Tradewinds, April/May 2018

Tradewinds

COMPLIMENTARY

April/May 2018

WWW. NCFISH.ORG

What’s in Season!

A Publication of North Carolina Fisheries Association, Inc.

NORTH CAROLINA MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSIONPast, Present, & Future

Portsmouth

HOMECOMING

Board of Directors The North Carolina Board of Directors is comprised of members representing all of the State’s coastal regions as well as the many facets of the industry gear type, targeted species, and commodity groups. The association elects its board members and officers annually.

Tradewinds A publication of the North Carolina Fisheries Association Tradewinds have been used by captains of sailing ships to cross the world’s oceans for centuries. The captain of a sailing ship would seek a course along which the winds could be expected to blow in the direction of travel.

Tradewinds were important in the development of trade and provided a means of transportation and communications to isolated coast communities We are still isolated in a sense even with our modern ships, aircraft, telecommunications and the internet.

We need a connection from island to island, person to person…and to the rest of the world.

We hope that this Tradewinds will become as important to you as the Tradewinds were to our ancestors, not only to in-landers wanting to know more about the coast, but coastal people learning about other coastal people.

NCFA Staff: Glenn Skinner Executive Director Jerry Schill Director of Government Relations Aundrea O’Neal Administration & Accounting Tradewinds Editor Nikki Raynor Membership/Receptionist Tradewinds- Co-Editor 101 N. 5th Street Morehead City, NC 28557 Office: 252-726-(NCFA)6232 | Fax:252-726-6200 www.ncfish.org

Brent Fulcher-252-514-7003 Chairman Glenn Skinner-252-646-7742 Executive Director Dewey Hemilright-252-473-0135 Treasurer Area 1Mike Blanton-252-619-2694 Area 2Dewey Hemilright-252-473-0135 Area 3Mark Vrablic-252-305-2718 Area 4Richard Newman-252-945-8584 Area 5Wesley Potter-252-229-1881 Area 6Brent Fulcher- 252-514-7003 Area 7- Doug Todd-910-279-2959 At LargeSonny Davis-252-725-0784 At Large- Chrissy Fulcher Cahoon-252-670-7223 At LargeRoss Butler-757-435-5317 At LargeJeff Styron-252-675-8354 Charter BoatRalphie Craddock-252-473-0953 Albemarle Fisherman’s Association Terry Pratt-252-339-7431 Carteret County Fisherman’s Association Bradley Styron-252-342-8821 Ocracoke Working Waterman’s Association Hardy Plyler-252-928-5601 Pamlico County Fisherman’s Association Wayne Dunbar-252-670-7467 Brunswick County Fishermen’s Association Randy Robinson-910-209-3463 NC CatchKaren Amspacher-252-732-0982 The Tradewinds is a free publication published bi-monthly by the NC Fisheries Association.

All parties advertised herein and the claims represented are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. Though every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of all advertising and copy contained herein, the publisher may not be held responsible for typographical errors. The NC Fisheries Association reserves the right to refuse any advertising or editorial deemed inappropriate. The agency, its employees, agents or representatives may not be held responsible for any actions or consequences derived as a result of following advice or instructions contained herein. ©2018

contents

April/May 2018

From the Chairman.................. 4

22

From Glenn Skinner.............. 4-5 Nikki Raynor............................. 5 A Word From Jerry................... 7 Letter to the Editor................... 9 Brown’s Island................... 12-13 Water Quality.................... 16-17

20

35

Marketplace............................ 18 NC Summit............................. 20 Core Sound Waterfowl Museum................ 22

Bluewater Fisherman Assoc................. 36

FEATURE STORY

The Graying of the Fleet........................38

Marine Fisheries Past, Present, Future........ 24-25

Council & Commission Meetings.......... 37 NOAA.................................................... 39

A Commercial Fishermen’s Poem.................................... 27

Red...Right............................................ 41

Captain’s Spotlight................. 29

Tred Barta..............................................47

AMSEA................................... 31 Affiliate News......................... 35

Talk on the Docks............................. 43-44

On the Cover: CRABS!

