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North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update September 12, 2022
Below is a call to action sent out by David Sneed, Executive Director of the Coastal Conservation Association of NC (CCA), asking anglers to attend next weeks meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and oppose proposed measures to rebuild the overfished Red Snapper stock. The measures opposed by the CCA, time and area fishing closures and the implementation of a federal reef fish permit, are meant to reduce mortality and improve the understanding of recreational effort in the Red Snapper fishery, which the most recent assessment suggests is overfished with overfishing occurring.
CALL TO ACTION
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council meets next week in Charleston and two items on the agenda are of particular significance to offshore anglers. In Snapper Grouper Fishery Regulatory Amendment 35, NOAA Fisheries is attempting to force massive time and area closures that would result in severe, negative economic and cultural impacts to recreational fishing, boating, and coastal communities in the South Atlantic in order to prevent red snapper mortality even as bycatch. While the red snapper population is now regarded as abundant as it has ever been in modern times, NOAA Fisheries is insisting that more severe restrictions are necessary to rebuild the population to a fully recovered status. According to NOAA Fisheries, that status cannot be bestowed until older fish – 30, 40 and even 50 years old – are present in the population, which means these severe restrictions could be in place for decades.
Coastal Conservation Association has urged caution during the recovery of red snapper from historic lows, but is objecting to the massive closures as completely misguided in the face of a booming red snapper population. Among the many objections to the current proposal:
1. An independent assessment of the red snapper population is now underway – CCA is urging the Council to delay any decisions until the results of that assessment are known and verified. A similar assessment in the Gulf of Mexico produced a completely new understanding of the red snapper population there.
2. Recreational discard data is perhaps the least reliable in the entire management system, relying solely on angler recall and interpretation. New data collection systems – designed and managed by the states – are desperately needed for more timely and accurate estimates.
3. Federal fisheries management must be reformed to address the absurdity of a stock being declared above historic abundance, yet still being classified as overfished and undergoing overfishing, and therefore subject to wildly inappropriate regulations.
The other related item up for discussion next week is Snapper Grouper Amendment 46, which is exploring implementation of a federal reef fish permit. CCA has long supported better data and efforts to define the universe of anglers for improved management. As noted above, there is a critical need for more accurate and timely estimates of the recreational catch and discards. However, NOAA Fisheries track record of recreational management is exceptionally poor.
If a mechanism is needed to improve recreational data in the South Atlantic, CCA is urging South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia to join Florida in creating state-based systems to provide more timely and accurate data for management of the recreational sector. Nothing in NOAA Fisheries management history of the recreational sector indicates a federal permit will produce the desired results or be used entirely as originally intended. Given recent comments from federal managers, CCA is concerned such a permit in federal hands will eventually be proposed to limit entry in the recreational fishery.
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is meeting Sept. 12-16 at the Town & Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway Charleston, South Carolina. The public can make comments to the Council at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14. The public may also submit online comments HERE.
In the CCA’s call to action, Sneed states “NOAA Fisheries is attempting to force massive time and area closures that would result in severe, negative economic and cultural impacts to recreational fishing, boating, and coastal communities in the South Atlantic in order to prevent red snapper mortality, even as bycatch.”
Even as bycatch! Really?
For decades now, the CCA has done their best to turn “bycatch” into a four-letter word, especially commercial bycatch.
They’ve used the term “bycatch” to justify their failed attempts to enact net bans and gamefish bills! They’ve used the term “bycatch” to justify banning shrimp trawling in North Carolina! They’ve used the term “bycatch” to justify almost every current restriction on commercial fishermen and commercial fishing gear! They’ve used the term “bycatch” to justify their constant support for draconian harvest reductions for both the commercial and recreational sectors! They’ve used the term bycatch to divide the recreational and commercial communities, turning neighbor against neighbor!
But now they have the nerve to say “even as bycatch” as if the CCA has no concerns at all over bycatch.
Why?
The truth is, the CCA uses terms like overfished, overfishing, cryptic mortality, overharvest, and bycatch to push for reduced harvest for both commercial fishermen and recreational anglers because it benefits them not the resource.
Need proof? Well, here it is!
