WEEKLY UPDATE: 05/19/2006)
NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION
"Serving Commercial Fishing Families of North Carolina"

**EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION MAY 22, 10 A.M. CIVIC CENTER IN MOREHEAD CITY The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a meeting May 22 at the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City, beginning at 10 a.m., to discuss future relations with other fisheries management organizations. The level of dissatisfaction with federal and interstate fisheries management expressed by commercial and charter boat fishermen has reached the point where the MFC has decided to examine North Carolina’s relationship with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The ASMFC is a compact (originally voluntary with a provision allowing states to withdraw) of 15 Atlantic coast states coordinating conservation and management of near shore migratory fisheries. The NMFS manages and regulates fisheries occurring in federal waters. The meeting is open to the public and we encourage all to attend.

NEW STAFF at NCFA Karen Fothergill has joined the NCFA staff, so please welcome her when you call. Karen, originally Karen Harvell, is from South River and comes from a long line (no pun intended) of commercial fishermen from Carteret County. Her brother, Shelton Harvell Jr., is currently a commercial fisherman out of Beaufort. We are blessed to have her on board.

****NCFA ANNUAL MEETING*** notices have been mailed, so keep an eye out for them. The meeting is scheduled for May 31st at 2 p.m. here in New Bern. Members make sure you fill out the forms and select a proxy if you cannot make it. Call Karen if you have any questions.

Congressman Walter Jones went to bat for the commercial fishing industry this week and voted for Representative Pombo’s version of Magnuson Reauthorization. Representative Jones also voted against two proposed amendments that would have not been good for our industry, despite the fact that the amendments were from fellow Republicans, and 2) the votes were extremely close. Congressman Jones needs to be applauded for his efforts. Briefly, the Pombo version of re-authorization holds out our best hope of influencing the final legislation later on. Bravo, Walter Jones.

QUOTAS/SEASONS

2006 NC Black sea bass North of Cape Hatteras Quota: 421,554 pounds
Cumulative harvest for the 2006 fishery: - 318,944 pounds
2006 black sea bass quota remaining: 102,610 pounds

URGENT MESSAGE:

Commercial Fishermen/Charter and Headboat Captains

*****Emergency Meeting in Morehead City*****

10 A.M. Monday Morning May 22nd at the Civic Center in Morehead City (next to the Division of Marine Fisheries)

MEETING TO DISCUSS THE NC MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION’S RESOLUTION ASKING THE STATE TO LOOK INTO WITHDRAWING FROM THE ATLANTIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION

The level of dissatisfaction with federal and interstate fisheries management expressed by many commercial and charter boat fishermen has reached the point where the MFC has decided to examine North Carolina’s relationship with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The ASMFC is a compact of 15 Atlantic coast states coordinating conservation and management of near shore migratory fisheries. The NMFS manages and regulates fisheries occurring in federal waters.

***Please post this note and make copies of this notice and get then into as many hands as possible.

Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting Agenda
Crystal Coast Civic Center, Morehead City
May 22, 2006

Executive Order One mandates that the Chair inquire as to whether any member knows of any known conflict of interest or appearance of conflict with respect to matters before the Commission. If any member knows of a conflict of interest or appearance of conflict, please so state at this time.

10 a.m.* – Call to Order, Mac Currin, MFC Chairman

10:05 a.m. – Management of Interstate Fisheries Through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission – Preston Pate, Director N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries

10:35 a.m. – Management of Fisheries Under Federal Jurisdiction – Dr. Louis Daniel, N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries

11 a.m. – N.C. Attorney General’s Office Response to MFC Inquiry Regarding Withdrawal from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission - Frank Crawley

11:15 a.m. – Public Comment

12:30 p.m. – Lunch

2 p.m. – MFC Discussion

4 p.m. – Adjourn

COAST GUARD ASSISTS VESSEL AFTER DEMASTING

PORTSMOUTH, Va.�A Coast Guard small boat is assisting a sailing vessel in distress this morning off the Outer Banks of North Carolina after it demasted and encountered rough seas.

Station Ocracoke launched a 47-foot small boat at 3 a.m. in response to an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) signal from the 37-foot sailboat Kokopelli. The Coast Guard vessel rendezvoused with the sailboat 21 nautical miles south of Cape Hatteras and began towing it back to Station Ocracoke in seven- to eight-foot seas.

The Kokopelli is homeported in Washington, N.C., and was returning there from Antigua when it first encountered trouble on Monday morning, 150 nautical miles east of Charleston, S.C. After demasting then, the two men aboard�Paul Hillier, 66, and Edward Edlinger, 76, both of Alliance, Ohio�enabled their EPIRB. After communicating with the Coast Guard, though, the two men decided to continue on under power before experiencing further difficulties in rough weather this morning. Both men are fatigued.

The Kokopelli is scheduled to arrive at Station Ocracoke at approximately 11 a.m.

The Kokopelli’s experience underscores the importance of having operational and up-to-date emergency equipment such as an EPIRB aboard vessels undertaking long-distance voyages. Boaters who may not already own a more powerful 406 MHz EPIRB can rent them at a nominal cost from the BoatU.S. Foundation (http://www.boatus.com/foundation/EPIRB).