TW Disclaimer: Articles and letters appearing in Tradewinds are the opinions of the authors and unless specifically noted may or may not reflect the opinions or official positions of the North Carolina Fisheries Association.

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Photo by Aundrea O’Neal (2017)

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WWW.NCFISH.ORG advertisers: Ace Marine................................................ 6 Atlantic Seafood...................................... 40 B&J Seafood........................................... 33 Barbour’s Marine Supply Co..................... 8 Beaufort Inlet Seafood............................ 33 Blue Ocean Market................................. 44 Calypso Cottage....................................... 6 Capt. Jim’s Seafood................................ 10 Capt. Stacy Fishing Center..................... 26 Capt. Willis Seafood Market................... 26 Carteret Catch......................................... 19 Carteret County Fisherman’s Association.......................................... 35 Chadwick Tire .......................................... 6 Fresh Catch............................................. 42

Fulcher’s Seafood................................... 38 Gordon’s Net Works................................ 39 Grundens ............................................... 46 Hardison Tire .......................................... 44 Henry Daniels F/V Joyce D................... 10 Homer Smith Seafood............................ 10 Hurricane Boatyard................................. 42 Davis Fuels ............................................ 28 Locals Seafood....................................... 23 Murray L. Nixon Fishery, Inc. ................. 40 NC Catch................................................. 19 N.C. Dept. of Agriculture.......... Back Cover Offshore Marine...................................... 28 O’Neal’s Sea Harvest.............................. 15 Outerbanks Catch................................... 21 Outer Banks Seafood............................. 44

Pamlico Insurance.................................. 28 Potter Net and Twine................................ 7 Powell Brothers Maintenance................... 8 Quality Seafood...................................... 10 R.E. Mayo Seafood................................. 15 Rocky Mount Cord Co............................ 17 Sea Tow.................................................... 8 Ted & Todd’s Marine Services.................. 6 The Clement Companies........................ 30 Tred Barta............................................... 23 Walker Marine......................................... 23 Wanchese Fish....................................... 32 Wanchese Trawl..................................... 32 Wells Fargo Bank.................................... 23 Wheatly Boys.......................................... 15 Wheatley, Wheatley, Weeks, Lupton & Massie............................................... 4 Wilheit Packaging................................... 28

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A word from the chairman ...

MAY 23RD IS SEAFOOD LOBBY DAY IN RALEIGH… YOU SHOULD BE THERE!

I

f you’re involved in any way with commercial fishing, Wednesday, May 23rd, may be the most important day of your life! I strongly encourage you to plan on being in Raleigh that day!

There will be several things going on that day, starting with a rally, demonstrating, hearing from legislators, talking to legislators while making individual visits to legislative offices and a seafood reception for legislators and their staffs and other dignitaries.

We begin with a rally on the south side of the Capitol. We will hear a few speakers and get instructions and talking points for visiting with our legislators or picketing the Governor’s office. You will have the opportunity to visit your own House and Senate members first, and will have a list of other legislators to visit. You will have an opportunity to sit in the Senate and House galleries if you want.

After a full day, we will have the Annual Fish Fry & Seafood Sampler, also known as the Legislative Seafood Reception in north Raleigh. It’s a very popular event that was started by North Carolina Watermen United. Several years ago, they invited NCFA to participate so the two organizations are the primary sponsors donating seafood, volunteers and whatever it takes to put on a top class evening that the legislators and their staffs truly enjoy.

It’s a full day with a rally, picketing, legislative visits and legislative reception. You can just come for part or stay the entire day. For those who would like to stay overnight, we have a room block for the evening of May 22nd and/or May 23rd.

If you are in any way associated with commercial fishing, there are two primary reasons why you and your family should be in Raleigh on May 23rd: To make your presence and views known to North Carolina Senate and House members, and let the general public and the media know that you care about your future; To thank our many friends in the General Assembly for the past support. Remember, if the legislators from the coast to the mountains of North Carolina didn’t think commercial fishing was important, we all would have been gone long ago!

Sure it’s important to complain when we need to. It’s also equally important to thank when appropriate!

