NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION
“Serving Commercial Fishing Families of North Carolina�

Snapper/Grouper 13C lawsuit update: The state has decided to file an amicus brief in the snapper/grouper lawsuit; that news coming from Senator Basnight’s office earlier this week. A brief of this kind is a welcomed addition to our lawsuit and will put the state on the record as being on the side of the fishermen in this case. As we mentioned in previous updates, intervention would have been a better decision but NCFA welcomes this news.

Please join us in praying for Senator Basnight and his family; as many of you know they are going through a difficult time right now and this past weekend on top of everything else, his restaurant in the Outer Banks (Lone Cedar) burned to the ground.

Please help if you can; Wanchese fisherman and NCFA member Patrick Byrd (packs at Etheridge) lost his boat last week when it sank coming in. Patrick had no insurance on the vessel “Esther Gayle�, has a new baby and could sure use our help. If you’d like to help Patrick and his family please send a check made out to NCFA with “Patrick Byrd� in the memo and we’ll get it to him and his family.

Murray Cudworth of Wanchese died this past week after a long illness. Murray was a very well liked man who worked as a long-line fisherman, a headboat captain and will be sorely missed by the many friends he left behind.  

FOIA Request; Our waiver of fee request is still moving through the proper channels at the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council; Council staff called NCFA yesterday asking us to clarify our request and was helpful in detailing how we should do that. We await the decision as to whether we will have to pay $4,000 for information from our government.

PROCLAMATION

RE: BLACK SEA BASS – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN Effective at 12:01 A.M., Tuesday, May 1, 2007, the following restrictions shall apply to the commercial black sea bass fishery north of Cape Hatteras (35° 15.3’N. Latitude): SIZE LIMIT It is unlawful to possess black sea bass less than 11 inches total length north of Cape Hatteras. Total length shall be measured along the lateral midline from the tip of the nose to the tip tail, excluding the caudal fin filament. HARVEST LIMITS During the period beginning at 12:01 A.M., Tuesday, May 1, 2007 and ending at 6:00 P.M., Tuesday, May 15, 2007, no commercial trawl, fish pot or hook and line fishing operation, regardless of the number of people involved, may have total landings of more than 15,000 pounds of black sea bass taken from the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Hatteras. The Atlantic Ocean black sea bass fishery will close immediately after the Director issues a public notice that the quota of black sea bass has been landed from the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Hatteras, or at 6:00 P.M., May 15, 2007, whichever occurs first. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k7/FF-40-2007.html

RE: TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF RULE – GILL NET ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS Effective at 8:00 A.M., Tuesday, May 1, 2007, the following will apply to North Carolina Fisheries Rules for North Carolina Waters:

North Carolina Fisheries Rules for Coastal Waters 15A NCAC 3J .0103 is modified by the suspension of the wording in (h) of that Rule. This suspension of Rule 15A NCAC 3J .0103 (h) ends by this proclamation at midnight on Tuesday, May 15, 2007.

Quotas/Harvests

Black Sea Bass:

2007 NC black sea bass North of Cape Hatteras quota:       261,415 pounds
Cumulative harvest for the 2007 winter fishery:                 -182,943 pounds
2007 black sea bass north of Cape Hatteras remaining:  78,472 pounds

MEETINGS:

May 7 - 10:
ASMFC Spring Meeting Week, 901 N. Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia; (800) 333-3333.

May 7, 2006 6 p.m.

NCMFC Oyster and Hard Clam FMPs Advisory Committee
Room 222 - UNC Institute of Marine Sciences - Morehead City, NC
Contact Mike Marshall 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021or MFC Office 252-808-8077

May 8, 2007 5:30 p.m.

NCMFC Red Drum FMP Advisory Committee
NCDENR Regional Office - 943 Washington Square Mall - Washington, NC
Contact Lee Paramore at 252-473-5734 or the MFC Office at 252-808-8020

May 16 2007 2pm – 4pm NCFA Annual Meeting; New Bern Office

Marine Fisheries Commission Habitat and Water Quality Committee

The Marine Fisheries Commission Habitat and Water Quality Committee will meet on Monday, May 14, at 1 p.m., at the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Washington Regional Office, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington, NC.

The committee will first receive updates concerning the Marine Fisheries Commission activities and will receive presentations on sewer system issues in New Hanover County, draft habitat chapters from the Oyster and Hard Clam FMPs, and the draft CHPP Implementation Plan for 2007-09.  The committee will also receive an update on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore negotiated rule-making.
 
The committee will discuss new permit elevations and current elevated projects and will also review a list of items for presentation to the MFC at its June 2007 business meeting in Raleigh.

If you have any questions, please call Mike Street at 252-808-8067 or the Marine Fisheries Commission office at 252-808-8020.


MFC HABITAT AND WATER QUALITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
AGENDA
14 May 2007
DENR WASHINGTON REGIONAL OFFICE
· Introductions

· Modifications to agenda

· Approval of minutes of 5 March 2007 meeting
 
· Public comments
 
· MFC Update (Mike Street)

· Presentations:
- Sewer system issues in New Hanover County
- Speaker TBD
- Draft habitat chapters from Oyster FMP and Hard Clam FMP
- Scott Chappell
- Draft CHPP Implementation Plan for 2007-09 (MFC/DMF actions)
- Mike Street
· Update on Cape Hatteras National Seashore negotiated rule making
- Wayne Mathis
· Permits
- New elevations
- Avolis, John and Joseph – Pamlico Co.
- Guthrie, James – Carteret Co.
- Pamlico Consort, LLC – Pamlico Co.
- W & J Development – Currituck Co.
- Updates on current elevated projects
- NCDOT Oregon Inlet Bridge, Dare Co.
- Oak Park at Whiskey Creek, New Hanover Co.
- Red Apple Group, The Peninsula, Pender Co.
- Tyrrell Co. WWTP, Dewey Pier Rd. discharge
- Weyerhaeuser Superfund site, Welch Creek, Washington Co.

· Review list of items for presentation to MFC at June 2007 meeting in Raleigh

· Next meeting
- Date and location
- Topics – Boating impacts on fish habitat, CRC dock and pier rule amendments
- Other issues