In the late 90’s the CCA pushed for strict recreational and commercial restrictions in the Red Drum fishery which led to the current, 18–27-inch slot limit, 250,000 lb. annual commercial harvest cap, gill net attendance requirements, and 1 fish daily recreational bag limit. Over two decades later, these restrictions remain in place mostly due to a lack of data, not lack of fish. But rather than push for better data collection or discourage anglers from targeting these fish until the stock is deemed recovered, the CCA encourages anglers to target Red Drum, even the spawning stock, going so far as to hold fishing tournaments for this supposedly imperiled stock.
The CCA took a similar position on the management of Striped Bass where they supported strict harvest reductions, even a 10-year harvest moratorium, but opposed area or seasonal closures to prevent the targeting of Striped Bass on their spawning grounds. Once again, the CCA encourages anglers to target an “overfished”, stock, even on the spawning grounds, and holds fishing tournaments targeting Striped Bass despite the fact that recreational dead discards have become one of the dominant sources of Striped Bass mortality.
CCA NC Inside/Out Catch and Release Fishing Tournament | iAnglerTournament
The same strategy was used, by the CCA, in the Southern Flounder fishery where they pushed for, and received, a 72% harvest reduction resulting in a harvest quota for both the recreational and commercial sectors based on total removals (harvest and dead discards), paybacks for quota overages, short harvest seasons and a 1 flounder daily recreational bag limit.
While many anglers patiently wait for the flounder harvest season to open, others, encouraged by the CCA, target Southern Flounder outside of the harvest season, participating in the CCA’s catch and release tournament, increasing dead discards which count against the already low recreational quota!
CCA NC 2022 Inshore Open | iAnglerTournament
Holding fishing tournaments for “overfished” species, targeting the spawning stock, and increasing waste through increased recreational dead discards doesn’t sound like “conservation” does it?
The truth is, the CCA only supports the “conservative” approach when it results in a direct reduction in harvest and increased access/allocation for themselves, the catch and release sector.
Still not sure? Let’s take a look at Red Snapper.
The CCA seems to have no issue with a 2-to-3 day recreational harvest season and 1 fish daily bag limit for Red Snapper but opposes time and area closures to decrease “bycatch” removals in the form of dead discards. According to NOAA Fisheries data, in the 5-year time period from 2015-2019 91,300 Red Snapper were removed through recreational harvest and 2,803,280 Red Snapper died as a result of recreational dead discards.
That’s right, waste, or recreational dead discards of Red Snapper exceed recreational harvest by more than 30x, but the CCA is willing to jeopardize all recreational harvest and the stocks potential to fully recover just to protect their ability to catch and release fish.
What a privileged group they must be to proclaim a memory is more valuable than a meal!
The CCA argues that “recreational discard data is perhaps the least reliable in the entire management system, relying solely on angler recall and interpretation.”
Of course, the same could be said for all of the fisheries mentioned above, but it never was, at least not by the CCA. When recreational discard data, as unreliable as it certainly is, is used to reduce harvest the CCA quickly becomes a champion of the resource, demanding that managers ignore the economic consequences and manage solely for the resource.
But, when the shoes on the other foot and catch and release access is threatened, they shift from conservationist to capitalist begging managers to consider the “severe, negative economic and cultural impacts to recreational fishing, boating, and coastal communities.”
The sad truth is, the CCA speak for themselves not the resource and while their message seeks to hide this truth their actions clearly expose their true agenda. Another sad truth, is fisheries managers across this country have, for the most part, ignored the impacts of “sport fishing” and the countless millions of dead and wasted fish that have fallen victim to the catch and release “conservation strategy.”
Now let me be clear, I’m not opposed to catch and release fishing, fishing for personal consumption or commercial fishing, they all have their place. That said, the law requires fair and equitable management of our fisheries and that cannot be accomplished until all sources of mortality, even catch and release mortality, are addressed and all stakeholders feel the sting of management, not just those who harvest fish.
Until managers reject this modern concept of “conservation” and address the impacts of recreational discard mortality the concepts of sustainable fisheries and fair and equitable management are nothing more than a farce.
The CCA’s strategy reduces harvest, increases mortality and waste, slows or even prevents rebuilding, and assures unprecedented and unlimited access to the privileged few who fish solely for fun, not food.