If you have any questions about any of the events for Seafood Lobby Day, please call Aundrea at the office.

Brent Fulcher, Chairman

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A thought from Glenn ...

F

rom now on, I think NC Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) Chairman Sammy Corbett should start every MFC meeting by yelling “Let’s Get Ready to Rummmble”. He should then introduce science as the underdog contender, and special interest agendas as the reigning undefeated champion of the MFC. While this may sound humorous or even absurd to some, I can assure you that anyone who has attended a MFC meeting in recent years would agree with me.

While attending a MFC meeting, it is impossible not to notice that science has been all but knocked out of the fishery management process in NC. The science (which is supposed to be the cornerstone of our management process) is now little more than a side note, taking a back seat to special interest agendas.

The majority of commissioners who are appointed to represent stakeholders, now represent only their respective organizations, and come to every meeting armed with pre-written motions and pre-counted votes. The organizations they represent now are merely puppeteers pulling the strings from behind the scenes, out of sight to the general public. This was obvious in February of 2017 when the now infamous “shrimp petition” put forward by the

North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) was approved by the MFC, even after being dismissed by every scientist who had reviewed it (except those on the NCWF payroll).

These special interest groups have become so influential that their representatives on the Marine Fisheries Commission can flagrantly violate the state’s open-meeting laws without fear of repercussion. In fact, in November of 2016, former governor Pat McCrory reappointed Commissioner Chuck Laughridge, who had been repeatedly warned for violating open-meeting laws. The most recent commissioners appointed to the MFC by Governor Roy Cooper do not appear to be any better than those appointed by his predecessor, and they have wasted no time picking up the bad habits of their cohorts on the commission. During the February 2018 MFC meeting, newly appointed Commissioner Pete Kornegay stated on the record that he, Chuck Laughridge, and “others” had tweaked a recommendation that had been submitted by the NCWF. He then put forward a pre-written motion that had been given to commission staff prior to the start of the meeting. Commissioner Kornegay’s actions imply that he, Commissioner Laughridge, and possibly other members of the commission discussed an issue that was currently being deliberated by the commission outside of a public forum, which is clearly a violation of the state’s open-meeting laws.

Shortly after the February meeting, the NCFA asked DEQ Secretary Michael Regan to request that the attorney general’s

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office investigate the open-meeting law violations. As of today (March 11th), we are not aware of any actions taken by the secretary on this issue, but we remain hopeful that he will take these recent violations as serious as we do. Unfortunately, no matter how this issue is resolved, we may never be able to restore scientific integrity to our management process without dissolving the current commission.

Everyone who cares about North Carolina’s fisheries resources should contact Governor Cooper and ask him to dissolve the Marine Fisheries Commission, and to resist the financial and political influence of special interest groups while appointing a fair and equitable commission. NC State Law requires all fisheries of recreational and commercial importance to be managed for sustainability, and I believe that a fair commission can do this in a way that benefits all stakeholders, whether they be recreational, commercial, or consumer.

Thank you, Glenn Skinner.

Help the NCFA knock out the overwhelming influence that special interest groups currently have on the Marine Fisheries Commission. Call Governor Cooper today!

Office of Governor Roy Cooper Office of the Governor 20301 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-0301 Phone: (919)814-2000, Fax: (919)733-2120

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Membership Matters:

I’m very happy to announce that we have started working on creating a membership card for our NCFA members who reside in North Carolina. As we continue making progress on this project, we will update you with new information.

I’d like to give a huge thank you to all of our new members, as well as our previous members who filled out and returned the updated information sheets that we sent out a few weeks ago. We always want to be sure we are sending updates and information to the correct email and mailing addresses. If you are a member and have recently moved, or if you think we may not have your most current contact information, please reach out to us so we can keep you up to date! You can send an email to nikki@ncfish.org or call the office at (252) 7266232.

If by chance you are already a member of the NCFA and do not receive Tradewinds by mail, please call the office or email aundrea@ncfish.org, so we can make sure to add you to our mailing list.

