Marine Fisheries Commission Selects Options for Draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan
After a lengthy development and review process the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission selected their preferred management options for the Draft North Carolina Fishery Management Plan. The Commission took the following actions at their business meeting that was held October 11-13, in Kill Devil Hills.
The Commission selected the following measures concerning conservation of the Southern Flounder:
1. A closed recreational and commercial fishing season from December 1 – March 31;
2. A 14 inch size limit, eight fish harvest limit for recreational fisherman;
3. A 13 inch size limit for commercial fisherman;
4. Persons using gigs recreationally must have a Recreational Commercial Gear License or other appropriate license;
5. Persons using large mesh gill nets (greater than or equal to 5 ½ inches stretched mesh) recreationally must attend their nets at all times;
6. Gill nets used to catch flounder must have a 5 ½ stretched mesh minimum size
7. Flounder pound nets must have an escape panel 5 ¾ inches or greater to let small flounder escape;
8. Commercial fisherman cannot use more than 3000 yards of flounder gillnet;
9. Minimum distance of 1000 yards between old and new pound nets and a minimum distance of 500 yards between pound nets and gill nets in Albemarle Sound from August 15th – December 1st;
10. Minimum crab trawl tailbag mesh size of three inches in eastern Pamlico Sound and four inches in western Pamlico Sound;
11. Numerous research and habitat / water quality recommendations to address Southern Flounder.
The Commission also voted to re-examine the status of Southern Flounder in three years rather than wait five years, which is allowed by law.
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 scientist, helped with the preparation of the plan. In addition numerous public meetings were held to discuss the Draft Fishery Management Plan.
Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman, Jimmy Johnson stated, “The Commission truly appreciates the time spent by volunteer advisors and Division Staff to prepare this fishery management plan. A tremendous amount of work was devoted over the years to bring together what is known about Southern Flounder and propose conservation measures.”
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.
For further information, contact Jess Hawkins at 252-726-7021 or
Je**********@nc****.net
.
Marine Fisheries Commission Selects Options for Draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan
After a lengthy development and review process the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission selected their preferred management options for the Draft North Carolina Fishery Management Plan. The Commission took the following actions at their business meeting that was held October 11-13, in Kill Devil Hills.
The Commission selected the following measures concerning conservation of the Southern Flounder:
1. A closed recreational and commercial fishing season from December 1 – March 31;
2. A 14 inch size limit, eight fish harvest limit for recreational fisherman;
3. A 13 inch size limit for commercial fisherman;
4. Persons using gigs recreationally must have a Recreational Commercial Gear License or other appropriate license;
5. Persons using large mesh gill nets (greater than or equal to 5 ½ inches stretched mesh) recreationally must attend their nets at all times;
6. Gill nets used to catch flounder must have a 5 ½ stretched mesh minimum size
7. Flounder pound nets must have an escape panel 5 ¾ inches or greater to let small flounder escape;
8. Commercial fisherman cannot use more than 3000 yards of flounder gillnet;
9. Minimum distance of 1000 yards between old and new pound nets and a minimum distance of 500 yards between pound nets and gill nets in Albemarle Sound from August 15th – December 1st;
10. Minimum crab trawl tailbag mesh size of three inches in eastern Pamlico Sound and four inches in western Pamlico Sound;
11. Numerous research and habitat / water quality recommendations to address Southern Flounder.
The Commission also voted to re-examine the status of Southern Flounder in three years rather than wait five years, which is allowed by law.
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 scientist, helped with the preparation of the plan. In addition numerous public meetings were held to discuss the Draft Fishery Management Plan.
Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman, Jimmy Johnson stated, “The Commission truly appreciates the time spent by volunteer advisors and Division Staff to prepare this fishery management plan. A tremendous amount of work was devoted over the years to bring together what is known about Southern Flounder and propose conservation measures.”
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.
For further information, contact Jess Hawkins at 252-726-7021 or
Je**********@nc****.net
.