Once again, rules for thee, not for me!
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update August 29, 2022
At the August Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) meeting, Amendment 2 to the Striped Bass FMP and the unjustified net ban in the upper Neuse and Pamlico Rivers was on the agenda once again. Amendment 2 was up for final approval by the MFC, which we strongly opposed as long as the continuation of the net ban in the upper Neuse and Pamlico Rivers is incorporated into the Amendment. The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of NC, on the other hand, seemed to support the final approval of Amendment 2, only if the net ban remains part of the FMP. Surprised? Probably not, after all for decades the CCA has pushed for a net ban and, for decades, the NCFA has opposed this extreme agenda, making the gill net debate a constant source of friction at virtually every fisheries meeting. Another constant through the years has been the CCAs willingness to misinform and misuse data to support their agenda and the August MFC meeting was no exception. >click to continue reading< 18:49
“Rachels and Ricks”, Valid Study or CCA Tricks?
At the August Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) meeting, Amendment 2 to the Striped Bass FMP and the unjustified net ban in the upper Neuse and Pamlico Rivers was on the agenda once again. Amendment 2 was up for final approval by the MFC, which we strongly opposed as long as the continuation of the net ban in the upper Neuse and Pamlico Rivers is incorporated into the Amendment.
The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of NC, on the other hand, seemed to support the final approval of Amendment 2, only if the net ban remains part of the FMP.
Surprised?
Probably not, after all for decades the CCA has pushed for a net ban and, for decades, the NCFA has opposed this extreme agenda, making the gill net debate a constant source of friction at virtually every fisheries meeting. Another constant through the years has been the CCAs willingness to misinform and misuse data to support their agenda and the August MFC meeting was no exception.
During the public comment period, CCA supporters pointed to the increased commercial harvest of two species, Speckled Trout and Striped Mullet, as proof that commercial fishermen weren’t negatively impacted by the net ban and as proof that the ban is working.
Speckled Trout and Striped Mullet?
Supposedly the net bans were implemented to protect Striped Bass but with no data to suggest that the overall abundance of Stripers has increased, the CCA was forced to look at the harvest of other species in these rivers to attempt to justify the continuation of their precious net ban. Admittedly, I haven’t looked at commercial landings for these species in the Neuse and Pamlico Rivers to verify or disprove their claims because it’s irrelevant.
The truth is, without looking at data outside of these river systems you can’t determine whether the increased landings were attributed to the net ban or simply an increase in overall abundance across the state. Simply put, if landings of Speckled Trout and/or Striped Mullet increased in other waterbodies or statewide it can’t be the result of a net ban in the upper Neuse and Pamlico Rivers.
Of course, when you’re grasping for straws, you’ll grab onto anything to keep you afloat, no matter how insignificant it really is, and that’s what the CCA is doing. As former DMF Director, Steve Murphey, and former DEQ Secretary, Michael Regan, pointed out, the science doesn’t support this net ban but the CCA still, more than three years later, attempts to misuse the science to support their extreme agenda.
CCA representative on the Commission, Commissioner Tom Roller, also joined in on the deception by reading from the NCWRC “Rachels and Ricks” study in an attempt to prove gill nets are the most significant source of mortality for Striped Bass in the Central management area. Mr. Roller’s comment triggered a response from DMF Striped Bass biologist Charleton Godwin, who explained that the Rachels and Ricks study only included commercial gill net removals, as a source of fishing mortality, and that when DMF included recreational removals they were as significant a source of mortality as were gill nets.
In other words, if the WRC only looks at natural mortality and commercial fishing mortality, the computer model has no choice but attribute all unexplained or “cryptic mortality” to the gill net fishery.
As Commissioner Roller read on the record, the Rachels and Ricks study “suggests that the commercial multispecies gill net fishery imparts substantial mortality even when the Striped Bass harvest season is closed.”
That’s right, the study “suggests”, not shows, verifies, proves, or any other term that would imply that these findings were concrete or undeniable!
Mr. Roller conveniently failed to read the very next line in the study which states:
“The reason for this mortality is obscure, but may be attributable to dead discard mortality, over quota and high grading mortality; avoidance, predation, and drop-out, mortality; or unreported, misreported, and illegal harvest.”
