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themoose
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Posted: 05 April 2016 at 10:02am |
Stump1187 wrote:
Biggest take away??
This is welfare for Commercial Fishermen. | I refer to the mountain trout stocking as "food stamps for the rural poor".
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eastcoastsports
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Posted: 05 April 2016 at 10:25am |
I disagree. When an angler buys a fishing license he/she has limits and has paid for the trout that were stocked. The majority of stripers are paid for by recreational fishing license. If net fishermen want to keep harvesting and selling fish that are paid for by recreational anglers they should pay for the privilege to do so.
Edited by eastcoastsports - 05 April 2016 at 10:25am
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Rick
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Posted: 05 April 2016 at 11:02am |
eastcoastsports wrote:
If net fishermen want to keep harvesting and selling fish that are paid for by recreational anglers they should pay for the privilege to do so.
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The FWS is spending almost a $1-million annually to stock the portion of the CSMA where commercial striped bass harvest is allowed. Commercials are reporting harvest on 70% of the fish generating a total gross revenue of less than $60,000 per year. The commercials are killing another 15% to 20% of the fish through unreported landings and discard mortality in other commercial fisheries. Think about it this way- Stocking costs $1-million per year total with commercial gill netter's proportional share of that cost being $700,000 enabling them to harvest 25,000 pounds at $28.00 per pound in stocking cost. Commercial gill netters sell those 25,000 pounds for $59,500 or $2.38 per pound yielding a net loss of $25.62 per pound or ($640,500) per year. It hard to make a profit on 8-cents of income for every $1 spent...unless it's not your dollar! Welfare and stupidity are both understatements for this DMF boondoggle.
Edited by Rick - 05 April 2016 at 12:55pm
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Stump1187
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Posted: 05 April 2016 at 12:41pm |
themoose wrote:
Stump1187 wrote:
Biggest take away??
This is welfare for Commercial Fishermen. |
I refer to the mountain trout stocking as "food stamps for the rural poor".
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I'll have to disagree with this Moose, sorry.
The stocked trout are there to boost the income of the entire community and has been proven to bring millions of dollars to the local economy. The reason why these fish are then open for catching is due to the mortality rate of the fish if they were to be left in the stream after the water warms. If the fish were left, they would die and go to waste. There is a fair amount of poaching during the catch and release season however.
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Rick
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Posted: 05 April 2016 at 12:57pm |
That million dollars in stocking cost when properly managed to enhance
the resource and a sustainable recreational harvest is worth multiples
in economic impact to the New Bern and Washington/Bath areas. http://asafishing.org/uploads/2011_ASASportfishing_in_America_Report_January_2013.pdf...and
do keep in mind that this commercial gill netting is not only killing
any chance of striped bass recovery on the Neuse and Tar/Pamlico Rivers,
but it is also killing many trophy size largemouth bass. What is one 40-man recreational fishing tournament worth to New Bern in a year? Louisville, KY says that the total economic impact for the BASS Louisville Classic was $13 to $18 million. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-07-31/sports/1991212111_1_bass-masters-classic-bass-tournament-louisvilleDayton likes those real dollars also. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2014/jun/10/landing-the-big-one/249363/While the future Craven Classic Striped Bass Tournament isn't a BASS
Classic, the money is just as real as the fact this fishery is dead
without some timely action.
Edited by Rick - 05 April 2016 at 1:44pm
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Crabby Captain John
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Posted: 05 April 2016 at 7:33pm |
themoose wrote:
Stump1187 wrote:
Biggest take away??
This is welfare for Commercial Fishermen. |
I refer to the mountain trout stocking as "food stamps for the rural poor".
| I don't really see it that way and certainly do not knowing all the entitlements of the commercial industry.
