 Canal Drive, Carolina Beach
Tex’s Tackle, 215 Old Eastwood Road, Wilmington
Dudley’s Marina, 106 Cedar Point Blvd., Swansboro
Capt. Stacy Fishing Center, 416 Atlantic Beach Causeway, Atlantic Beach
Carolina Princess Fishing Center, 604 Evans St., Morehead City
Oden’s Dock, 57878 N.C. 12, Hatteras
For a map of these locations, go to http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/snapper/freezer-locations.
Fishermen should leave the head and tail intact on the fish carcass. Instructions on how to deposit the carcasses are posted on each freezer. Anglers will be asked to give information related to how and when the fish was caught. Fishermen also will be asked for their names and addresses in order to receive their reward and citation.
Division biologists will measure the fish, determine the sex, if possible, and remove the otoliths (ear bones) to determine the fish’s age. The information collected will be provided to the National Marine Fisheries Service for use in an upcoming red snapper stock assessment.
The 2014 recreational red snapper season will open for two, three-day weekends (Friday, Saturday, Sunday): July 11-13; July 18-20; and one two-day weekend (Friday, Saturday), July 25-26. There will be a one-fish bag limit and no size limit.
A commercial mini-season will open July 14 and close when the commercial quota is met. Division biologists will obtain data from commercially-caught red snapper at the fish houses. Commercially-caught carcasses should not be left in the freezers listed above.
For more information on this red snapper carcass collection program, go to http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/snapper/red-snapper-collection or contact Carole Willis, division sportfishing specialist, at (252) 808-8081 or carole.y.willis@ncdenr.gov.
The Finfish Advisory Committee will meet at 6:00 p.m. on July 15 at the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Office, 943 Washington Square Mall in Washington.
The committee is scheduled to review the Draft Striped Mullet Fishery Management Plan and make its initial management recommendations to the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission.
For more information, contact division biologists Jason Rock or Casey Knight at (252) 946-6481 or Jason.Rock@ncdenr.gov and Casey.Knight@ncdenr.gov.
Commercial harvest of jacks in South Atlantic waters will close, at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on July 15, 2014. Commercial harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2015. The jacks complex is comprised of the following species: almaco jack, banded rudderfish, and lesser amberjack. The 2014 commercial catch limit is 189,422 pounds whole weight. Reports indicate that landings are approaching the 2014 catch limit for the commercial sector.
The operator of a vessel with a federal commercial permit for snapper-grouper that is landing jacks for sale must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such jacks prior to 12:01 a.m. (local time), July 15, 2014. The prohibition on sale does not apply to sale or purchase of jacks that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. (local time), July 15, 2014, and held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
During the closure: (1) harvest or possession of jacks is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits; (2) sale and purchase of jacks is prohibited; and (3) the closure applies in both state and federal waters.
This closure is necessary to protect the snapper-grouper resource.
N.C. Marine Patrol and N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission officers will be working together on a pilot project designed to help avoid stopping boaters twice for safety inspections and to expedite other vessel stops.
The two enforcement agencies will be attaching plastic tags to vessels after completion of safety inspections. The tags will serve as a visual cue from one officer to another that the boat has already been checked.
“If I see that tag, I know you’ve already been checked for safety equipment, and I don’t need to stop you to go through that process again,” said Marine Patrol Col. Jim Kelley.
Marine Patrol tested this procedure over the Memorial Day weekend, and people were receptive to it, Kelley said.
“If it continues to be well-received, we will probably use it during all of the summer holiday weekends,” Kelley said.
With a few exceptions, vessels are required to carry on board: (1) an approved fire extinguisher; (2) a personal flotation device (life jacket) for everyone on board; (3) a type IV throwable cushion; and (4) an emergency sound-making device (such as a horn or whistle).
Both Marine Patrol and Wildlife Commission officers stop vessels to check for this equipment in coastal waters. While the agencies typically do not patrol in the same areas at the same time, there have been incidents in the past where vessels have been stopped for safety inspections more than once.
The tags are meant to decrease these types of occurrences; however, the tags will not keep officers from stopping vessels for license and fish size and creel limit checks or if a violation is observed, Kelley said.
The tags also will not keep the U.S. Coast Guard from making safety checks.
For more information on the vessel tagging initiative, contact Marine Patrol Major Dean Nelson at (252) 808-8133 or Forrest.Nelson@ncdenr.gov. For information on boating safety requirements, go to www.ncwildlife.org/boating or call (919) 707-0031.
