Tag Archives: North Carolina.
Large fishing boat washes ashore in Myrtle Beach during Hurricane Ian
A large commercial fishing boat washed ashore in Myrtle Beach as Hurricane Ian rages on in the Grand Strand. The boat came ashore in the area of Williams Street. According to the Myrtle Beach Police Department, no one was onboard the boat. The city said that the Coast Guard rescued the people onboard. They are urging people to stay away from the boat and there is no reason to go near it. Video, >click to watch< 19:22
Hurricane Ian Taking Aim at the Carolinas and Georgia – Public Advisory – 800 PM EDT
At 800 PM EDT (0000 UTC), the center of Hurricane Ian was located by an Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft near latitude 29.7 North, longitude 79.4 West. Ian is moving toward the north-northeast near 10 mph (17 km/h). A turn toward the north is expected tonight, followed by a turn toward the north-northwest with an increase in forward speed Friday night. On the forecast track, Ian will approach the coast of South Carolina on Friday. The center will move farther inland across the Carolinas Friday night and Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. Ian could slightly strengthen before landfall tomorrow and is forecast to rapidly weaken over the southeastern United States late Friday into Saturday. >click to read< Graphics, >click here< 20:15
North Carolina: New quota cuts Southern flounder fishing off in one week, frustrating fishermen
Maurice Mann, a commercial fisherman, expressed his frustration. Maurice and his son Jasper Mann were geared up for a good season of flounder fishing, getting new nets and catching around 100 pounds of Eastern Carolina’s popular sea dwellers. After less than a week on the water, they found themselves thousands of dollars in the hole when their buyer told them the Division of Marine Fisheries said to reel it in. They were told the number of flounder they allowed to be caught commercially in September had already been met. Video, >click to read< 14:34
Unanimous N.C. Appeals Court Rules State Can Be Sued for Failing to Protect Fishing Rights
The decision could eventually lead to new restrictions on commercial fishing. The Appeals Court agreed to affirm a trial judge’s ruling in the case, Coastal Conservation Association v. State of N.C. The trial court had rejected the state’s attempt to have the case thrown out because of sovereign immunity. “Plaintiffs alleged the State breached this constitutional duty by ‘mismanaging North Carolina’s coastal fisheries resources.’ Specifically, Plaintiffs alleged the State has mismanaged the fisheries by ‘permitting, sanctioning, and even protecting two methods of harvesting coastal finfish and shrimp in State public waters’ — shrimp trawling and ‘unattended’ gillnetting,,, >click to read< 12:49
North Carolina: Two events set to pay tribute to fishing industry, families
Fishers, families and friends are set to gather Sunday morning for the 25th Blessing of the Fleet in Morehead City, a time set aside to honor and remember those who work and have worked in the commercial fishing industry. The Blessing of the Fleet is a nondenominational religious service that begins at 10 a.m. at the Morehead City state port and will include the “Throwing of the Wreath for Fishermen Everywhere” and a procession of fishing vessels. The service takes places during the North Carolina Seafood Festival this weekend in downtown Morehead City. In the event of inclement weather, the blessing will not take place. >click to read< 10:07
NEFMC to decide next moves on scallop license allocation leasing in Gloucester Tuesday
Scallop allocation leasing, the practice of boat owners selling days and tonnage from a fishing license to other vessel owners to harvest in restricted zones, has been at the center of debate in the Port of New Bedford since the NEFMC held two scoping meetings at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on May 11 and May 25 respectively. NEFMC invited stakeholders to attend nine meetings in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, and two webinars. According to the Council, the vast majority, 78%, of the 286 commenters (several repeated, inflating the total number to 305) spoke against the proposed allocation leasing project during the scoping process. >click to read< 14:45
Regulators to vote on controversial scallop leasing plan Tuesday – After months of heated debate between scallop fleet owners, captains and crew, fisheries regulators are set to decide on a proposal to allow leasing in New England’s lucrative scallop fishery. More than 75% of the nearly 300 people who commented during the public process said they opposed leasing — most of them captains and crew out of New Bedford, >click to read<
Norh Carolina: Commercial fishermen are not yet alarmed by court ruling
Although the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that the state can be sued for alleged failure to protect North Carolina’s fisheries, state officials and advocates for commercial fishermen are not yet alarmed. Glenn Skinner, executive director of the N.C. Fisheries Association, a trade and lobbying group for North Carolina commercial fishermen, said Tuesday it’s his understanding the appeals court verdict only rules that the CCA and its 86 individual plaintiffs have “standing,” which is the right to bring the suit. “This ruling was not based on factual evidence in the case, it just says it can move forward,” Skinner said. “We’re not shocked by this. >click to read< 13:36
