SF-1-2004 PROCLAMATION RE:
Preston P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at sunrise, Monday, January 26, 2004, the following restrictions will apply to the mechanical harvest of oysters:
I. MEANS AND METHODS
MECHANICAL HARVEST RESTRICTIONS:
1. Oysters may be taken by mechanical methods (See General Information Section VI. E., G. and H. for other gear
restrictions).
2. Oysters may not be transferred from the catching vessel to any other vessel during oyster harvesting operations or
be transported by any vessel other than the vessel in which they are harvested.
II. HARVEST DAYS
Mechanical oyster harvest will be allowed Monday through Friday. (See General Information Section VI. C. and F.). III. QUANTITY Properly licensed persons may take or possess no more than fifteen (15) bushels of oysters per fishing operation, regardless of the number of persons or vessels involved.
IV. MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT The size limit will be three (3) inches shell length for oysters. V. AREA RESTRICTIONS Oysters may not be harvested by mechanical methods in the following areas (see General Information Section VI. E.).
1. In the Neuse River tributaries of South River, Turnagain Bay and Adams Creek. (Map 3).
2. Beneath or within 100 yards on either side of the Roanoke Sound Bridge (NC Hwy 64/264).
3.Proclamation SF-6-2003 designated Shellfish Management Areas in Croatan Sound and Crab Hole (Dare County), Deep Bay (Hyde County) and West Bay (Carteret County), which closed these sites to the harvest of oysters and clams.
4.Stumpy Point Bay – north of a line beginning at a point 35
° 40.9719′ N – 75° 44.4213′ W on Drain Point; running westerly to a point 35° 40.6550′ N – 75° 45.6869′ W on Kazer Point. (Map 1)5. Pains Bay – east of a line beginning at a point 35
° 35.0666′ N – 75° 51.2000′ W on Pains Point, running southerly to a point 35° 34.4666′ N – 75° 50.9666′ W on Rawls Island; running easterly to a point 35° 34.2309′ N – 75° 50.2695′ W on the east shore. (Map 1)6. Long Shoal River – north of a line beginning at a point 35
° 35.2120′ N – 75° 53.2232′ W at the 5th Avenue Canal, running easterly to a point 35° 35.0666′ N – 75° 51.2000′ W on the east shore on Pains Point. (Map 1)7. Wysocking Bay:
A. Wysocking Bay – north of a line beginning at a point 35
° 25.2741′ N – 76° 03.1169′ W on Mackey Point, running easterly to a point 35° 25.1189′ N – 76° 02.0499′ W at the mouth of Lone Tree Creek. (Map 1)B. Mount Pleasant Bay – west of a line beginning a point 35
° 23.8652′ N – 76° 04.1270′ W on Browns Island, running southerly to a point 35° 22.9684′ N – 76° 03.7129′ W on Bensons Point. (Map 1)8. Juniper Bay – north of a line beginning at a point 35
° 22.1384′ N – 76° 15.5991′ W near the Caffee Bay ditch, running easterly to a point 35° 22.0598′ N – 76° 15.0095′ W on the east shore. (Map 2)9. Swan Quarter Bay:
A. Caffee Bay – east of a line beginning at a point 35
° 22.1944′ N – 76° 19.1722′ W on the north shore, running southerly to a point 35° 21.5959′ N – 76° 18.3580′ W on Drum Point. (Map 2)B. Oyster Creek – east of a line beginning at a point 35
° 23.3278′ N – 76° 19.9476′ W on the north shore, running southerly to a point 35° 22.7018′ N – 76° 19.3773′ W on the south shore. (Map 2)
PROCLAMATION SF-1-2004
PAGE 2
10. Rose Bay:
A. Rose Bay – north of a line beginning at a point 35
° 25.7729′ N – 76° 24.5336′ W on Island Point, running southeasterly and passing near Beacon “5” to a point 35° 25.1854′ N – 76° 23.2333′ W on the east shore. (Map 2)B. Tooleys Creek – west of a line beginning at a point 35
° 25.7729′ N – 76° 24.5336′ W on Island Point, running southwesterly to a point 35° 25.1435′ N – 76° 25.1646′ W on Ranger Point. (Map 2)11. Spencer Bay:
A. Striking Bay – north of a line beginning at a point 35
° 23.4106′ N – 76° 26.9629′ W on Short Point, running easterly to a point 35° 23.3404′ N – 76° 26.2491′ W on Long Point. (Map 2)B. Germantown Bay – north of a line beginning at a point 35
° 24.0937′ N – 76° 27.9348′ W; on the west shore, running easterly to a point 35° 23.8598′ N – 76° 27.4037′ W on the east shore. (Map 2)12. Abel Bay – northeast of a line beginning at a point 35
° 23.6463′ N – 76 1.0003′ W on the west shore, running southeasterly to a point 35° 22.9353′ N – 76° 29.7215′ W on the east shore. (Map 2)13. Pungo River:
Fortescue Creek – east of a line beginning at a point 35
° 25.9213′ N – 76° 31.9135′ W on Pasture Point; running southerly to a point 35° 25.6012′ N – 76° 31.9641′ W on Lupton Point. (Map 2)14. Pamlico River:
A. North Creek – north of a line beginning at a point 35
° 25.3988′ N – 76° 40.0455′ W on the west shore, running southeasterly to a point 35° 25.1384′ N – 76° 39.6712′ W on the east shore. (Map 2)B. Goose Creek:
1. Campbell Creek – west of a line beginning at a point 35
° 17.3600′ N – 76° 37.1096′ W on the north shore; running southerly to a point 35° 16.9876′ N – 76° 37.0965′ W on the south shore. (Map 2) 2. Eastham Creek – east of a line beginning at a point 35° 17.7423′ N – 76° 36.5164′ W on the north shore; running southeasterly to a point 35° 17.5444′ N – 76° 36.3963′ W on the south shore. (Map 2)C. Oyster Creek-Middle Prong – southwest of a line beginning at a point 35
