MARINE FISHERIES COMMISISON TO MEET NOVEMBER 15, 2004 Morehead City- The Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) will meet November 15, 2004 at the Crystal Coast Civic Center, Morehead City, NC. The meeting will be held in Rooms 1, 2 and 3 upstairs and will begin at 1:00 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. MFC Chairman Jimmy Johnson has called the meeting to allow reconsideration of the management measures selected by the Commission at their October meeting regarding the Draft North Carolina Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan. The Division of Marine Fisheries has evaluated whether the selected measures meet the requirements of the Fisheries Reform Act and will present those results. The Commission will discuss whether to amend or rescind their previously chosen measures. North Carolina develops fishery management plans for all commercially or recreationally significant species that occur in state waters. The plans specify what measures are needed to conserve North Carolina’s fishery resources. This is the first fishery management plan prepared for southern flounder in North Carolina. Development of the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan began in the year 2000. A 15 member advisory committee composed of recreational and commercial fisherman and scientists, helped with the preparation of the plan. In addition numerous public meetings were held to discuss the Draft Fishery Management Plan. Southern flounder is North Carolina’s most economically valuable finfish species, averaging approximately 4,000,000 lbs. annually and with an ex-vessel value up to $7,000,000 annually. The species is also a popular recreational fish. Southern flounder primarily inhabit brackish waters in North Carolina, but also occur in the ocean in the southern portion of our state. The draft plan will be submitted to the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for review by the General Assembly. The plan then returns to the Commission for final adoption. The MFC will also receive an update on the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan (CHPP). For more information, contact Jess Hawkins by e-mail at:
Je**********@nc****.net
or by calling 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.
MARINE FISHERIES COMMISISON TO MEET NOVEMBER 15, 2004
Morehead City- The Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) will meet November 15, 2004 at the Crystal Coast Civic Center, Morehead City, NC. The meeting will be held in Rooms 1, 2 and 3 upstairs and will begin at 1:00 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.
MFC Chairman Jimmy Johnson has called the meeting to allow reconsideration of the management measures selected by the Commission at their October meeting regarding the Draft North Carolina Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan. The Division of Marine Fisheries has evaluated whether the selected measures meet the requirements of the Fisheries Reform Act and will present those results. The Commission will discuss whether to amend or rescind their previously chosen measures.
North Carolina develops fishery management plans for all commercially or recreationally significant species that occur in state waters. The plans specify what measures are needed to conserve North Carolina’s fishery resources. This is the first fishery management plan prepared for southern flounder in North Carolina. Development of the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan began in the year 2000. A 15 member advisory committee composed of recreational and commercial fisherman and scientists, helped with the preparation of the plan. In addition numerous public meetings were held to discuss the Draft Fishery Management Plan.
Southern flounder is North Carolina’s most economically valuable finfish species, averaging approximately 4,000,000 lbs. annually and with an ex-vessel value up to $7,000,000 annually. The species is also a popular recreational fish. Southern flounder primarily inhabit brackish waters in North Carolina, but also occur in the ocean in the southern portion of our state.
The draft plan will be submitted to the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for review by the General Assembly. The plan then returns to the Commission for final adoption.
The MFC will also receive an update on the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan (CHPP).
For more information, contact Jess Hawkins by e-mail at:
Je**********@nc****.net
or by calling 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.