Releases – July 16, 2015
Recreational harvest of snowy grouper in the South Atlantic closed at 12:01 a.m. (local time), July 6, 2015. Recreational harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2016. The 2015 recreational annual catch limit is 523 fish. The 2015 fishing season must be shortened if the average 2012-2014 recreational landings exceed the annual catch limit. Reports indicate the average 2012-2014 landings exceeded the annual catch limit; therefore, the recreational harvest of snowy grouper will close July 6, 2015.
During the closure: (1) Recreational harvest or possession of snowy grouper is prohibited; (2) The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels with a valid charter/headboat permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper; (3) Commercial harvest of snowy grouper for the 2015 fishing season closed on June 30, 2015; therefore, harvest or possession of snowy grouper in or from federal waters is closed; and (4) Sale and purchase of snowy grouper in or from federal waters is prohibited.
This closure is necessary to protect the snapper-grouper resource.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission announced recently that Gov. Pat McCrory signed into law the Outdoor Heritage Act (House Bill 640, which includes measures to promote wildlife-related recreation and youth involvement in outdoor activities across the state.
The legislation creates an Outdoor Heritage Council, along with a trust fund to engage youth in the outdoors, amends some wildlife regulations, and provides for Sunday hunting with firearms on private property with restrictions. The law takes effect Oct. 1. Details will be included in the 2015-2016 North Carolina Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest, which will be available Aug. 1.
In April, the Wildlife Commission adopted a resolution in support of the Outdoor Heritage Act because of its focus on private property rights, additional hunting opportunities, and increased public involvement in outdoor activities, including fishing, horseback riding, camping, hiking, and bird watching.
In a news statement, Gov. McCrory said the outdoors have “always been an integral part of our way of life and this bill has a number of measures that will improve the stewardship of our natural resources.”
“Our opportunities to promote our outdoor heritage to future generations have never been greater nor more needed than at this time,” said state Rep. Jimmy Dixon, bill sponsor and a member of the North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus. “The Outdoor Heritage Act can help us accomplish that goal.”
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently soliciting applicants for open advisory panel seats. Working at the grass roots level, advisory panel members provide information and guidance in the development and implementation of federal fishery management plans.
The Council has eleven advisory panels composed of individuals who are engaged in the harvest of managed species, or are knowledgeable and interested in the conservation and management of the fishery or managed species. Members include recreational and commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and processors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), scientists, and concerned citizens.
Advisory panel members are appointed by the Council and serve for a three-year period, based on the frequency of meetings. As those appointments expire, members currently serving on the AP may reapply for their positions. These seats also become open to new applicants.
Members may serve for three consecutive terms before reaching their term limit. AP members generally meet no more than once or twice each year and are compensated for travel and per diem expenses for all meetings. Applications are now being solicited for the following positions:
Golden Crab Advisory Panel–(4) Open Seats; Habitat Advisory Panel–(1) FL Conservation Seat and (1) NC Conservation Seat; Mackerel Advisory Panel–(3) Open Seats; Law Enforcement Advisory Panel–(1) Open Seat; Deepwater Shrimp Advisory Panel–(10) Open Seats; Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel–(2) NC Open Seats and (1) FL Open Seat and (1) Media Representative and (1) NGO Seat
If you are interested in serving as a member on the Council’s advisory panels, please contact Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, at Kim.Iverson@safmc.net or call the Council office at (843) 571-4366. Application forms are available from the Council office and may also be downloaded from the Advisory Panel page of the Council’s website at www.safmc.net. Applications should be mailed to Kim Iverson, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405 or submitted via email to the above address.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact area Council representatives to discuss their interest in serving. Contact information for all Council members is available from the “About Us” section of the Council’s website at www.safmc.net or through the Council office.
Advisory panel members will be selected during the Council’s September 14-18, 2015 meeting in Hilton Head Island, SC. Advisory panel applications must be received by July 31, 2015 for consideration by the Council during the September meeting.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the State Highway Patrol released the totals for the “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign for the period of Friday, July 3 through Sunday, July 5.
The multi-agency initiative is designed to combine law enforcement resources to ensure safe travel on highway and waterways during the summer months. Many vehicle and vessel accidents are alcohol-related. In North Carolina, a driver or boat operator with a blood-alcohol concentration that meets or exceeds .08 is subject to arrest.
The totals of the Wildlife Resources Commission’s enforcement efforts during the holiday weekend are as follows: Boats Checked—534; Boaters Contacted–1,966; Citations—206; Warnings—331; OWIs—26; Boating Accidents—16; and Boating Fatalities—3.
The “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign is coordinated by the Wildlife Commission, State Highway Patrol and Forensic Tests for Alcohol, and supported by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Governor’s Highway Safety Program, U.S. Coast Guard, and local police and sheriff’s offices, along with participating non-governmental organizations, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
There are 200 full-time 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 them by reporting boating violations to (800) 662-7137. For more information on boating safety and regulations, visit www.ncwildlife.org/boating or call 919-707-0031.