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Rick
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Posted: 13 July 2016 at 9:02am |
Here is one more recent piece of work clearly showing both the problem and the causes of that problem for Neuse River striped bass. Ending commercial harvest, a gill net ban to the mouth of the Neuse (to
control discards) and a recreational slot limit to protect the older
fecund females would do a lot for a sustainable recovery. Commercial harvest and commercial discards are the
main controllable culprits preventing successful re-establishment of a spawning stock
biomass in the Neuse. Evaluation of Juvenile and Adult Striped Bass Mortality, Distribution and the Implications for Recovery Efforts in Neuse River, North Carolina By Caitlin Bradley. A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology Raleigh, North Carolina 2016, Evaluation of Juvenile and Adult Striped Bass Mortality, Distribution and the Implications for Recovery Efforts in Neuse River, North Carolina. APPROVED BY: Dr. James. A. Rice- Committee Co-Chair, Dr. D. Derek Aday- Committee Co-Chair and Dr. Joseph E. Hightower. Link to the thesis- http://1drv.ms/b/s!ALHvxdSx-xlqgUoPertinent Bullet Points
- Total annual discrete mortality of phase II stocked juveniles was 66.3%.
- Adult total annual discrete mortality was 39.4% within a portion of the Neuse River where fishing pressure from the commercial sector is low.
- Adult total annual discrete mortality was 54.3% throughout the entire Neuse River.
- Adult discrete natural mortality was 20.1% and neither juvenile nor adult natural mortality was correlated with water quality.
- The abundance of adults and older adults was most sensitive to natural mortality of juveniles and adults, and next most sensitive to commercial harvest and discard.
- Eliminating all fishing mortality would have the greatest impact on the population and would result in a 25-fold increase in abundance of adults ≥ age 6.
- Results suggest that high mortality rates are preventing the development of a sufficient abundance of adult spawning stock – particularly older fish – necessary to allow adequate spawning for population recovery.
From pages 59-61 All modeled management scenarios would increase baseline abundances, and some scenarios were predicted to have substantial increases. In particular, the population abundance of adults and older adults were predicted to increase by 5.24 and 25.51 fold if all harvest and discard mortality was eliminated (Table 2.4; Figure 2.2). While doubling the stocking number and eliminating all harvest was not as effective, it still resulted in a 4.06 and 10.47 fold increase in adult and older adult abundances (Table 2.4; Figure 2.2). The elimination of all commercial mortality was the third most effective management strategy to increase adult and older adult abundances (2.57 and 7.34 fold increase). Eliminating all recreational mortality was the least effective management scenario (1.54 and 2.65 fold increase; Table 2.4; Figure 2.2). Interestingly, some management scenarios affected adult and older adult abundances differently. The management scenario that affected adult abundance the least was eliminating all recreational mortality (1.54 fold increase), while doubling the stocking number had the least effect on older adult abundance (2 fold increase; Table 2.4, Figure 2.2). In all but one management scenario (double the stocking number), older adult abundance responded more strongly than adult abundance.
As expected, our age-based population model estimated a low abundance and truncated age distribution of Striped Bass in the Neuse River. Adult and older adult population abundances were most sensitive to natural mortality of juveniles and adults, as well as commercial harvest and discard mortality. Results showed that eliminating all fishing morality would have the greatest impact on increasing abundances of adult and older adult Striped Bass in the Neuse River, while eliminating all recreational mortality would have the least impact on adult abundance and doubling the stocking number would have the least impact on older adult abundance. Interestingly, the effectiveness of decreasing mortality rates was age-specific and was not necessarily correlated with magnitude of rate. These unintuitive results elucidated the importance of clearly defined management goals (i.e., increasing adult abundance vs. increasing abundance of older ages) and the importance of life stage simulation analyses in identifying the most effective management strategies when trying to rebuild a population and when managing a put-and-take fishery.
Our baseline modeling results predicted a low abundance and truncated age distribution for Striped Bass in the Neuse River given current vital rates, which is similar to empirical data from monitoring programs (Rachels and Ricks 2015; Table 2.2). Low abundance and a truncated age distribution may be contributing to the lack of recovery of the Striped Bass population in the Neuse River by limiting the number and fecundity of individuals spawning.
For those interested, here is the Rachels and Ricks study- http://1drv.ms/b/s!ALHvxdSx-xlqgTA
Edited by Rick - 13 July 2016 at 10:52am
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chriselk
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Posted: 13 July 2016 at 10:24am |
Rick, Read it yesterday. The results confirm and extend the earlier studies. The path is clear for what the MFC must do.
We presently have few, very few, older adults.
