2020 recreational flounder season announced
MOREHEAD CITY – Division of Marine Fisheries Director Steve Murphey has announced that the 2020 recreational flounder season will be Aug. 16 through Sept. 30 for internal and ocean waters of the state.
The minimum size limit will remain at 15 inches total length, and the creel limit will remain at four fish per person per day during the open recreational season.
Since all species of flounder are managed under the same recreational regulations, the recreational season applies to all recreational flounder fishing.
The season will be implemented by proclamation, which will be posted later this week on the Division of Marine Fisheries’ Proclamation Webpage.
In August 2019 the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission adopted Amendment 2 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan. The plan established the framework for a 62% reduction in southern flounder harvest (compared to 2017) in North Carolina for 2019 and a 72% reduction in harvest beginning in 2020 to be achieved through various management measures, including recreational and commercial season closures.
Consequently, the commercial and recreational southern flounder seasons closed Sept. 4. Because the peak of the 2019 recreational season had already occurred, the recreational season was closed for the remainder of the year. Preliminary estimates of recreational catch indicate this closure resulted in a recreational harvest reduction of 16% in 2019.
The commercial season reopened for a short period in the fall. Preliminary landings data indicate the commercial season closure resulted in a commercial harvest reduction of 44% in 2019. The reduction was higher for the commercial sector because the peak commercial harvest had not occurred prior to the Sept. 4 closure.
The Division of Marine Fisheries analyzed a variety of scenarios for the 2020 recreational flounder season, including weekend openings with weekday closures, two-week stand-alone seasons, and holiday openings. However, the division determined these types of seasons would likely not result in the needed recreational harvest reductions.
Reductions in harvest are required because a 2019 South Atlantic Southern Flounder Stock Assessment found that southern flounder is overfished and overfishing is occurring throughout the region (North Carolina through the eastern coast of Florida). Overfished means the population is too small. Overfishing means the removal rate is too high.
North Carolina law mandates that fishery management plans include measures to end overfishing within two years and rebuild the stock to achieve sustainable harvest within 10 years of adoption of a fishery management plan.
So it would be in the fisheries best interest to release southern flounder. Only keep summer or gulf flounder. It would be nice to educate the fishermen. To be able to tell the difference. I'm sure many will just keep what the catch. But if a percentage gets put back that has to help.
Well Ive got my seatbelt pulled tight waiting on the NC flounder COMM. season to be released and no doubt instead of 6 weeks they will get several months I bet. Wonder when or if NC will act like Florida did years ago and stop netting?
Wonder how many the trawlers will kill this year while we can't keep any.
Do you even know where the trawlers are catching the commercial flounder? Not in NC! This is the problem, listening to social media to get your info. Research it for yourself and be informed. The commercial quota is being cut as well and their season will also be significantly shorter as well. This closure will effect everyone.
It's about how many young/juvenile fish are being taken by trawlers in the fall/early winter not the adult fish. This is when the young ( next years adult fish) for the next year flush out of the Cape Fear River, Carolina Beach Inlet, etc. into the ocean as the water temperature drops. To allow trawling within one mile of the beach is ridiculous. Four lbs. of by catch ( young spot,mullet,trout, flounder, drum etc.) to one lb. of shrimp is not an equal equation. These young fish are all at risk and need protection now not later. More people fishing (larger growing population) , less habitat, less food means less catch-able fish. " Let Them Spawn before their Gone".
North Carolina seems to be behind the rest of the Atlantic States as far as fishing regulations are required. I wonder why this is?
Do you even know where the trawlers are catching the commercial flounder? Not in NC! This is the problem, listening to social media to get your info. Research it for yourself and be informed. The commercial quota is being cut as well and their season will also be significantly shorter as well. This closure will effect everyone.
I'm talking about shrimp trawlers.
And I used to work on one.
BW
Do you even know where the trawlers are catching the commercial flounder? Not in NC! This is the problem, listening to social media to get your info. Research it for yourself and be informed. The commercial quota is being cut as well and their season will also be significantly shorter as well. This closure will effect everyone.
And BTW......
I've been working on fisheries management issues since the 1980's.
Served two 3-year terms on MFC advisory committees and one 3-year term on a Seagrant advisory board.
You might ask before you accuse.
Do you even know where the trawlers are catching the commercial flounder? Not in NC!
Well, then, if commercial flounder aren't being caught in NC, shut it down for comms just as hard as recs. Get rid of the nets along with the hook!. Sorry, Capt Obvious, didn't mean to steal your thunder ...
Do you even know where the trawlers are catching the commercial flounder? Not in NC! This is the problem, listening to social media to get your info. Research it for yourself and be informed. The commercial quota is being cut as well and their season will also be significantly shorter as well. This closure will effect everyone.
And BTW......
I've been working on fisheries management issues since the 1980's.
Served two 3-year terms on MFC advisory committees and one 3-year term on a Seagrant advisory board.
You might ask before you accuse.
Than you should know better than others to blame trawling for all the problems. Last year NC recreational harvest of flounder ended up being cut 16% while the commercial sector was 44%. Big cuts are coming for all not just recs. The problem is that people want to fight and shut down the other sector and in the end, both groups lose.
I didn't blame trawling for ALL the problems. Nor did I say anything about shutting down the other sector. Please go back and re-read what I originally said, which was "Wonder how many the trawlers will kill this year while we can't keep any"
I don't have a problem with recs taking cuts on flounder because i know they have been in trouble for a LONG time.
BUT, if they are in such serious shape then ALL fisheries that effect them should be addressed.
Especially one like shrimp trawls that absolutely have a very negative impact on that fishery.
Rec discards are taken into account in this flounder management plan.
Are shrimp trawl discards and mortality estimates?
If not, then why not?
BW
I'LL CATCH ELL FOR THIS POST BUT TO ALEVIATE THE CONFUSION , QUESTIONS AND DISPARITY BETWEEN THE COMS AND RECS . DO AS SC DID FOR THE REDUCED COBIA HARVEST ESPECIALLY IN THE BROAD RIVER , ST HELENA AREA , IMPLEMENT A TOTAL MORITORIUM ON ALL HARVEST OF SPECIES TARGETED WITHIN STATE WATERS FOR A 1-3 YR TRIAL THEN PROCEED TO INCREMENTALLY BRING BACK LIMITED QUOTAS AS RECORDS INDICATE A RECOVERING FISHERY .. I'M GOING INTO HIDING NOW FOR SAFETY SAKE....