Releases – August 1, 2013
The North Carolina Watermen United has just undertaken their 2013 membership campaign. The organization, which has members from all over North Carolina, is dedicated to representing the needs of coastal communities by protecting the livelihood of the people who fish for a living. Their goal is to provide a voice for fair regulations as they relate to fishing and the fishing industry.
This spring, NCWU helped take the lead in opposing North Carolina House Bill 983 which would have designated three species of fish–red drum, spotted sea trout, and striped bass–as game fish, restricting catch to recreational fishermen. Currently, the organization is helping to mount a campaign to prevent a petition before the Division of Marine Fisheries that would reclassify North Carolina’s internal coastal waters as permanent secondary nursery areas. The petition’s effect is to halt shrimp trawling in North Carolina inshore waters.
NCWU, which originally came together in 2005 as a group of recreational fishermen (including charter/headboat owners-operators) and commercial fishermen, has worked hard to promote the North Carolina fishing industry and protect those who work on the water, along with recreational fishermen who enjoy being able to fish. This organization was originally responsible for developing the idea of Outer Banks Catch as a means of educating the consumer of the benefits of fresh, local NC seafood, and it has brought the importance of the NC fishing industry to the attention of local, state, and federally elected officials.
Last year in North Carolina, fishermen harvested 56.7 million pounds of finfish and shellfish from North Carolina waters with a value of $73 million to the economy. Membership in the organization goes to help make sure that possible threats to the industry are taken seriously and that fishermen are kept aware of all the laws that affect fishermen and their ability to make a living on the water. It also goes to deliver (as the seasons permit) good, local seafood fresh from the ocean and sounds that define the east coast of our state.
The NCWU Board of Directors is headed by Britt Shackelford, a local fisherman. Memberships in NCWU range from corporate sponsor at $500 a year; to regular member at $200 a year; to associate member.
All contributions are needed and appreciated and can be made on the website, www.ncwu.net, or by calling (252) 305-6094 to get an application for membership.
For more information on the organization, visit www.ncwu.net or www.facebook.com/NCWatermenUnited.
After 5 years of successful work as the Executive Director of the Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina (CCA NC), Stephen Ammons has announced his resignation in order to pursue other career opportunities. Through his time at CCA, Ammons helped lead the organization to significant conservation victories along North Carolina’s coast.
“Stephen is leaving a legacy in conservation through his work, and he also helped lead the chapter through a period of strong growth,” said CCA NC President Greg Hurt. “Through his leadership and guidance, CCA NC’s board, committees, and local chapter structure have developed and become a model for what can be accomplished when you get the right people together for the right cause.”
Throughout his career, Ammons was a strong grassroots organizer, fundraiser, and a staunch advocate for the proper management of the state’s most valuable and prized marine resources. His love for the North Carolina coast helped drive his desire to make marine resources better for anglers today and tomorrow.
Ammons played a significant part in some of the state’s marine conservation accomplishments. These achievements included a ban on mother ship menhaden operations as well as significant progress in educating North Carolinians about the importance of game fish status for key recreational species such as spotted sea trout and red drum. With this, he leaves behind a strong model for marine resource conservation.
CCA NC has formed a committee to conduct a search for a new Executive Director. CCA Executive Board member, past President, and Chairman Billy Byrd will be heading that committee.
“We are grateful for Stephen’s dedication to the conservation work of CCA and his conviction in the power of volunteers to enact meaningful change in how we manage our natural resources. We will work diligently to find the right person to carry on that work,” said Byrd. “Our organization’s strong vision and solid committee structure will allow us to continue to grow our conservation efforts while conducting our search.”
This year, North Carolina Sea Grant will fund six N.C. Blue Crab and Shellfish Research Program projects. The BCSRP pairs crabbers, and shellfish harvesters and farmers with researchers and fishery managers to investigate and enhance North Carolina’s blue crab and shellfish fisheries.
“It links fishermen and researchers to do collaborative research on these fisheries that are important to the state,” says Marc Turano, mariculture and blue crab extension specialist with Sea Grant.
This year, research topics include crab-pot loss, oyster spat monitoring, and oyster shell-eroding sponges.
A researcher with the University of North Carolina Wilmington will work with a Carteret County oyster grower and a Virginia Institute of Marine Science scientist to learn about the distribution and impacts of the oyster parasite Bonamia exitiosa. A recent shipment of North Carolina oysters had higher-than-average levels of the parasite. The team plans to look at new techniques for monitoring oyster health.
University and agency researchers are working with fishermen and nonprofits to create a community-based marine debris removal program in Pamlico Sound. Using side-scanning sonar, the team will identify and remove abandoned crab pots and other potentially harmful marine debris.
The research program, administered by Sea Grant, supports innovative projects that address biological, social, and economic questions, assess or enhance populations, or develop new technologies for these important fisheries.
The 2013 projects are listed below:
Social and Economic Impacts of the Blue Crab Fishery
Reducing crab pot loss in the Albemarle Sound. Henry Bond and Aaron Hughes from Edenton, and Geoff Bell from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Health and Disease of Shellfish Populations
The Distribution and Impact of the Oyster Parasite Bonamia exitiosa on the Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea virginica. Ami Wilbur from UNCW, Ryan Carnegie from VIMS and James Morris from Beaufort.
Mariculture
Identification of potential interactions between rack and cage shellfish culture and adjacent critical habitat. Martin Posey, Troy Alphin and James Hargrove from UNCW.
Shellfish Restoration
Enhancement of the North Carolina Statewide Oyster Spat Monitoring Program. Troy Alphin from UNCW.
Community-Based Marine Debris Removal in Pamlico Sound. Ladd Bayliss from N.C. Coastal Federation in Newport, Robby Midgett from Stumpy Point, Kirk Havens from VIMS, as well as participation from the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and The Nature Conservancy.
Reproductive Timing, Larval Output, and Dispersal Potential of Oyster-Shell Eroding Sponges in North Carolina Estuaries and Sounds. Niels Lindquist from UNC Institute of Marine Sciences and Craig Hardy from NCDMF.
To learn more about the Blue Crab and Shellfish Research Program and other North Carolina Sea Grant funding, go to www.ncseagrant.org and follow the Research link.