"Olsen and Rulifson (1992) found that in the Roanoke River age-3 Striped Bass
produced about 180,000 eggs, whereas age-10 fish produced over two million eggs."
This is the "FFF" often cited in fisheries literature. "Fat Fecund Females" that are critical to so many species.
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The above comments are my personal opinion and do not represent those of any organizations or agencies I may be a member of.
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Rick
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Posted: 13 July 2016 at 11:22am |
Yes and the viability of eggs from younger fish is also a problem. "Not only were larger fish more likely to make spawning migrations, they also have higher fecundity and can produce offspring with higher survival than smaller and younger individuals. Olsen and Rulifson (1992) found that in the Roanoke River age-3 Striped Bass produced about 180,000 eggs, whereas age-10 fish produced over two million eggs. In addition to being more numerous, the eggs and subsequent larvae produced by older and larger females were as much as 20% larger than those produced by smaller females (Monteleone and Houde 1990). Ultimately, truncated adult size can reduce juvenile recruitment (Cowan et al. 1993) because size is positively correlated with survival of embryos and larvae (Secor 1990)."
How much time is the NCMFC going to give the NCDMF to continue to play with the studies and numbers? The facts are clear for this Put-Grow-Take fishery.
"The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) used recreational creel survey data and commercial independent gill net survey data to estimate harvest and discard in the Neuse River. They estimated that 38% of the fishing-related mortality of Striped Bass in the Neuse River was attributed to commercial harvest, 28% to commercial discard, 22% to recreational harvest and 12% to recreational catch-and-release mortality (hereafter referred to as ‘recreational discard mortality’; NCDMF and NCWRC 2013)."
Water quality is NOT the issue. Natural mortality might be tweaked long-term with the Millburnie Dam removal and working with ACE on releases from Falls Lake...but those people in Raleigh aren't going to go thirsty, nor will their grass. Stocking different genetics to affect egg flotation definitely needs to be studied. Fishing mortality and discards is the current issue that needs full attention.
Edited by Rick - 13 July 2016 at 12:06pm
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TomM
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Posted: 13 July 2016 at 11:26am |
So on the Roanoke what are fish over 28 inches legal. State can't even make appointments to MFC. Sad
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Rick
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Posted: 13 July 2016 at 1:27pm |
The current FMP schedule has Inland Striped Bass up for review in 2018-2019, which means 2020 at best before management changes occur under current protocol. From the record- North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission May 18-20, 2016 Motions Striped Bass Motion by Rick Smith to direct division staff to meet with the Wildlife Resources Commission staff, and bring joint recommendations to the August meeting in regards to addressing problems with striped bass reproduction in the Neuse and Tar rivers. Also, direct staff to expedite analysis of fin clip data on fin chip samples currently possessed by the division. The division should also provide a method of determining whether or not the old strain of stripers still exist in the Neuse and Tar rivers. Second by Mike Wicker. Motion passes 5-1 with one abstention.
Edited by Rick - 13 July 2016 at 1:27pm
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Rick
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Posted: 14 July 2016 at 4:07pm |
...and one more piece of a puzzle has come to the table. We know that current NCDMF management practices are preventing a multi-million dollar recreational striped bass fishery, primarily based on catch and release, on the Neuse and Tar Rivers. This is happening so that the NCDMF can support a commercial fishery that grosses about $75,000 in landings from a Put-Grow-Take fishery with approximately $750,000 is stocking cost. The new piece of the puzzle is why the NCDMF is promoting the public consumption (without proper warnings on frequency and serving size) of a fish that science has found the public should avoid eating due to mercury and PCBs. http://appliedecology.cals.ncsu.edu/fish-consumption/http://appliedecology.cals.ncsu.edu/fish-consumption/avoid-these-fish/http://appliedecology.cals.ncsu.edu/fish-consumption/nc-map/What are PCBs http://appliedecology.cals.ncsu.edu/fish-consumption/pollutants/polychlorinated-biphenyls-pcbs/Why are we concerned?
PCBs are known as a “probable carcinogen,” or likely to cause cancer
in humans. PCBs build up in your body fat and remain there over time.