° 19.4921′ N – 76° 32.2590′ W on Cedar Island; running southeasterly to a point 35° 19.1265′ N – 76° 31.7226′ W on Beard Island Point; and southwest of a line beginning at a point 35° 19.5586′ N – 76° 32.8830′ W on the west shore, running easterly to a point 35° 19.5490′ N – 76° 32.7365′ W on the east shore. (Map 2)15. Mouse Harbor – west of a line beginning at a point 35
° 18.3915’N – 76° 29.0454′ W on Persimmon Tree Point, running southerly to a point 35° 17.1825N – 76° 28.8713′ W on Yaupon Hammock Point. (Map 2)16. Porpoise Bay – northwest of a line beginning at a point 35
° 15.6993′ N – 76° 28.2041′ W on Big Porpoise Point, running southwesterly to a point 35° 14.9276’N – 76° 28.8658′ W on Middle Bay Point. (Map 2)17. Middle Bay – west of a line beginning at a point 35
° 14.8003′ N – 76° 29.1923′ W on Deep Point, running southerly to a point 35° 13.5419′ N – 76° 29.6123′ W on Little Fishing Point. (Map 2)18. Jones Bay – west of a line beginning at a point 35
° 14.0406′ N – 76° 33.3312′ W on Drum Creek Point, running southerly to a point 35°13.3609′ N – 76° 33.6539′ W on Ditch Creek Point. (Map 2)19. Bay River:
A. Gales Creek-Bear Creek – north and west of a line beginning at a point 35
° 11.2833′ N – 76° 35.9000′ W on Sanders Point, running northeasterly to a point 35° 11.9000′ N – 76° 34.2833′ W on the east shore. (Map 2) B. Bonner Bay – southeast of a line beginning at a point 35° 09.6281′ N – 76° 36.2185′ W on the west shore; running northeasterly to a point 35° 10.0888′ N – 76° 35.2587′ W on Davis Island Point. (Map 3)20. Neuse River:
A. Lower Broad Creek – west of a line beginning at a point 35
° 05.8314′ N – 76° 35.3845′ W on the north shore; running southwesterly to a point 35° 05.5505′ N – 76° 35.7249′ W on the south shore. (Map 3)B. Greens Creek – north of a line beginning at a point 35
° 01.3476′ N – 76° 42.1740′ W on the west shore of Greens Creek; running northeasterly to a point 35° 01.4899′ N – 76° 41.9961′ W on the east shore. (Map 3)C. Dawson Creek – north of a line beginning at a point 34
° 59.5920′ N – 76° 45.4620′ W on the west shore; running southeasterly to a point 34° 59.5800′ N – 76° 45.4140′ W on the east shore. (Map 3)D. Clubfoot Creek – south of a line beginning at a point 34
° 54.5424′ N – 76° 45.7252′ W on the west shore, running easterly to a point 34° 54.4853′ N – 76° 45.4022′ W on the east shore. (Map 3)21. West Bay:
A. Long Bay-Ditch Bay – west of a line beginning at a point 34
° 57.9388′ N – 76° 27.0781′ W on the north shore of Ditch Bay; running southwesterly to a point 34° 57.2120′ N – 76° 27.2185′ W on the south shore of Ditch Bay; then south of a line running southeasterly to a point 34° 56.7633′ N – 76° 26.3927′ W on the east shore of Long Bay. (Map 3)
PROCLAMATION SF-1-2004
PAGE 3
B. West Thorofare Bay – south of a line beginning at a point 34
° 57.2199′ N – 76° 24.0947′ W on the west shore; running easterly to a point 34° 57.4871′ N – 76° 23.0737′ W on the east shore. (Map 3)1. Merkle Bay – east of a line beginning at a point 34
° 58.2286′ N – 76° 22.8374′ W on the north shore, running southerly to a point 34° 57.5920′ N – 76° 23.0704′ W on Merkle Bay Point. (Map 3)VI. GENERAL INFORMATION:
A. This proclamation is issued under the authority G.S. 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 113-182; 113-221(e); 143B-289.52; and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103, 3K .0201 and .0202.
B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director under his delegated authority per 15A NCAC 3H .0103.
C. N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3K .0206 requires a permit for the use of mechanical gear on private bottoms. Permits are available, at no cost, from all Division of Marine Fisheries License Offices.
D. Oyster harvest tag requirements are specified in N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3K .0101(d).
E. N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3K .0204 lists areas closed to the use of mechanical methods to take oysters; 15A NCAC 3N .0104 prohibits the use of mechanical methods to take oysters or clams in primary nursery areas.
F. N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3K .0106(a) prohibits the taking of oysters between the hours of sunset and sunrise on any day.
G. N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3J .0303 prohibits the use of dredges weighing more than 100 pounds except in the Atlantic Ocean; prohibits the use of more than one dredge per vessel to take oysters or crabs; and prohibits possession of oysters aboard a vessel with a dredge weighing more than 100 pounds.
H. N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3I .0101(14) defines mechanical methods for oystering.
I. This proclamation closes the bays in western Pamlico Sound to mechanical oyster harvest in order to protect oyster resources from overharvest.
J. This proclamation supersedes Proclamation SF-7-2003/2004, dated October 6, 2003.