“Obscure”, means unknown, which explains the laundry list of factors they listed that “may” be responsible for this “obscure” mortality.
Of course, if the WRC had have included recreational removals and trips the model would have known that a recreational fishery actually exists, and this unexplained mortality may not have been so “obscure”.
The sad thing is that the limitations of the “Rachels and Ricks” study are old news! They’ve been pointed out, for years now, by the NCFA and DMF staff and are noted in the study itself by the authors.
So, why would the CCA continue to present this study as scientific justification for their net ban?
For two simple reasons.
First, flawed or not, this is the only data that even “suggests” that their gill net ban is justified. Second, the CCA will stop at nothing to fulfill their agenda and disregarding morals, truth, and science is just another day at the office for them!
In my mind, the Rachels and Ricks study has raised more questions than answers and the most important question is this.
How can stakeholders have any faith in scientific studies or stock assessments knowing that the intentional exclusion of relevant data or simply a lack of sufficient data can result in such a biased conclusion?
Ever wonder why the data doesn’t match what you’re seeing on the water?
Me too!
Now I’m wondering if it’s intentional or just a lack of data!
Glenn Skinner
NCFA- Executive Director
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for 08/01/2022
If you’re a regular reader of the NCFA’s weekly newsletter, you’ve seen many articles lately pointing out the dis-information being distributed by the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of North Carolina. Unfortunately, they make it very easy to find a new subject to write about each week, so in fact, I bet almost anyone can do it. Even you! So, that said, let’s see if our readers have learned anything over the last couple of months. I challenge everyone who reads this to go to the CCA NC website, click on “Advocacy” and read the following position papers. >click to read<, To read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 12:56
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for 08/01/2022
If you’re a regular reader of the NCFA’s weekly newsletter, you’ve seen many articles lately pointing out the dis-information being distributed by the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of North Carolina. Unfortunately, they make it very easy to find a new subject to write about each week, so in fact, I bet almost anyone can do it.
Even you!
So, that said, let’s see if our readers have learned anything over the last couple of months. I challenge everyone who reads this to go to the CCA NC
website, click on “Advocacy” and read the following position papers.
• Striped Bass IN the CSMA
• Inshore Shrimp Trawling
• Hidden Cost of Gill nets
• Striped Bass Letter by Chris Elkins
See how many misleading statements, half-truths, and outright lies you can find in each position paper and let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or by sending us an email. I’m curious to see how many of you care enough about North Carolina’s fishing families and fresh local seafood to take the time to read this “stuff” and help the NCFA set the record straight.
Don’t let me down!
Take the time to educate yourself, educate your neighbors, and champion the truth!
Glenn Skinner, NCFA Executive Director
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for July 18, 2022
Does CPR Work on Fish? The Coastal Conservation Association Seems to Think SO! – After reading this title you’re probably envisioning a forty-pound Red Drum lying on the deck of a boat, straddled by an angler, receiving mouth to mouth followed by a round of rapid chest compressions, but that’s not the CPR I’m referring to. The CPR I’m talking about is the Coastal Conservation Association’s (CCA) Catch, Photo, and Release (CPR) Initiative. In Coastal States across the Country, including North Carolina, the CCA is holding CPR fishing tournaments where anglers can win big prizes for catching, photographing, and releasing numerous species of coastal finfish. The rules are simple, pay your entry fee, receive your wristband, catch a qualifying species of fish, photograph the fish lying on a ruler with your wristband visible, release the fish, and the longest fish or combination of fish wins. And of course, you have to be a CCA member to win! >click to read, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 11:15
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for July 11, 2022
We cannot emphasize enough how important it is for commercial fishermen and others associated with the seafood industry to take an active interest in the November general election. Find out who the candidates are and where they stand on the issues that are important to you. If you need to know who is on the ballot this November for the NC Senate and House in your district, let us know and we’ll get that information to you. Candidates need your support by your vote and financially. >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 09:26
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 23, 2022 – 1
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for May 16, 2022