Possible Health Effects of PCBs in Children and Infants:
- Developmental issues in children whose mothers were exposed during pregnancy
- Lower birth weights
- Weaker immune systems
Possible Health Effects of PCBs in Adults:
- Low-level exposure: airway irritation, stomach upset, depression, tiredness
- High-level exposure: chloracne (rash similar to severe acne)
- Cancer
For those too young to remember Buck Ward owner of Ward Transformer Company, or not living in NC at the time http://raleighpublicrecord.org/news/2009/05/14/toxic-clean-up-continues-near-rdu/
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article10027130.htm
http://sph.unc.edu/files/2015/08/SRP_Soil-Still-Toxic-25-years-later.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_County_PCB_Landfill
Edited by Rick - 14 July 2016 at 5:17pm
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TomM
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Posted: 14 July 2016 at 9:27pm |
Same warning here and on the lakes
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Rick
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Posted: 14 July 2016 at 10:23pm |
Yes. I've seen signs at public access areas on the lakes warning recreational anglers about consumption. The only commercial fishing on the lakes for stripers is illegal. You think any of that still goes on?
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TomM
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Posted: 14 July 2016 at 10:41pm |
Not in a long time. Last was gill net stretched across tailrace in Roanoke Rapids lake. Blue cats have taken over. 117 pounds in Gaston. Should not eat them either. Weyerhaeuser in Plymouth did the dioxin furan thing long ago plus Mercury from plants. If state would tell the truth most coastal and inland fish have issues. Not supposed to fish large herring for stripers but at an unnamed landing below occoneechee neck😡
Edited by TomM - 14 July 2016 at 10:43pm
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Rick
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Posted: 11 November 2016 at 9:42am |
More delay from the NCDMF. http://1drv.ms/w/s!ArHvxdSx-xlqgU7HFd0e72N0ge4I
"At this time, the division does
not recommend implementing immediate management measures. The role of fishing
mortality, stock status, reference points, and allocation issues are most
appropriately addressed through the upcoming, expedited review of the fishery
management plan, and work on this has already begun in close coordination with
the Wildlife Resources Commission."
(Side Note: "close coordination with
the Wildlife Resources Commission" The first that the WRC heard of the two linked documents was when I call them on Wednesday. The WRC supports immediate action up to an including closing the CSMA to commercial harvest and limiting all gill netting within key areas of the Neuse to control "cryptic" mortality.)
If it wasn't NCDMF (we're different) this would be unbelievable. As it is, it's more status quo to protect commercial gill netting interests and jobs at the division which are based on a smoke and mirrors game of "managing" overcapacity and unsustainable fishing. http://1drv.ms/b/s!ArHvxdSx-xlqgU-HVcFInHXaleVF
Overall Project Summary Overall, 84.5% of the striped bass collected in the Bay, Neuse, Pamlico, and Pungo Rivers were stocked fish of a hatchery origin. These fish were produced by 19 different mothers across five year classes, beginning with the 2010 year class which was the first genetically trackable year class. The ‘wild’ striped bass (15.5% of catch) were not restricted to the largest fish collected. Unfortunately, as a result of both the similar size distributions of cultured and ‘wild’ fish and the lack of a unique genetic signature of the ‘wild’ fish, we are not able to determine if the ‘wild’ fish are from older, genetically non-trackable year classes or represent true wild recruitment.
As I posted in another thread- This is a ....no-brainer. I was speaking figuratively not prophetically literal.
The two linked documents above are the missing "handouts to come" for the 3PM discussion at next week's MFC meeting.
Edited by Rick - 11 November 2016 at 11:21am
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Rick
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Posted: 11 November 2016 at 10:10am |
...and just to restate my opinion based on what I have learned through my personal conversations with numerous credible biologists and many hours reviewing the data- - The CSMA is almost a 100% put-grow-take fishery.
- The predominance of few CSMA "wild fish" are thought to be fish stocked prior to genetic tagging.
- There is a slight mixing of fish in the Pungo that come down the IWC from the Alligator River.
- There is a slight mixing of fish in the Pamlico Sound that come from Roanoke Sound.
Edited by Rick - 11 November 2016 at 5:25pm
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bakesta
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Posted: 11 November 2016 at 10:20am |
The "enablers" continue to fight for the gillnets.
