Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting Set for Morehead City
MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet Feb. 22-24 at the Crystal Coast Civic Center, 3505 Arendell St. Morehead City.
The meeting is open to the public.
The commission is slated to consider recommendations from a Committee to Define a Commercial Fisherman.
The committee recommended changes in eligibility requirements for renewing a standard commercial fishing license for those with no documented landings. The committee also recommended developing an apprenticeship program as a qualification for obtaining a Standard Commercial Fishing License through the state’s eligibility pool and eliminating the $25 commercial shellfish license.
The commission is also expected to select its preferred management actions for Amendment 2 to the N.C. Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan. The draft plan will then be sent to the secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations for review and comment.
A 2011 Division of Marine Fisheries Blue Crab Stock Assessment determined that the stock is not overfished, but it is unknown if overfishing is occurring.
The draft amendment proposes adoption of adaptive management measures whereby stricter regulations would be implemented in the blue crab fishery if certain biological triggers are unfavorable for three consecutive years. These adaptive management measures use several biological surveys and sampling programs to determine the relative abundance of adult crabs in the population, the abundance of young crabs in the population, and various production indictors for the spawning stock each year.
Additionally, the commission will hear an update on the National Marine Fisheries Service decision to list Atlantic sturgeon as an endangered species and the possible impacts that could have to North Carolina fishermen.
The meeting begins with a public comment session at 6 p.m. Feb. 22. Anyone who wishes to speak to the commission on a fisheries-related matter may do so then or at the start of the business meeting Feb. 23. Due to time constraints, the commission chairman asks individuals to speak only once, either Feb. 22 or Feb. 23, but not during both public comment periods.
The business sessions of the meeting begin at 9 a.m. Feb. 23 and 8:30 a.m. Feb. 24.
The meeting agenda is attached. The full briefing book can be found on the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/mfc-agendas-briefingbooks-presentations.
For more information, contact Marine Fisheries Commission Liaison Nancy Fish at 252-808-8021 or Na********@nc****.gov.
MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION BUSINESS MEETING
Crystal Coast Civic Center, Morehead City, N.C.
Feb. 22-24, 2012
N.C.G.S. 138A-15(e) mandates at the beginning of any meeting of a board, the chair shall remind all members of their duty to avoid conflicts of interest under Chapter 138. The chair also shall inquire as to whether there is any known conflict of interest with respect to any matters coming before the board at that time.
N.C.G.S. 143B-289.54.(g)(2) states a member of the Marine Fisheries Commission shall not vote on any issue before the Commission that would have a "significant and predictable effect" on the member’s financial interest. For purposes of this subdivision, "significant and predictable effect" means there is or may be a close causal link between the decision of the Commission and an expected disproportionate financial benefit to the member that is shared only by a minority of persons within the same industry sector or gear group. A member of the Commission shall also abstain from voting on any petition submitted by an advocacy group of which the member is an officer or sits as a member of the advocacy group’s board of directors. A member of the Commission shall not use the member’s official position as a member of the Commission to secure any special privilege or exemption of substantial value for any person. No member of the Commission shall, by the member’s conduct, create an appearance that any person could improperly influence the member in the performance of the member’s official duties.
Commissioners having questions about a conflict of interest or appearance of conflict should consult with counsel to the Marine Fisheries Commission or the secretary’s ethics liaison. Upon discovering a conflict, the commissioner should inform the chair of the commission in accordance with N.C.G.S. 138A-15(e).
Feb. 22
6 p.m. Public Meeting
Receive public comment relative to fisheries management issues.
Feb. 23
9 a.m. Call to Order*
Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation
Conflict of Interest Reminder
Roll Call
Approval of Agenda**
Approval of Meeting Minutes**
9:15 a.m. Public Comment
Receive public comment relative to fisheries management issues.
9:45 a.m. Issues from Commissioners
10 a.m. Chairman’s Report
Review administrative actions and issues from the chair.
· Letters
· 2012 Adviser Appointments
10:15 a.m. Committee Reports
Review and consideration of action items from committee meetings.
· Define a Commercial Fisherman – Chairman Rob Bizzell
Review committee recommendations for license restructuring.
Vote on Adopting Recommendations**
· Coastal Recreational Fishing License
· Joint Coastal Recreational Fishing License – Dr. Louis Daniel
Review funding selections for CRFL Grant Program.
· Conservation Fund – Randy Gregory
Review committee recommendations for funding initiatives.
Vote on Adopting Recommendations**
11:15 a.m. Fishery Management Plan and Rulemaking Update – Catherine Blum
· FMP Review
· Rulemaking Cycle Review
· Issue Paper Review
11:30 a.m. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 1 – Chris Batsavage
· FMP Status Update
11:45 a.m. Shrimp Fishery Management Plan
· Review FMP Revision Criteria – Catherine Blum
· Shrimp FMP Timeline – Trish Murphey and Chris Stewart
12:30 p.m. Lunch Recess
2 p.m. Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan Amendment 2 – Lynn Henry
Review advisory committee/public input on draft FMP, select preferred management options, approve draft FMP and approve sending out for departmental and legislative review
· Review Advisory Committee and Public Input
· Select Preferred Management Options**
· Vote on Approving Draft FMP**
· Vote on sending to Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations**
3:30 p.m. Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan – Chip Collier
There are no proposed rules associated with this FMP
· Update of Cold Stun Protocols
· Review of High Volume Fisheries Information Paper
· Vote on Final FMP**
4 p.m. Estuarine Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan Amendment 1 – Charlton Godwin and Katy West
· Vote on sending FMP forward for Rulemaking**
4:30 p.m. Rule Suspensions – David Taylor
The commission must vote to continue suspension of any rules the Division of Marine Fisheries director has suspended by proclamation.
· Vote on Rule Suspension for Spotted Seatrout**
· Vote on Rule Suspension for Gill Net Yardage Restrictions**
· Vote on Rule Suspension for Atlantic Ocean Striped Bass Gear Permit Date**
5 p.m. Recess
Feb. 24
8:30 a.m. Overview of Oyster Sanctuary and Shellfish Mapping Programs – Craig Hardy, Pelle Holmlund and Brian Conrad
9:15 a.m. Director’s Report
Reports and updates on recent Division of Marine Fisheries activities.
· Legislative Update – Dr. Louis Daniel
· Oyster Season Update – Mike Marshall
· Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission – Dr. Louis Daniel
· Quota Update for Black Sea Bass, Summer Flounder, Spiny Dogfish and Striped Bass – Dr. Louis Daniel
· Highly Migratory Species – Randy Gregory
– Bluefin Tuna Update
· Mandatory Electronic Dealer Reporting – Alan Bianchi
· Protected Resources Update – Jacob Boyd
– Atlantic Sturgeon Listing
– Observer Program
· Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Update – Red Munden
· South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Update – Michelle Duval
Recurring Updates
· Marine Patrol Report
· Coastal Recreational Fishing License Sales Report
· Coastal Angler Program
· Red Drum and Striped Bass Quota
· Southern Flounder Landings
11 a.m. Issues from Commissioners
11:30 a.m. Adjourn
2012 Meeting Schedule:
Feb. 22-24 Morehead City Aug. 22-24 Raleigh
May 9-11 Pine Knoll Shores Nov. 7-9 Atlantic Beach
* Times indicated are merely for guidance. The commission will proceed through the agenda until completed.
**Action Items