NCWF…Sounds a lot like the CCA’s approach to messaging. Doesn’t it? A couple of weeks ago I had a call from a friend who is not a fisherman, recreational or commercial, but has taken an interest in fisheries management. He reached out to ask me about the North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF), as he had seen them mentioned in several of our weekly newsletters but was having trouble finding their fisheries positions on the NCWF website. >click to read<. To read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 09:41
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
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 Fisheries Association Weekly Update for April 04, 2022
Over the last couple of months, many NC anglers have reached out to the NCFA seeking to get a better understanding of what’s really going on in the world of fisheries management here in North Carolina. That said, there have been several anglers who have questioned our assessment of the CCA’s true agenda, which in our opinion is to reduce or even eliminate harvest of wild fish stocks in both the commercial and recreational sectors. I had an angler from Pamlico County tell me that the CCA had assured him that once the nets were gone recreational bag limits for Red Drum, Southern Flounder, and Speckled Trout would increase and nothing I write could convince him otherwise. This got me thinking that maybe he and other anglers would be more receptive to the truth if someone else wrote it. >click to read the attached article< 16:40
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for March 21, 2022
Last week, on March 15,16, and 17th, the Northern Regional, Southern Regional, and Finfish Advisory Committees met to make recommendations, for the Marine Fisheries Commission to consider, on Amendment 2 to the Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan! There was very little public comment, about a half dozen each night, with the NCFA being the only fisheries group offering comments. We focused on a single issue, allowing the use of gillnets above the ferry lines in the Neuse and Pamlico Rivers, which the MFC chose to remove from the draft Amendment before allowing public or AC input. >click to read the update< 13:24
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Newsletter/Update
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REMINDER: Division of Marine Fisheries opens public comment, schedules listening session and advisory committee meetings
on Estuarine Striped Bass Plan Amendment
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for February 21, 2022
If you’ve sat through as many Marine fisheries commission and Advisory Committee meetings as I have, then you’ve certainly heard “we’ve failed to rebuild the Southern Flounder stock.” But is it true? Continue reading at the update. >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 09:26
North Carolina Fisheries Association
February 14, 2022 – In last weeks newsletter I mentioned a call I received from a local angler and a comment he made during our conversation. The gentleman seemed to shrug off the fact that the NC Wildlife Federation has been lying about Southern Flounder management and told me I couldn’t deny the fact that we’ve failed to rebuild the southern flounder stock or that if we had let them all spawn once we’d all get what we want, which is to harvest more fish.
I took this statement as a personal challenge as I believe both claims are absurd and easy to dispute
So, let’s give it a try!
Let’s start with the “let em spawn” theory. The theory behind the let em spawn approach, to managing fisheries, is to raise the minimum size limit to the point that the majority of the female fish, of a particular species, are sexually mature before being harvested. In theory, this allows the majority of females to spawn, at least once, and provide more fish for everybody. Both the CCA and NC Wildlife Federation champion the let em spawn approach and claim that, letting em spawn will benefit both commercial fisherman and anglers. As you might imagine, I have a much different take on the
issue.
In my opinion, let em spawn, and every other initiative supported by the CCA and NCWF, has one goal in mind and does nothing to benefit commercial fishermen or most recreational anglers. That goal is to practically eliminate the harvest of many coastal fish species for both the commercial and recreational sectors.
For most coastal species of fish, like southern flounder, the females grow to be much larger than their male counterparts. By raising the minimum size limit, to the size where the majority of females are mature, you not only reduce the harvest of juvenile fish, you also virtually eliminate the harvest of males. Meaning, primarily females are harvested, the majority of which are sexually mature.
Is this a conservation strategy or a population control measure?
To make matters worse, there’s no guarantee that these, larger mature, females have spawned, even once, prior to being harvested. Southern Flounder grow rapidly during the warm summer months before leaving the estuaries and migrating to the ocean to spawn, in the fall and early winter. The peak fishing harvest occurs in the late summer and early fall, after these fish have reached or exceeded the minimum size limit but prior to spawning.
It’s also important to remember that these older mature females make up a very small part of a healthy fish stock. Imagine a healthy stock as a pyramid, with the largest section at the bottom being the more abundant juveniles, the smaller section in the middle being sub-adults and first-time spawners, and the little piece at the peak being older more productive spawners.