And the MFC will blindly follow them "to avoid controversial issues"  
Now we just have to figure out which MFC member will be the fiddle player as Rome burns.
And for goodness sake - please make sure they have their manual that ensures proper deck chair arrangement for the Titanic.  
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j.willis
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Posted: 11 November 2016 at 11:22am |
Just an observation:
Topic: CSMA Striped Bass- A Put and Too ManyTake Fishery Posted: 08 December 2015 at 10:13am
This thread was started 11 months ago and we're still advocating for corrective action.
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todobien
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Posted: 11 November 2016 at 11:50am |
If no restriction on harvest is pursued, maybe the alternative would be to cease stocking in the rivers until post FMP and dependent on its outcome. Fish could be stocked in inland reservoirs and maximize stocking in Cape fear instead or those funds used to grow other fish. Although it may not be illegal to grow fish with rec dollars for comm to harvest it certainly doesn't seem ethical.
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themoose
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Posted: 11 November 2016 at 12:10pm |
todobien wrote:
If no restriction on harvest is pursued, maybe the alternative would be to cease stocking in the rivers until post FMP and dependent on its outcome. Fish could be stocked in inland reservoirs and maximize stocking in Cape fear instead or those funds used to grow other fish. Although it may not be illegal to grow fish with rec dollars for comm to harvest it certainly doesn't seem ethical. | That's most likely a reasonable solution... move the stocked fish to the Cape Fear or inland lakes. As a fair solution... there is no chance it will be implemented.
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Rick
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Posted: 11 November 2016 at 12:48pm |
Please write letters to your legislators, NCDEQ, NCDMF, NCMFC, McCrory and Cooper. Call the NCMFC members voicing your concern and asking for action. The minimum action needed is to close the commercial harvest of striped bass in the CSMA and require full-time gill net attendance within CSMA waters. What the MFC should do is: - Match the proposed 2017 WRC rule change increasing the recreational minimum size limit to 26"
- Close all commercial harvest of striped bass in the CSMA.
- Prohibit all gill net fishing in the Neuse(Minnesott Beach/Cherry Branch) and Pamlico(Bayview/Aurora) rivers at the ferry lines to the inland water boundaries.
- Require full-time gill net attendance in all remaining CSMA waters.
Find the commissioners telephone numbers here- http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/north-carolina-marine-fisheries-commissionNote: The NCDMF link shows four recreational seats listed with one at-large seat listed. Per statute the seat assignments are 3-3-2-1. Is anyone driving the boat over there that can read or proof read? Koury should be listed as an at-large seat. Laughridge, Shute and Smith are the recreational seats. Corbett, Rose and Willis are the commercial seats. Gorges now sits in the coastal at-large seat. Koury will sit in the non-coastal at-large seat. Wicker is the science seat.
Edited by Rick - 11 November 2016 at 5:26pm
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todobien
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Posted: 11 November 2016 at 3:31pm |
Define gill net attendance.
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Rick
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Posted: 11 November 2016 at 4:03pm |
Todobien
I feel your pain-
While the NCDMF/NCMFC has done a fairly good job defining gill net attendance for the recreational commercial gear license holder
"Must be immediately adjacent to the net (either in a vessel, in the
water or on shore) and immediately available to work the net and no more
than 100 yards from the net at all times (not in a building or
structure)."
and a good job defining those areas that require attendance- http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2015a%20-%20environmental%20quality/chapter%2003%20-%20marine%20fisheries/subchapter%20r/15a%20ncac%2003r%20.0112.htmleven including a pretty map http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/attended-gill-net-areasIt's difficult to find any "official" definition of "attendance" in state statute or rule as it pertains to commercial fishing operations. Does it exist? The DMF has touted the importance of attendance requirements to the Feds in both ITPs as an important measure reducing ESA interactions and mortality. Is it real or is it a hollow promise? "Proclamation authority allows NCDMF to implement timely responses (i.e.,within 48 hours) that may provide increased protection of sea turtles, for example appropriate restrictions may include gear or area restrictions, attendance requirements, modifications in observer coverage, increased enforcement, or a combination of these and other restrictions. The need for additional management measures or better direction of resources will be determined by NCDMF in consultation with NMFS." Adaptive Management and Mitigation Measures, ITP 16230
We know these two are flat out lies, terms that the NCDMF never intended to meet, and are out of compliance on both- "In addition to the adaptive management activities described above, NCDMF must ensure (i.e. issue a proclamation) that all commercial and recreational fishermen report all incidental captures of sea turtle to NCDMF and require that fisherman follow the requirements listed below for the safe handling, resuscitation and disposition of any incidentally captured turtles."