Appeals court says lawsuit over trawling can move forward
A lawsuit challenging how North Carolina manages coastal fisheries can go to court, the state Court of Appeals ruled earlier this week. The three-judge appellate court unanimously affirmed Tuesday a Wake County trial judge’s 2021 ruling that denied the state’s request to dismiss the suit brought by the Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina, or CCA NC, and 86 individuals in 2020. Commercial fishermen by and large hope state Department of Justice lawyers choose to appeal to the higher court. North Carolina Fisheries Association Executive Director Glenn Skinner told Coastal Review in a telephone interview that the lawsuit could set a dangerous precedent for overregulation of industry in the state. >click to read< 09:29
Outer Banks Seafood Festival Endowment Created
The Outer Banks Community Foundation is pleased to announce that the Outer Banks Seafood Festival Endowment has been established by the Outer Banks Seafood Festival Board of Directors. The Outer Banks Seafood Festival is a nonprofit organization that promotes the positive impacts of our local seafood industry, educates people about seafood indigenous to North Carolina and the Outer Banks, and provides need-based support to the local fishing community and its members through festival proceeds. The endowed, designated fund will be maintained to support the Seafood Festival and its philanthropy. >click to read< 17:38
Richard “Ricky” Earl Dudley, of Beaufort has passed away
Richard “Ricky” Earl Dudley, 74 of Beaufort passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on August 17, 2022. Ricky was born on November 14, 1947, in Morehead City, NC to the late Elmer and Leonda Dudley. Ricky graduated from East Carteret High School, attended Carteret Community College and married his high school sweetheart, Patsy Hadder in 1969. Ricky had a love for sports and fast cars. He spent his career in commercial fishing, first working as pilot with his daddy on Menhaden boats in Mississippi and then later as a fish boat captain himself. He enjoyed spending time at Shackleford Banks with his family and loved fishing with a rod and reel. Ricky loved his family more than anything and spent his free time taking them out in the boat, playing the guitar, shooting off fireworks and playing pool at Royal James. >click to read< 18:14
North Atlantic right whales at Risk – Offshore wind farms bring a lot of unknowns
The race is on to get offshore wind farms built off the U.S. East Coast, and North Carolina is one of the leading states with three projects planned for the Tar Heel Coast, two roughly 20 miles south of Bald Head Island in Brunswick County and one, which will be built first, about 27 miles off Kitty Hawk on the Outer Banks. And they might not be the last for the state’s coastal waters. While visiting a National Governors Association event in Wilmington last month, Gov. Roy Cooper was asked if he’d support more offshore wind built off the N.C. coast. “Absolutely,” he responded emphatically. >click to read< 09:26
Commercial fisherman dies in heavy equipment accident at ENC fish market
An eastern North Carolina man died over the weekend in a heavy equipment accident at a seafood house. Pamlico County Sheriff Chris Davis said William Smith of Bayboro was killed while using a forklift to move items from boat to boat at R.E. Mayo Seafood in Hobucken. He was employed by the fish market as a commercial fisherman. Pamlico County Sheriff Chris Davis said William Smith died when a piece of equipment fell on him while he was on a forklift. Video, photos, >click to read< 10:30
Jake Griffin of Wanchese, NC: I Feel Good About the Future
“Hard to think that I’m one of the young ones in the industry,” commercial fisherman Jake Griffin laughed. “I’m thirty!” Griffin is one the young ones given that the average age of North Carolina watermen is 52 according to a 2017 study of ocean-going fishermen. Born and raised in his homeport of Wanchese, Griffin fishes all over the map, up and down the coast of North Carolina and even out of Alaska and Maine. “I’m shark fishing now,” he said. “I’ve been fishing out of Morehead City. I trailer the boat here and there, chasing what needs to be chased – sharp noses, spinners, hammers.” Griffin began commercial fishing when he was eleven. >click to read< 09:04
ENC shrimper thinking of new ways to get his product to customers amid inflation
Inflation is making it harder for fisherman to turn a profit. Now, it’s fueling them to make decision on how they sell their catch. One local boat captain has found a way he could keep more money in local fishermen’s wallets. Frankie Eubanks is a shrimp boat captain and he said it used to cost him $1,500 to fill up his boat, now it’s twice that. To battle the rise in prices, he wants to take his product straight to customers. Video, >click to read< 09:14
NC fishermen concerned about uncertain impacts of offshore wind farms
Recreational and commercial fishermen alike have a lot of questions about these projects. The main ones: how much access will fishermen have to wind farms, and how will the wind farms impact the fish? Unfortunately, information is limited because offshore wind is still new in the United States. There are currently two offshore wind farms in various planning stages off North Carolina’s coast. One is off Kitty Hawk along the Outer Banks; the other, called Wilmington East, is off Wilmington. Avangrid Renewables is developing the wind farm off Kitty Hawk. Construction there is expected to start in 2026. >click to read< 11:17