As the minimum size limit is increased it moves higher up the pyramid decreasing the number of fish that are available to be harvested. Simply put as the minimum size limit increases you focus harvest on the most productive, yet least abundant age classes. Under this type of management strategy there’s only two possible outcomes, you either limit harvest to a very, very, low level or maintain harvest levels until you remove most of the older productive females, truncating the age structure and triggering management, eventually limiting harvest to a very, very low level!
On the other hand, you could decrease the minimum size limit or implement a slot limit, shifting harvest to the more abundant smaller fish while protecting the larger more productive females, which have the spawning potential to replace the smaller fish harvested each year.
This type of management strategy has the potential to increase the number of fish that can be harvested annually and the stocks ability to replace those fish, the definition of sustainable harvest. Some of you are probably thinking, I thought the CCA and NCWF support a slot limit for southern flounder, and they do, now.
Until recently, both the CCA and Wildlife Federation supported raising the minimum size limit to 18 inches, but then changed their position to support a slot limit of 12 to 18 inches for southern flounder.
But why, the sudden change of position?
The truth is neither group supported a slot limit until the DMF made it known that they intended to recommend a quota, in the Southern Flounder fishery, based on pounds of total removals, for both sectors, with overage paybacks required. While a slot limit, on its own, could increase the number of fish harvested, a slot limit paired with this type of quota could completely eliminate harvest all together!
Again, the problem isn’t the slot limit it’s the quota based on pounds of total removals and the payback of overages. Total removals in pounds are the pounds of flounder harvested combined with the pounds of flounder that die as a result of being caught and released, or dead discards.
By decreasing the minimum size limit to 12 inches and setting the maximum size limit at 18 inches they hope to decrease the number of small fish being discarded and increase the number and weight, of larger fish being released. This will inevitably increase the average weight of discarded flounder and subsequent dead discards.
Currently the recreational sector kills and estimated 180,000 flounder annually, through dead discards in the hook and line fishery. If the average weight of those fish were to increase to just 1.48 pounds those dead discards alone would account for the entire recreational quota at a 50% / 50% recreational/ commercial allocation, completely eliminating recreational harvest.
How many fish over 18 inches do you have to release to increase the average weight to 1.48 pounds?
In 2021 the recreational sector harvested 625,000 pounds of flounder, more than double what their allocation would be at a 50% / 50% split. These fish were harvested in just 2 weeks with a 15-inch size limit and 4 fish bag limit.
How much would the season and bag limit have to be decreased if House Bill 894, supported by the CCA and NCWF, had been approved by the NC General Assembly?
That’s right, you wouldn’t have a harvest season or bag limit if they have their way!
Just like with the “let em spawn” approach the ultimate goal is to eliminate harvest and not just commercial harvest. To add insult to injury, while anglers, commercial fishermen, and consumers are forced to sacrifice in the name of “rebuilding”, the CCA is holding virtual, catch, photo, and release tournaments for flounder, encouraging anglers to target these fish outside of the harvest season. In these tournaments, CCA members only, can win prizes for their largest flounder, just by taking a picture of the flounder lying on a measuring tape.
How long do you have to keep a flounder out of the water before it calms down enough to stop flopping around and pose for a picture on a measuring tape? How much does this increase discard mortality rates?
It’s all I can do to hold one down long enough to measure it, much less let it go and take a picture!
All about the resource, conservation, and increased recreational access? I’m calling BS on all of the above!
How about you?
Next week, have we failed to rebuild the Southern Flounder stock?
As always, we’re counting on you to spread the word!
Glenn Skinner
NCFA- Executive Director
LINK TO H894 BELOW
UPDATE for 2.14.2022
GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The General Assembly will meet this week on Wednesday & Thursday to address the redistricting issue. That is the only issue they are expected to discuss and vote on.
FEDERAL:
Representative Greg Murphy, R-NC3, has co-signed HR 3897: H2B Returning Worker Exception Act of 2021 on February 7th. Representative Deborah Ross, D-NC2, signed on February 9th. Representative David Rouzer, RNC7, signed on last October/
We appreciate those three who have signed on to this important legislation.