"NCDMF will monitor six primary management units in inshore waters as described in the conservation plan. NCDMF will monitor at least 7% (with a goal of 10%) of large mesh (≥4.0 ISM) gillnet trips in each area during each of 3 seasons (i.e., spring, summer, fall) as defined in the conservation plan."
Edited by Rick - 11 November 2016 at 5:29pm
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todobien
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Posted: 11 November 2016 at 11:02pm |
Any idea what percentage has been covered...at least of those with trip tix as there is no idea of other effort? Even saying that being available to work net doesn't mean much as one could watch all their floats go down and not work the net. One would think attending a net woild mean working it. Similar to when one has attendance due to health issyes the attender doesn't leave the patient to soak in their own filth not get med or not get nourishment
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Posted: 12 November 2016 at 9:36am |
If a loya looked at that definition for attendance and applied it to a lawsuit to stop the malfeasance by state personnel, then we might realize that we have already defined attendance and the gillnetters would be required to understand it, too. It's that damn simple. Or does it take official NC retardation to ignore legal precedent? What about the original wording of the law authorizing a recreational put and take fishery? Are we picking our nose but failing to wipe the snot as it rolls on down onto our toes?
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Rick
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Posted: 08 February 2017 at 7:21pm |
Moving this back to the top. It's on next week's MFC agenda in Wilmington. A few talking points summarized-
- CSMA is the Central Southern Management Area that covers the
area from Southern Roanoke Island to the South Carolina state line.
- Management of striped bass within the CSMA is the sole
responsibility of the NCMFC and the NCWRC.
- Striped Bass in the CSMA are considered a stock of concern
by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries.
- Due to heightened concern in the Cape Fear River and its
tributaries, a harvest moratorium was established starting on
July 1, 2008, setting precedence for closures.
- The Pamlico/Tar River, the Neuse River and the Pamlico Sound
has a 25,000 pound annual commercial harvest quota. This year (2016)
commercial harvest opened on March 1st and closed on March 21st with the quota
filled.
- The
NCWRC has asked the NCDMF to consider an early review of
the scheduled 2018 FMP Amendment. It will take two years for the
amendment
process, which means updated management goals will not have an effective
date
until 2020, which credible researchers say will be too late to save this
fishery. NCDMF at this point has agreed to move it up one year. We need to hold their feet to the fire and not allow this to be delayed. We've seen enough Deny, Defend, Defect and Delay on this issue from NCDMF.
- Since 1994 the Neuse and Tar River systems have experienced
an annual reported mortality of 40% to 70%. The reported harvest and discard
from the recreational creel survey, combined with the commercial trip ticket
data do not approach the level that is required to explain that level of
mortality. Data suggest that gill net mortality is being significantly
under reported on trip tickets. When cryptic mortality is included, the
commercial sector could easily be responsible for 85% or more of all CSMA
striped bass mortality.
- There is zero confidence in the ability or will of the
NCDMF to address this issue in a timely and honest manner.
- The CSMA fishery is in immediate danger of collapse.
This fishery should be closed to commercial harvest under emergency powers or
at minimum under supplement authority.
- It is currently estimated by biologists in both academia,
those currently employed by and retired from the NCWRC and within the USFWS
that if immediate action isn't taken that the opportunity to re-establish a
wild spawning stock will be lost forever.
- Current research through otolith micro-chemistry and
Parentage Based Tagging (PBT) shows that less than a 7% wild population exists
in the Neuse River system. There are similar indications for the the
Tar/Pamlico River. Continuing with current management will result in all
wild fish being extirpated from the Neuse River by 2020.