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for June 6, 2022
The MFC voted on May 26th to continue with the gill net closure in the Neuse and Pamlico rivers and directed DMF to study the impacts of removing the gill nets as their preferred management option. But this time the reason for continuing the gill net closure was different. At the meeting, Commissioner Tom Roller said; “In saying that this is an allocation fight, you are right. So, when NCFA comes here and says there is no scientific evidence for removing gill nets, what they are saying is I want my allocation. Yeah, that’s exactly what it is. So, it’s an allocation by the retention of gill nets. Cause a dead fish is a dead fish, right? A dead fish is a dead fish and you have to ask what is the greater value to the economy? And in most cases, and many cases, not all cases, it’s recreational.” I’m confused. . >click to read<. To read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 16:16
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for May 30, 2022
Finally! An issue both the CCA and NCFA agree on. Do you believe in miracles? If not, you should. On May 25, at the meeting of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission, David Sneed, Executive Director of the CCA NC, made the following statement during the public comment period. “On Southern Flounder, the recent recreational overages were the result of derby fishing brought about by insufficient management action from Amendment 2. Harvest and overage estimates that are provided by MRIP were never intended to be used to manage a fishery through a quota,,, Sound familiar? If you’re one of our regular readers it should. . >click to read<. To read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 11:51
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for May 23, 2022
Fisheries commission meeting set for Thursday, Friday in Beaufort – >click to read<
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for May 02, 2022
The “Rule of Law” is the political philosophy that all citizens are accountable for the same laws. This philosophy helped fuel the American revolution and was a key principle considered, by our founding fathers, when drafting the U.S Constitution. The Rule of Law ensures, that in a true democracy, the powerful, wealthy, or majority can’t use the law to oppress or control the minority. When it comes to regulating our coastal fisheries both the government and our state seem to struggle with this relatively simple concept. Simply put, it doesn’t matter whether you fish for food, profit, or pleasure, your impacts are similar and therefore you must be treated similarly under the law! Perhaps it’s time for another revolution! >click to read< to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 18:43
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for April 25, 2022
Is North Carolina allowing fishermen to circumvent the Endangered Species Act? On April 6, 2022, the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of North Carolina sent out an email with so much disinformation I can’t even begin to address it all in one article. The email contained many of the same half-truths and outright lies we’ve been exposing over the last few months but one, above all, really rubbed me the wrong way. The CCA claimed that the “use of gill nets continues in North Carolina waters because the state holds two permits on behalf of commercial fishermen that allow them to circumvent the Endangered Species Act protections and kill or harm endangered sea turtles and sturgeon.” Circumvent. Really? >click to read the WeeklyUpdate<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 08:58
DMF resuming onboard observer program for estuarine gill net fishing May 1
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries announced Thursday, April 20 it will resume onboard observations of estuarine gill net fisheries beginning May 1. Onboard observations will be the primary method of observing the fisheries, with limited use of alternative platform observations primarily conducted by Marine Patrol officers. “The decision to resume onboard observations as the primary observation method is based on improved COVID-19 indicators,” Fishermen are reminded that an estuarine gill net permit is required to use anchored gill nets, both large-mesh and small-mesh, in estuarine waters for either commercial or recreational fishing. One of the conditions of the EGNP is to allow division staff to observe gill net operations. >click to read< 11:35
Be careful What you wish for … especially in fisheries management
I attended the NCMFC meeting on 2/23-2/25. The first evening was public comment. The majority of the speakers were CCA members, guides and individuals, who basically repeated the same script that was obviously authored by someone else and read over and over.,, In all my years as a recreational angler living in eastern NC. I have NEVER, and I mean NEVER, seen the hate and disgust shown by a select group of anglers pushing the rhetoric of the CCA and other groups against commercial fishing. I do not believe this is the average angler, but a group of self-centered, agenda driven, individuals, who stand to gain politically and monetarily from the closing of commercial fishing. I get asked all the time how can I champion a sector that has gill nets and trawls? I don’t think of it that way. by Easton Edwards, >click to read< 09:08
