Fisheries, Wildlife Approve 14 Coastal Recreational Fishing License Grants
MOREHEAD CITY – Revenues from the N.C. Coastal Recreational Fishing License will pay nearly $2 million in the coming year toward projects to help provide coastal fishing access and fisheries and habitat research.
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission today announced the approval of 14 grants, totaling $1.99 million, for the 2012 cycle. The grants are funded from the N.C. Marine Resources Fund, which receives revenues from the sale of Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses.
The grants are sorted into three focus areas. Grants that fall under the People focus area include public education and public water access projects. Grants that fall under the Fish focus area are fisheries research projects. Grants that fall under the Habitat focus area include projects that enhance, protect or research fisheries habitat.
The approved grants are:
People – Total of $857,369
Take a Kid Fishing – $25,000
One-year funding for a multi-year grant to provide disabled and disadvantaged youth an opportunity to go saltwater fishing while teaching them about ethical fishing practices, conservation and the ocean environment.
Long Bay Artificial Reef Association – $220,622
One-year grant to place reef material on Artificial Reef-430 off Brunswick County to enhance the effective and responsible development of artificial reefs for long-term fishery enhancement.
N. C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Saltwater fishing Tournament – $25,727
Year-one funding for a multi-year grant to enhance and support the program, which produces citations that recognize recreational anglers for exceptional catches of marine finfish common to North Carolina.
Friends of the N.C. Maritime Museum – $28,620
Year-one funding for a multi-year grant to develop and implement a public exhibit with related educational materials centered on North Carolina’s recreational fisheries.
Wildlife Resources Commission’s Brick Landing Road Boating Access – $350,000
One-year grant to design and construct one new concrete ramp, floating docks, 24 paved parking spaces and Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, features.
Wildlife Resources Commission’s ADA Coastal Boating Access, Year-One Funding – $140,000
Multi-year grant to make all of the commission’s coastal boating access sites ADA compliant.
Town of Oriental – $67,400
One-year grant to enhance the Oriental Artificial Reef-396 by purchasing and deploying reef balls and other materials.
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Fish- Total of $400,710
University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Acoustic Tagging of Southern Flounder – $161,874
Year-one funding of a multi-year grant to evaluate the migration dynamics and within-estuary habitat use of southern flounder.
East Carolina University Cooperative Winter Tagging Cruise – $238,836
Year-one funding of a multi-year grant to tag striped bass and Atlantic sturgeon in the Atlantic Ocean, and sample all species encountered, to assist in assessing fishing mortality on coastal migratory stocks of striped bass, including the Albemarle-Roanoke stock.
Habitat- Total of $732,266
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Oyster Shell Recycling Program – $28,000
One-year grant to increase public exposure to the program to increase participation and provide additional shell material that will be used to enhance fish habitat, reduce solid waste in landfills and increase awareness of the importance of a healthy oyster population.
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Inshore Fishing/Oyster Reefs – $469,427
Year-one funding of a multi-year grant to increase easily accessible and high-quality angling opportunities by creating three coastal recreational fishing reefs in close proximity to coastal towns and public boat ramps.
University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Ecosystem Function of Oyster Shoreline Stabilization – $87,501
One-year grant to study the impacts of oyster reefs on shoreline stabilization, specific parameters of oyster health and condition in created reefs, and the ecosystem benefit from oysters.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences, Defining the Critical Depth for Intertidal Oyster Reef Restoration – $39,491
Year-one funding of a multi-year grant to evaluate restored oyster reef evolution and sustainability across various water depths and determine the critical elevation threshold at which future restoration will likely be most successful.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences, Acoustic Tracking of Adult Red Drum and Sheepshead – $107,847
Year-one funding of a multi-year grant to track adult red drum and sheepshead to evaluate restored habitat function.
For more information on these grants or the Coastal Recreational Fishing License grant program, contact Tiffany Frazier, Coastal Recreational Fishing License grants coordinator, at 252-808-8004 or Ti*************@nc****.gov.