- Ninety-three percent (93%) of all commercial harvested Neuse
River fish are from stocked origin coming from the USFWS Edenton Hatchery
paid for using tax dollars.
- Reported commercial landings for the CSMA show that the
commercial sector lands 70% of all fish. NCWRC data shows that the
commercial sector may be killing as much as 85% due to unreported landings and
discards in other gill net fisheries.
- Average Commercial Landings and Value 2005-2014 – 23,623 lbs. / $56,297 (70% of landings for
the ten year period.)
- 2014 Commercial Landings and Value – 25,085 lbs. / $68,607
- Average Recreational Landings 2005-2014 – 10,275 lbs., (30% of landings for the ten year
period.)
- 2014 Recreational Landings – 13,371 lbs.
- Commercial average annual landing value for the 2005-2014 ten year period is $56,297 or $2.38 per pound.
- Estimated cost is $2.30 per fingerling to stock the
Neuse and Pamlico/Tar River systems.
- For the last ten years (2005-2014) annual stockings have
averaged 239,491 Phase 1 fingerlings and 173,957 Phase 2 fingerlings combined
in the Neuse and Tar/Pamlico River systems at an estimated annual cost
of about $600,000 dollars.
- We are spending over a half of a million dollars per year trying to recover this
important fishery and then allowing commercial fishermen to kill any chance of
that recovery for less than $60,000 of harvest income.
- Present management of this important fishery is preventing
re-establishing a sustainable spawning stock biomass, which is making recovery
impossible.
- Managing the fishery for predominately commercial harvest is
placing the whole stocking program in jeopardy.
- The Neuse River and Pamlico River, and tributaries, should be closed to all gill
netting at the NCDOT Ferry routes in order
to control significant mortality (cryptic mortality) from non-directed gill
net fisheries.
Edited by Rick - 09 February 2017 at 11:27am
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fiogf49gjkf0d NC Fisheries Management- Motto: Too Little, Too Late, Too Bad Slogan: Shrimp On! Mission Statement: Enable Commercial Fishing At Any and All Cost, Regardless of Impact to the Resource.
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bakesta
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Posted: 08 February 2017 at 9:37pm |
I sent this almost a year ago and the only thing that has happened since then is that the DMF has continued to stall while fighting to protect commercial harvest. They even wasted some money determining that the WRC is right.
Nothing has changed - commercial fishermen can still kill as many as they want as long as they only report 25,000 pounds. No lawsuits, no bills, no petition for rule change - just another year of stocked fish being slaughtered.
Feel free to steal this and send it to whoever you want. If you find someone who cares, that would be great - and a surprise.
April 8, 2016
Dear MFC Commissioners,
I am
writing this letter to ask you to take immediate action to stop the commercial
harvest of striped bass in the Central Southern Management Area (CSMA). The three river systems in the CMSA (Tar/Pamlico,
Neuse, and Cape Fear) are stocked each year with striped bass by the North
Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC).
Harvest of striped bass in the Cape Fear river is already closed in
order to establish a breeding population that will be self-sustaining. Farther north in the CSMA, the Edenton
National Fish Hatchery supplies the WRC with approximately 100,000 phase II
fish (150-250 mm) each year for both the Tar/Pamlico and Neuse river systems (1,2). Like the Cape Fear striped bass program, these
stockings have a goal of re-establishing a natural breeding population that is
self-sustaining. Unfortunately, this
project is failing due to overfishing by commercial fishermen.
Not only
does the WRC stock these fish, but they have also conducted cutting edge
scientific experiments aimed at understating the populations. What they have found is disturbing. Genetic marking studies by the WRC have shown
that at least 93 to 97% of fish in the Neuse and Tar/Pamlico rivers are derived
from hatchery stocks and that very little, if any, natural breeding is
occurring (1,2). This finding is very
troubling, but these particular
populations of striped bass offer a unique opportunity that is quite
rare in the complicated world of marine fisheries management. While most marine species are difficult to
assess, a known number of phase II fish is added to the respective rivers each
year. Natural mortality of these older
fish has been well-studied so an accurate range of mortality rates can be used
when evaluating the population. In
addition, these fish don’t emigrate.