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for April 11, 2022
A recent study conducted by researchers at LSU shows that Southern Flounder Stocks have declined throughout their entire range from North Carolina to Texas. The study was triggered by dramatic declines in the number of Southern Flounder in Louisiana waters. In 2017, Louisiana’s recreational Southern Flounder harvest declined to a mere 124,000 pounds, down from a high of 624,000 pounds in 2013. The findings of the LSU study fly directly in the face of claims made by the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of NC and the NC Wildlife Federation (NCWF), who suggests that decline of Southern Flounder is solely a NC issue caused by commercial fishing, specifically gillnetting. >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here<
North Carolina: Offshore wind turbines interfere with ships’ radar, ability to navigate
Gov. Roy Cooper and the Biden Administration want to make North Carolina carbon neutral by 2050, and President Biden’s ambitious plans to combat climate change lean heavily on offshore wind generation. The turbines could be a problem for fishermen. North Carolina’s fishing industry has largely been cautious in criticizing the wind turbines, saying it wants to wait for more information. “Demolition derby on the high seas thanks to offshore industrial wind turbines? Amy Cooke asked. “Add maritime navigation and radar challenges to the long list of reasons, including high cost, unreliability, environmental damage and misleading nameplate capacity, as to why offshore industrial wind is absolutely horrible public policy.”>click to read< 11:13
North Carolina Sports target commercial fisheries – example #3 in 2022
Partial Bogue Sound shrimp trawling ban will have impacts on watermen, economy
Mike Norman, who owns a 35-foot boat and sells shrimp at Norman’s Shrimp in Salter Path, mostly in the summer, said the partial Bogue Sound shrimp trawling ban will have a significant impact, and he believes it’s just the beginning. “They (sports fishermen) got Bogue Sound this year and I guarantee you that in the next couple of years, they’ll get Core Sound and Straits and Adams Creek,” he said. “I’ve been doing this since I was 16 and I’m 61 now. My brother told me the other day I’m going to have to get a job. But that’s hard for a commercial fisherman.” >click to read< 17:58
Protestors gather outside NCDMF Monday to oppose new flounder, shrimp rules
The Coastal Conservation Association’s North Carolina chapter organized the protest Monday. About 33 participants stood out front of the division building on Arendell Street, holding up signs with messages expressing their displeasure with recent actions the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission took in regards to the management of the southern flounder and shrimp fisheries. Some passing motorists honked their horns in response to the protest. The association is a recreational fishing nonprofit dedicated to coastal environment conservation. CCA-NC Carteret County chapter president Van Parrish was leading the protest Monday. >click to read< 16:04
N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission approves shrimping amendment plan
Shrimpers will not be allowed to trawl in the crab sanctuaries, Bogue Sound or the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin, now that the state shrimp fishery management plan has been amended. The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission gave final approval Feb. 25 to the Shrimp FMP Amendment 2 at its regular business meeting in New Bern. The amendment sparked strong opposition from commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and the general public early in its development when it proposed widespread shrimp trawl closures. In response, the commission chose fewer area closures than first proposed. >click to read< 15:23
NCMFC adopts Southern Flounder management options, delay allocation changes, finalizes shrimp management
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission this week adopted a new schedule for changes to sector allocations for allowable harvest under Amendment 3 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan. Otherwise, the commission adopted the Division of Marine Fisheries’ recommendations as its preferred management options for the draft amendment. The division’s recommendations did not include the option to phase out gill nets, and it was not selected as a preferred management option by the commission. >click to read< 10:03
North Carolina: Decision on gill nets delayed, officials say more information is needed
No decision was made Thursday by the Marine Fisheries Commission on whether or not large mesh gill nets will be allowed in North Carolina. The decision was delayed because board members said they want more information. Commissioners are torn about two things, if these nets should be used above ferry lines and whether they should be phased out of southern flounder fishing. For many fishermen like Jerry Schill, commercial fishing with large mesh gill nets have been a way of life. He doesn’t want them to be banned. Video, >click to read< 08:41
