State law has changed and a Standard Commercial Fishing License with a shellfish endorsement now is required to mechanically harvest shellfish, according to N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. A Commercial Shellfish License now only covers hand-harvest methods. more@jdnews 17:03
NILS STOLPE: The New England groundfish debacle (Part IV): Is cutting back harvest really the answer?
While it’s a fact that’s hardly ever acknowledged, the assumption in fisheries management is that if the population of a stock of fish isn’t at some arbitrary level, it’s because of too much fishing. Hence the term “overfished.” Hence the mandated knee jerk reaction of the fisheries managers to not enough fish; cut back on fishing. What of other factors? They don’t count. It’s all about fishing, because fishing is all that the managers can control; it’s their Maslow’s Hammer. When it comes to the oceans it seems as if it’s about all that the industry connected mega-foundations that support the anti-fishing ENGOs with hundreds of millions of dollars a year in “donations” are interested in controlling. Read the article here
I spoke with the Director of the NC Marine Fisheries about how this regulation will impact the smaller oyster men.
Toss out all the small talk & political bullshit…
These are the Facts:
“The Large Shellfish Dredging Boats helped put this regulation on the table so that smaller boats can’t afford to play in the game.”
NC Commercial Fishing license cost $2500-$3000
Annual Fee of $200
NC Shell Fishing License cost $35 Annual.
(Its a Win, Win for the NC Fisheries and the Big Boats because the Fisheries get higher fee’s if the small boats want to continue playing in the game “mechanical harvesting” and the big boats no longer have to buy individual shellfish licenses for cheap labor)
Its already an expensive operation for the equipment.
If you’ve ever seen how these dredging operations work and the traffic involved… You would understand the kind of hostility the larger boats have towards smaller vessels when the mechanical harvest season opens.
You see this same kind of hostility also in the sports fishing industry when smaller competition maneuvers around larger sports fishing vessels.
What does the future hold for small commercial fisherman in NC?
You will eventually have to work at poverty wages for a Large Fishing Operation if you want to remain a commercial fisherman.
Its the same old story.. different industry.
Snuff out the Small Business.
“Big Brother gets greedy and wants more money (Licenses, fees, taxes) and Partners with Big Businesses to push out competition so they can both control the supply and revenue.
Eventually the domestic industry collapses because of greed & the market has to rely on cheap foreign labor/products to fill the demand.
Big Brother keeps increasing fee’s to keep out competition.
Big Business gets to pay poverty wages and shares the profit with Big Brother.
Its not the NC Marine Fisheries which is the Bad Guy here.
Its the “Good Old Boys” in the NC General Assembly.. and their brothers, cousins, and family members wanting “Business Favors” to pass regulations which specifically hurts competition.
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NC REGULATORY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
(How Business is Done in North Carolina)
A competitor just opened a store across the street…
“We are losing customers!”
“Call your cousin Bubba in the NC General Assembly!”
“We need a new regulation!”
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Heads up: If you hold a nc commercial fishing license and want to continue operating in this business be prepared for an expensive quota system. The entire national fisheries industry is being consolidation due to international treaties (Sustainable development).
My opinion it will be too expensive to operate in certain sectors of the industry. Anything to do with the *Public Trust* is High Risk.
It would be best to find small specialty niches on private property with patented “privately owned” products. (Patents are the only way to get some protection for your livestock, crops, seafood, etc)
Yes it’s sad.. but that is the way it is.
Mark A. Bartholomew, Managing Director
Newport River Company
http://www.newportriver.com