A meeting of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) is scheduled for November 16-18 at the Islander Inn in Emerald Isle.
This is a critically important session that will include a discussion of mass harvesting with commercial gillnets in the upstream reaches of the Neuse and Pamlico rivers. The public comment portion of the meeting begins Wednesday, November 16 at 6 p.m
Details of the event
What: North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission public meeting
When: Wednesday, November 16 Public comments begin at 6:00 p.m
Where: Islander Inn – Emerald Isle, North Carolina
Earlier this fall, CCA NC launched Save Our Fisheries, a public campaign designed to inform all North Carolinians about the consequences we face together, and the impact on future generations, if action is not taken to stop the decline of our fisheries. due to chronic overexploitation.
Importance of the November meeting:
The MFC, a civilian board, will take a final vote on Amendment 2 to the Estuary Striped Bass Plan. Efforts will be made to eliminate commercial gillnet restrictions currently in place on the Neuse and Pamlico Rivers. Net bans, which prohibit mass harvesting with gillnets upstream (beyond the ferry lines where the Neuse and Pamlico open into Pamlico Sound), were established by the state in 2019 to promote the recovery of fish populations that have suffered chronic declines (and reproductive capacity) due to overexploitation in the spawning and nursery areas of the rivers.
There will be public comment from both sides of this issue. Private interests want the state to lift restrictions and allow gillnets to return upstream. Conservation advocates, including members of the fishing public and recreational sportsmen, will call for net bans to be maintained to allow the resource to recover and thrive.
BENEFITS OTHER FISHERIES – The removal of gillnets is allowing key stretches of the Pamlico and Neuse Rivers to function as the nursery areas that they are. Along with striped bass, menhaden, red drum and other species are showing increased numbers and size.
Species continue to decline – Numerous important species that frequent the fluvial habitat remain under significant harvest restrictions:
River herring: The fishery has collapsed, closed since 2005, may never recover.
Sturgeon: Endangered, requires observation for interactions in large-mesh fisheries
Striped bass: under commercial and recreational harvest moratorium; so depleted that no harvesting is currently allowed
Southern whiting: Under a 72% harvest reduction mandate. The public fishing season was only 30 days in 2022, the nets had 5 days.
American Shad: Depleted all along the coast. A major commercial objective if nets are allowed to return upstream.
Striped mullet: overfishing with overfishing. Another main business objective.
Speckled Trout: Primary commercial target currently experiencing overfishing according to state assessments.
CCA NC is calling for gillnet restrictions not only to be applied in upstream areas, but to be extended further into Pamlico Sound to slow the resource’s decline and accelerate recovery.
North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) meeting November 16-18 at the Islander Inn in Emerald Isle