BLACK SEA BASS – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN
Dr. Louis B. Daniel III, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M, Thursday, May 17, 2007, the following restrictions will apply to the commercial black sea bass fishery north of Cape Hatteras (35° 15’N. Latitude):
I. SIZE LIMIT
It is unlawful to possess black sea bass less than 11 inches total length north of Cape Hatteras.
II. TRIP LIMITS
A. No commercial fishing operation employing fish pots and traps and hook and line, regardless of the number of people involved, may have total landings of more than 1,000 pounds of black sea bass per week taken from the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Hatteras. For purposes of this proclamation, a week shall be from 12:01 A.M. Sundays to midnight the following Saturday.
B. All other commercial fishing operations may land up to 100 pounds of black sea bass per week taken north of Cape Hatteras.
III. PERMITS
A. Finfish dealers may not buy more than 100 pounds of black sea bass caught north of Cape Hatteras per day per commercial fishing operation unless the dealer has a valid 2007 Black Sea Bass – North of Cape Hatteras Dealer Permit from the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Permits will be issued only to those licensed fish dealers holding a valid license as authorized in G.S. 113-169.3 Dealers must abide by all conditions of the 2007 Black Sea Bass-North of Cape Hatteras Dealer Permit as set out in Proclamation FF-43-2003, dated November 10, 2003, with the exception of the daily reporting requirement.
B. Dealers possessing a 2007 Black Sea Bass – North of Cape Hatteras Dealer Permit shall report black sea bass landings from the Atlantic Ocean monthly to the Division of Marine Fisheries through the normal trip ticket reporting system.
IV. GENERAL INFORMATION
A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of N.C.G.S. 113-134; 113- 170.4; 113-170.5; 113-182; 113-221.1; 143B-289.52 and NC Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3M .0506 and .0512 and 3O. 0503.
B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director under his delegated authority pursuant to N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3H .0103.
C. For the purposes of this proclamation, fish shall be considered landed when fish are unloaded or the vessel is tied to the dock, whichever occurs first.
D. Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3I .0113 specifies that it is unlawful for any licensee under Chapter 113, Subchapter IV of the General Statutes to refuse to allow the Fisheries Director or his agents to obtain biological data, harvest information, or other statistical data necessary or useful to the conservation and management of marine and estuarine resources from fish in the licensees possession.
E. Federal regulations for Fisheries of the Northeastern United States specify in 50 CFR Part 648.4(a)(7) that “any vessel of the United States that fishes for or retains black sea bass in or from the EEZ north of 3515.3’ N. lat., the latitude of Cape Hatteras Light, NC, must have been issued and carry on board a valid black sea bass moratorium permit, except for vessels other than party or charter vessels that observe the possession limit established pursuant to §648.145.â€ÂÂÂÂ
F. The intent of this proclamation is to allow North Carolina to comply with the requirements of the joint Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council/Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) and to manage the commercial black sea bass fishery under the state quota system established by the FMP. North Carolina is operating under a statewide quota and these trip limits are intended to constrain the harvest to that quota.
G. The minimum size limit for black sea bass south of Cape Hatteras remains 10 inches in total length.
H. Copies of escape vent specifications for black sea bass pots north of Cape Hatteras are available via the Federal Register posted on the Internet at www.nero.nmfs.gov/ro/doc/the648.htm and from the Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557.
BLACK SEA BASS – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN
Dr. Louis B. Daniel III, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M, Thursday, May 17, 2007, the following restrictions will apply to the commercial black sea bass fishery north of Cape Hatteras (35° 15’N. Latitude):
I. SIZE LIMIT
It is unlawful to possess black sea bass less than 11 inches total length north of Cape Hatteras.
II. TRIP LIMITS
A. No commercial fishing operation employing fish pots and traps and hook and line, regardless of the number of people involved, may have total landings of more than 1,000 pounds of black sea bass per week taken from the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Hatteras. For purposes of this proclamation, a week shall be from 12:01 A.M. Sundays to midnight the following Saturday.
B. All other commercial fishing operations may land up to 100 pounds of black sea bass per week taken north of Cape Hatteras.
III. PERMITS
A. Finfish dealers may not buy more than 100 pounds of black sea bass caught north of Cape Hatteras per day per commercial fishing operation unless the dealer has a valid 2007 Black Sea Bass – North of Cape Hatteras Dealer Permit from the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Permits will be issued only to those licensed fish dealers holding a valid license as authorized in G.S. 113-169.3 Dealers must abide by all conditions of the 2007 Black Sea Bass-North of Cape Hatteras Dealer Permit as set out in Proclamation FF-43-2003, dated November 10, 2003, with the exception of the daily reporting requirement.
B. Dealers possessing a 2007 Black Sea Bass – North of Cape Hatteras Dealer Permit shall report black sea bass landings from the Atlantic Ocean monthly to the Division of Marine Fisheries through the normal trip ticket reporting system.
IV. GENERAL INFORMATION
A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of N.C.G.S. 113-134; 113- 170.4; 113-170.5; 113-182; 113-221.1; 143B-289.52 and NC Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3M .0506 and .0512 and 3O. 0503.
B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director under his delegated authority pursuant to N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3H .0103.
C. For the purposes of this proclamation, fish shall be considered landed when fish are unloaded or the vessel is tied to the dock, whichever occurs first.
D. Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3I .0113 specifies that it is unlawful for any licensee under Chapter 113, Subchapter IV of the General Statutes to refuse to allow the Fisheries Director or his agents to obtain biological data, harvest information, or other statistical data necessary or useful to the conservation and management of marine and estuarine resources from fish in the licensees possession.
E. Federal regulations for Fisheries of the Northeastern United States specify in 50 CFR Part 648.4(a)(7) that “any vessel of the United States that fishes for or retains black sea bass in or from the EEZ north of 3515.3’ N. lat., the latitude of Cape Hatteras Light, NC, must have been issued and carry on board a valid black sea bass moratorium permit, except for vessels other than party or charter vessels that observe the possession limit established pursuant to §648.145.â€ÂÂÂÂ
F. The intent of this proclamation is to allow North Carolina to comply with the requirements of the joint Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council/Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) and to manage the commercial black sea bass fishery under the state quota system established by the FMP. North Carolina is operating under a statewide quota and these trip limits are intended to constrain the harvest to that quota.
G. The minimum size limit for black sea bass south of Cape Hatteras remains 10 inches in total length.
H. Copies of escape vent specifications for black sea bass pots north of Cape Hatteras are available via the Federal Register posted on the Internet at www.nero.nmfs.gov/ro/doc/the648.htm and from the Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557.