Topics Related to Marine Fisheries

The recreational black sea bass fishing season will open Feb. 1 in federal and North Carolina waters north of Cape Hatteras.
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Standard Commercial Fishing License Eligibility Board will meet by teleconference at 10:30 a.m. March 26.
 
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Carteret County on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office, 5285 U.S. 70 West, Morehead City.

Matthew Graci has applied for a 0.699-acre shellfish bottom and water column lease in The Straits.

Sandbar Oyster Company, LLC (David Cessna, agent) has applied for a 2.35-acre bottom lease below the bridge in North River.

Matthew Gruenewald and James Kyle Frey have applied for a 3.83-acres water column lease in mid-Newport River.
The N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Funding Committee will meet jointly with the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Committee at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Washington Regional Office, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington.

The two committees are scheduled to review and vote on recurring funding opportunities from the Commercial Fishing Resource Fund.
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is seeking input from the public on potential management strategies for an upcoming amendment to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan.

The amendment will examine management strategies to further reduce bycatch of non-target species in the shrimp trawl fishery and potential changes to existing shrimp management strategies.

Fishermen and other stakeholders are encouraged to provide input by either attending one of three scoping meetings or providing written comments.
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program, in partnership with the Oregon Inlet Artificial Reef Committee, sank the first of three tugboats off the coast of Pea Island on Monday.

 
The creel limit for recreationally-caught bluefish will decrease on Feb. 1 in North Carolina coastal waters. 
The N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Funding Committee will meet jointly with the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Committee at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Washington Regional Office, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington.

The two committees are scheduled to review and vote on recurring funding opportunities from the Commercial Fishing Resource Fund.