Releases – August 23, 2012
On June 27, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing exploring several bills affecting the National Park System, including legislation to restore reasonable access to Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area.
The Preserving Access to Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area Act (S. 2372) addresses the Park Service’s new off-road vehicle (ORV) management plan for the seashore that severely restricts access to the most popular areas of the seashore far beyond what is needed for fish and wildlife resource management. The plan not only threatens sportfishing in the park, but the seashore’s local economy, which is largely dependent upon tourism and recreation.
The Preserving Access to Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area Act seeks to reinstate the Park Service’s Interim Protected Species Management Strategy governing ORV and pedestrian access. The bill will overturn the newly adopted ORV management plan, and a similarly onerous 2008 Consent Decree that has guided park management for the last three years.
Similar legislation, H.R. 4094, was passed by the House of Representatives in early June.
ASA encourages all members to send a message to their Senators in support of S. 2372. For more information, contact Ocean Resource Policy Director Mike Leonard at (703) 519-9691, x230 or mleonard@asafishing.org.
Cape Fear River Watch is offering a college scholarship essay contest for all North Carolina high school seniors in public, private, cyber, and home schools. Students must reside in North Carolina to be eligible.
Cape Fear River Watch has established this scholarship contest to promote interest in environmental conservation, with particular regard to the Titan Cement/Carolinas Cement Company issue, and related subjects. This contest was created to engage students pursing college majors in environmental sciences, biology, and wildlife and habitat conservation, as well as to give financial aid for tuition for the college-bound student.
The contest has a first place prize of $1,000 for use toward eligible higher education costs.
Beginning October 1, 2012, applicants may submit their application form and essay via email to Cape Fear River Watch at kaylynn@cfrw.us. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 pm on January 15, 2013.
For complete application details, including rules, eligibility, and submission guidelines, please visit www.capefearriverwatch.org.
If you have any trouble downloading the documents, please contact Stephanie Borrett at stephanie@cfrw.us or (910) 762-5606.
If you have any questions about the scholarship after reviewing the material, please contact Kay Lynn Plummer Hernandez at kaylynn@cfrw.us or (910) 762-5606.
Earlier this month, Starling Marine hosted their annual Summer Celebration fundraiser for the family of Heather Pope Foster. Raising the most money in the event’s history—thanks to the overwhelming support of the Wilmington community and businesses—Starling Marine is overjoyed to present a check for $18,000 to benefit the Foster Family.
The Summer Celebration fundraising festivities included a dinner catered by MOI, an auction of over 100 items, more than 800 event t-shirts sold across the United States, and a one-day family fishing tournament in Wrightsville Beach.
Bryan Starling commented, “We raised more money this year than ever before, and by a long shot. It was a great event with approximately 425 guests attending the dinner and auction, and just under 30 boats fishing in the tournament. We are humbled by the number of people that joined us in celebrating Heather, and are especially thankful for everyone who volunteered and donated to make this year’s Summer Celebration the best ever.”
The following are the Summer Celebration Fishing Fundraiser Results: Top Angler was Eddie Fetter with a 33 lb. wahoo; 2nd Angler was Mike Supa with a 16 lb. king mackerel; Top Junior Angler was Emmie Rose with a 3.7 lb. sheepshead; 2nd Junior Angler was Jackson Garrett with a 2.8 lb. flounder.
If you were unable to attend the Summer Celebration and would like to support the Foster Family, Starling Marine still has event t-shirts for sale online, and you can also donate online as well at www.starlingmarine.com.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Sharks Management Board has approved Addendum IV to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Spiny Dogfish. The Addendum updates the definition of overfishing consistent with that of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and provides the Board the flexibility to update or modify the management program’s overfishing definition through Board action based on the recommendations of its Technical Committee.
The prior overfishing definition, adopted in 2002, was based on the number of pups per female that recruit to the stock. The updated definition will now be based on maximum sustainable yield or a reasonable proxy, consistent with the best available science. Although there are no immediate impacts in regulations, the change allows the Commission and Council to work from the same starting point when determining annual specifications.
The Board considered modifying the management program’s 5% rollover provision to either preclude rollovers entirely without specific Board approval or to allow rollovers beyond the current 5% maximum with Board approval. The Board voted to maintain the 5% maximum rollover. Any rollover is predicated on a rebuilt stock.
These changes do not require any modifications to current regulations and become effective immediately. The updated overfishing definition will be used when determining the 2013/2014 spiny dogfish quota; Board action is scheduled to occur at the Commission’s Annual Meeting in October.
The Addendum can be obtained at www.asmfc.org. For more information, please contact Danielle Chesky, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at dchesky@asmfc.org or (703) 842.0740.
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission is looking for commercial and recreational fishermen and scientists to serve on the Bay Scallop Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee.
The committee will assist the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries in updating the Bay Scallop Fishery Management Plan. The commission uses fishery management plans as guides for implementing regulations and other management measures.
To qualify to serve on a committee, an individual may not have had a significant fisheries violation within the past three years.
Individuals interested in serving as an adviser should be willing to attend meetings at least once a month and actively participate in the committee process, which includes reviewing scientific documents and issue papers to make recommendations on management strategies. Advisers will be reimbursed for travel and other expenses incurred in relation to their official duties.
Applications are available online at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/adviser-applications, or at Division of Marine Fisheries’ offices, or by calling (252) 808-8022 or (800) 682-2632. Applications should be returned by Sept. 12 to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557, Attention: Lauren Morris.