God bless,
Jerry
NCFA UPDATE: 02/14/2022
NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION
“Serving the Commercial Fishing Families of North Carolina since 1952”
PO Box 86; Morehead City, NC 28557
Phone: (252) 726-NCFA (6232)
Fax: (252) 726-6200
www.ncfish.org
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for February 07, 2022
Over the last few weeks, I’ve had quite a few calls regarding the information we’ve shared about the disinformation surrounding the management of Southern Flounder. After last week’s newsletter, I received a call from a gentleman who was obviously an avid supporter of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation and Coastal Conservation Association. The caller, a recreational angler, was concerned with my articles because he felt I was blaming anglers for “overfishing” the Sothern Flounder stock. Continue reading at the update. >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 08:50
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for February 07, 2022
UPDATE for 2.7.2022
GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The NC Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the newly drawn districts by the General Assembly are not constitutional. The vote was 4-3 along partisan lines. The legislators will now need to convene and redraw Congressional, state Senate and House districts. The General Assembly will convene soon, probably next week, to begin to address the court’s ruling and take another look at the districts. The North Carolina primaries are currently slated for May. As noted last week, the GA voted to move the primaries to June but Governor Cooper vetoed the bill.
God bless,
Jerry
NCFA ANNUAL MEETING WILL BE HELD FEBRUARY 28 (IN PERSON/AND VIA ZOOM)
11 AM- 2:00 PM
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Washington 2090 W 15th St,
Washington, NC 27889
IT’S IMPORTANT THAT ALL MEMBERS TRY TO ATTEND OR ASSIGN PROXIES TO ATTENDING MEMBERS, AS IT
TAKES A MINIMUM OF 50, EITHER IN ATTENDANCE OR BY PROXY, TO CONDUCT BUSINESS. THIS IS THE ONE
AND ONLY MEETING A YEAR WHERE ALL MEMBERS INCLUDING HALF PERCENTERS, CAN VOTE ON ISSUES AND
GIVE DIRECTION FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
EMAIL PROXIES TO: [email protected]
Zoom registration link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqceCrqjwuEtNbIoKwoCKkTTHeu93flSG7
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for January 31, 2022
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been taking a close look at a few, of the many, false claims, regarding the management of the southern flounder fishery, made by the NC Wildlife Federation. This week we’ll be looking at one of the most audacious statements they’ve made to date. The Wildlife Federation claims that “Amendment 2 is the first known effort to effectively reduce harvest in the commercial southern flounder fishery in history. Continue reading at the update. >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 10:03
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for January 24, 2022
I hope everyone took the time to read the “Saga of Southern Flounder” article, from the North Carolina Wildlife Federation. If not please click the link below and read it for yourself before continuing to read my comments. After reading the Wildlife Federations article, I’m sure you were shocked by their strong claims of (mis)” management” bias towards the commercial fishery, failed commercial management, and harsh recreational reductions. Continue reading at the update. >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 09:25
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for January 17, 2022
The issue of Southern Flounder management, or mismanagement as some have claimed, has been a hot topic lately. Claims that commercial overharvest, imminent stock collapse, failed commercial harvest reductions, and inaction by the state are to blame for declining catches of Southern flounder are rampant. But are they true? If you asked the CCA or NC Wildlife Federation the answer would be yes but if you asked me, I’d say their claims are absurd and not supported, by the numbers. Continue reading at the update. >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 10:33
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for January10, 2022
What the Wildlife Federation isn’t telling you about shrimp trawling in NC! Like the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), the North Carolina Wildlife Federation has very strong opinions about commercial fishing, especially the use of gill nets and shrimp trawls to harvest seafood. They consistently provide their perspective on these issues to the public, and as I pointed out last week, they specialize in playing it fast and loose with the facts. I’ll certainly be providing you with more examples of the deception in the coming weeks. (continues) >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 09:31
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for December 10, 2021
Legislative updates, Bill updates, Calendar, >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 08:03
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for December 3, 2021
Shocked or Not, You Should Be Disgusted! Prior to the November MFC meeting, when the draft Shrimp FMP would be voted on, the following post was made by ” Rick S ” on social media.,, Legislative updates, Bill updates, Calendar, >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 09:43
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly & Special Update for November 12, 2021
Legislative updates, Bill updates, Calendar, >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 08:06