Releases – August 27, 2015
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission postponed action on proposals for Southern Flounder management that had been scheduled for last week’s meeting.
During last week’s meeting, the board received a letter from N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Donald van der Vaart. Van der Vaart’s letter referenced and enclosed a letter he received from multiple members of the N.C. General Assembly asking him to temporarily rescind the commission’s authority to adopt a supplement to the state’s Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan.
Van der Vaart stated in his letter that he shared some of the legislators’ concerns and reemphasized his sole focus of achieving responsible management of Southern Flounder while protecting the rights of all those who rely on the fishery. After reviewing both letters and noting the various concerns, Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman Sammy Corbett removed the issue from the agenda.
The commission was scheduled to select and approve management measures for Southern Flounder from six potential management proposals it had taken out for public comment. The six options range in impacts to different fisheries and gears. They can be found at: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/southern-flounder-current-topic.
The letters can be found online at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/southern-flounder-current-topic.
Once these concerns are addressed, the commission plans to hold a meeting in September to address the Southern Flounder issue. Details of the meeting date, time and location will be announced later.
In other business, the commission: (1) voted to post draft information updates for the Interjurisdictional and Kingfish fishery management plans on the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ website for public review; and (2) approved a five-year fishery management plan schedule.
Prior to the meeting, van der Vaart administered the oath of office to new commission members Janet Rose and Keith Rhodes. Rose, of Moyock, fills a commercial fisherman seat and Rhodes, a Wilmington chef, fills an at-large seat.
Make plans to join us for this year’s Cape Lookout Albacore Festival, the Crystal Coast’s premier fly fishing and light tackle tournament/event. The Albacore Festival will be held on October 23-24 in Atlantic Beach, NC. Last year’s inaugural event was a huge success, and this year will be even bigger and better.
The Albacore Festival’s goal is to bring together fly and light tackle anglers from all around to experience a world class fishery while helping raise funds for a very special cause. All profits from the two day event go to support Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.
Project Healing Waters uses fly tying, fly fishing, and other related activities as physical and emotional rehabilitation for both disabled veterans and disabled active duty military. PHWFF is a non-profit organization, consisting of over 170 programs across the US which rely completely on volunteers and donations. In 2014, the Albacore Festival was able to raise $10,000 for PHWFF. The festival is aiming to increase their donation in 2015 with profits coming from tournament entry fees, auction items, and donations.
The Cape Lookout Albacore Festival is a family-friendly two day event open to the public, along with a private “Healing Waters Day” for disabled military veterans. The Thursday “Healing Waters Day” is organized with PHWFF along with local boat captains, to give disabled veterans the opportunity to get out on the water and chase false albacore on fly.
The Friday of the Festival is a pre-fishing day, with a Captains Party that evening at Anchorage Marina in Atlantic Beach. The Captains Party includes a BBQ dinner, art and fishing gear auctions, raffles, live music, etc.
Saturday is the Fishing Tournament followed up by an Awards Banquet that evening. Prizes include top of the line fishing gear and beautiful copper false albacore trophies.
In an effort to promote a family friendly atmosphere, the tournament has categories for light tackle and fly, along with women’s and youth categories. Registration forms, along with additional info, can be found at www.CapeLookoutAlbacoreFestival.com. The Cape Lookout Albacore Festival is working hard to make this event the premier fly fishing and light tackle tournament/festival on the East Coast.
A reminder that recreational harvest of hogfish in South Atlantic federal waters will close, at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on August 24, 2015. Federal waters will reopen to recreational harvest at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2016. The recreational annual catch limit for hogfish is 85,355 pounds whole weight. Reports indicate that landings have exceeded the 2015 recreational annual catch limit for hogfish.
During the closure, recreational harvest or possession of hogfish in federal waters is prohibited.
This closure is necessary to protect the snapper-grouper fishery.
The 37th Annual U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament is right around the corner. This year’s tournament will be October 1-3 at the Southport Marina. The U.S. Open is one of the largest king mackerel tournaments on the East Coast, attracting 410 boats in 2014.
The tournament has an all-cash guaranteed prize structure that is not based on participation numbers. The tournament pays 55 places in its primary prize category including $25,000 for the largest king mackerel. Thirty-three sponsors, such as the Primary Sponsor Southport Marina and Grand Patron sponsors BEMC and Dosher Memorial Hospital, add 50 more supplementary cash prizes to the event.
Two notable prizes include the Daily Aggregate Weight Prizes and Junior Angler Awards. The Daily Aggregate Weight Prizes are sponsored by Sea//Tow and LPM Homes. Each day a $1,000 Aggregate Prize will be given to the boat that catches the most poundage from combining the weights from two or three fish. The Aggregate Prize will be part of the Primary Prize Category.
The Junior Angler Awards sponsored by Orpine Boat Soap and Cape Fear Fitness will be presented to Junior Anglers (children age 14 and under) during the Awards Ceremony on Saturday. Every registered Junior Angler present at the ceremony will receive an award as a way to recognize those young anglers in the tournament.
If you don’t fish, come out and join us for the fun and entertainment on both Thursday and Saturday night. Thursday night catch Party of Two from 4:30pm-7:00pm playing dance and party favorites from Motown, R&B, Disco, and Blues. Sgt. Rock will be taking the stage Saturday night from 4:30pm-7:00pm with your favorite Rock and Roll covers.
This year, food will be available for purchase every day of the tournament. Thursday, Boy Scout Troop #238 will be on site selling Hot Dogs & Soft Drinks, and Friday come support Cub Scout Troop #238 with the same menu. On Saturday, from 3:00pm-7:00pm, seafood will be available for purchase by Wallace Catering & Turtle Island Restaurant & Catering. Refreshments from R.A. Jeffrey’s, distributor of Anheuser-Busch, will also be available daily.
If you can’t make it to the tournament, make sure you check out PointClickFish.com streaming weigh-ins at the scales live from the tournament on Friday from 2:00pm-5:00pm and Saturday from 2:00pm-4:00pm. You can pick up the link to the live feed from the tournament website at www.usopenkmt.com
Tournament details are available on our website, www.usopenkmt.com, or for a brochure contact the Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce, 4433 Long Beach Road, SE, Southport, NC 28461. (910) 457-5787 or (800) 457-6964 or e-mail us at events@southport-oakisland.com.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, State Highway Patrol, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving will continue the “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign throughout Labor Day weekend.
According to data provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, alcohol was the leading factor in 21 percent of recreational boating deaths in 2014. Additionally, alcohol remains the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents.
“Be safe and have a designated driver for the road and the water,” said Lt. Sam Craft, a spokesman for the campaign. “Don’t let an arrest or accident spoil your end-of-summer fun. Boat operators charged with operating while impaired must make a court appearance and could face a maximum $1,000 fine and jail time.”
“On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” concentrates on the three major summer holidays: Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day, with an increased law enforcement presence around popular recreational boating areas. The campaign is supported and coordinated by the Wildlife Commission, State Highway Patrol, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, along with Forensic Tests for Alcohol, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Governor’s Highway Safety Program, and local police and sheriff’s offices.
There are more than 200 wildlife officers across the state who patrol 5,000 miles of inland streams, rivers, lakes and coastal waterways and instruct certified boating safety education courses. The public can assist officers by reporting boating violations to (800) 662-7137.