They stay within the river system in which they were stocked and swim
upstream each year during a set season, passing through relatively small
sections of water where they can be routinely sampled. Finally, a very limited recreational harvest
is monitored via surveys while commercial harvest, which is limited to a yearly
TAC of 25,000 pounds, is reported on trip tickets. In essence, the only unknowns in this system
are the number of fish killed and discarded by commercial gillnetters, the
commercial gillnet harvest that is not sold, and illegal harvest. Using all of this information, the WRC was
able to complete a virtual population analysis (1). This analysis indicated that “cryptic
mortality” was greater than the reported recreational and commercial
harvest. Using even the highest known
natural mortality rate in this analysis could not lessen this cryptic mortality
to a level that would allow it to be explained (1). Considering this, the most likely explanation
for the cryptic mortality of CMSA striped bass is that it derives from illegal
and underreported commercial harvest, dead discards from gillnets, and ghost
fishing gear (1). Taken together, the
results of many years of studies on this fish population along with their
recent genetic analysis have led the WRC to conclude that long term recruitment
overfishing is occurring and that the stock would improve if this exploitation
decreased (1). Since recreational
harvest is minimal, this can only be achieved by stopping the commercial
harvest of CMSA striped bass. Without stopping
the commercial harvest of these fish, the joint effort of the WRC and the
National Marine Fisheries Service to re-establish a self-sustaining population
of striped bass in the Tar/Pamlico and Neuse river systems will continue to
fail.
Now some
will say that stopping this harvest will cause great hardship. However, that is not the case. At most, stopping the commercial striped
bass harvest in all CMSA waters will eliminate the legal sale
of 25,000 pounds of striped bass each year.
From 2005 to 2014, the average annual commercial harvest of striped bass
from the CMSA was 23,623 pounds [only 168 commercial fishermen reported a
striped bass sale in 2013, which is the latest available data (3)]. The CMSA striped bass harvest is on average, only
15% of the yearly harvest taken from internal
waters in North Carolina, with the other 85% coming from the Albemarle Sound
Management Area (ASMA) and Roanoke River Management Area (RRMA). In 2014, the reported commercial harvest from
the CMSA was 25,085 pounds and this had a value of $68,607. This works out to an average of about $400
per commercial fishermen if about 168 fishermen reported sales in 2014 as was
the case in 2013. The cost of stocking
these fish is estimated to be approximately $600,000. These amazing numbers lead prudent people to
ask a simple question - why does one state agency allow the harvest and sale of
fish that cost other agencies nearly 10 fold more to stock? And this stocking is occurring to try to
re-establish a breeding population of this species!! This just makes no sense, and that is why I am
asking you to do the right thing and put an immediate stop to commercial
harvest of striped bass in the CSMA.
Thank
you,
Bakesta
Literature Cited
1. Rachels, K.T., and B. R. Ricks. 2015. Neuse
river striped bass monitoring programs, populations dynamics, and recovery
strategies. Federal aid in sport fish restoration project F-108. North Carolina
Wildlife Resources Commission Inland Fisheries Division. Raleigh, NC.
2. Rundle, K.R. 2015. Striped bass fisheries and
monitoring programs in the Tar river, North Carolina-2014. Federal aid in sport
fish restoration project F-108. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Inland Fisheries Division. Raleigh, NC. 3. 2013.
3. Amendment 1 to the North Carolina Estuarine
Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan.
Prepared By The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and North
Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission with assistance from the
Albemarle/Roanoke and Central Southern Management Area Fishery Management Plan
Advisory Committees. North Carolina
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, North Carolina Division of
Marine Fisheries. Morehead City, NC. page 144.
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"Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest." --- Mark Twain
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Crabby Captain John
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Posted: 08 February 2017 at 10:05pm |
Bakesta and Rick have factually stated facts that prove something must be done and done quickly. No big words were used so the members MFC and even members of the commercial industry can understand. It is past time for entitlements to the commercial industry stop. The cost to the resource and taxpayers is unsustainable.
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chriselk
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Posted: 08 February 2017 at 11:26pm |
Change, change, is gonna come.
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The above comments are my personal opinion and do not represent those of any organizations or agencies I may be a member of.
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