So maybe you’re a brand new reader and you find yourself pondering the question “Why should I join the NCFA?”. If that is your case, here are a few things to know... Our organization was established by commercial fishermen in 1952. Since the beginning, we have been promoting seafood and sustainable fisheries, as well as serving fishing families by protecting their heritage and means of living. We actively lobby local, state, and federal policymakers on behalf of the commercial fishing industry. We also engage in many outreach and education projects. We need support from people like you to continue being able to do our work. Our members keep us going and each individual member makes a difference! If you are interested, you can join the NCFA by visiting our website at https://ncfish.org/join-ncfa/ or you can fill out the application on page 45 of this publication and send it to our office.

Our mailing address is as follows: North Carolina Fisheries Association PO Box 86, Morehead City, NC 28557 Please consider becoming a member today and do your part to help keep our industry afloat!

Thank you so much for your support!

Nikki north carolina fisheries association

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NCFA Legislative Affairs, Jerry Schill

A word from Jerry ...

VALENTINE’S DAY 2018: JUST SHARING THE LOVE

T

he Marine Fisheries Commission met in Wrightsville Beach on February 14, 2018. Yes, it was Valentine’s Day. It was also Ash Wednesday. Despite that, 245 people signed in for the meeting and 69 provided comments. They came from Currituck County to Brunswick County. Nearly all of the commenters gave opinions on changing the criteria for commercial fishing licenses. There was not ONE who spoke in favor of changing the criteria!

It was quite obvious that commercial fishermen were not only against an income requirement for eligibility, but were opposed to any change from the current definition.

Some of the rhetoric coming from those who have been pushing for a change in commercial licensing, (who are not involved at all with commercial fishing), have made comments would give the impression that the speakers were unruly and disruptive. That certainly isn’t what I observed!

This was the 50th Valentine’s Day for my wife and me as a married couple. We “celebrated” by sitting in the back row of a marine fisheries meeting with 200 emotional members of the commercial fishing community. Such a romantic evening! I can assure you that she would not have sat there for such a long time had there been significant unbecoming behavior.

It was a great turnout and with some very minor exceptions, a very well behaved group. However, it made little difference as the next morning the Commission chose to ignore the overwhelming public sentiment and passed a motion 5 to 4 to send recommended changes to the General Assembly. Commissioner Brad Koury joined Sammy Corbett, Alison Willis and Janet Rose in voting against the motion.

Now, we move to Raleigh, and it’s important to put Wednesday, May 23rd on your calendar! We will begin with a rally on the South side of the Capitol Building and move from there to the legislative offices with our united message. The day will end with a Legislative Seafood Reception at a different location.

PUT MAY 23rd ON YOUR CALENDAR! IT’S A VERY IMPORTANT DAY!!!

Jerry Schill’s comments to the Marine Fisheries Commission on February 14, 2018: Thank you Mr. Chairman and members of the commission.

My name is Jerry Schill, Director of Government Relations for the North Carolina Fisheries Association. Although I’ve been in that role for less than one year, I began my tenure with NCFA over 30 years ago.

I don’t wish to spend much time on the issue of changing the licensing requirements for commercial fishermen as others will have many responses, but I do feel the need to explain how we as an

organization arrive at our positions on various issues.

NCFA is in its 63rd year and has a board of directors that represents geographical districts, all types of gear and includes day boats, one man operations, large offshore vessels and seafood dealers and processors. The board is elected for three year terms and conducts monthly meetings to discuss issues and formulate positions. We have discussed the licensing issue many times over the years and once again need to emphasize that commercial fishermen do not favor changing licensing requirements!

Addressing another subject: Without a doubt, we have all heard comments about how unfair or unbalanced the Marine Fisheries Commission is, and not just currently but over time certain groups have said the commercial folks dominate just like today the commercial folks say it’s certainly stacked against commercial fishermen.

Interviewees represented the But what’s the truth? diversity of stakeholders involved I have a list of every Marine Fisheries since 1987 up in Commission creation of the Reform Act. to the current commission. I’ve listed every commission by name including the chairman. But I didn’t just listPhoto theirbyaffiliation according Roger Winstead/NC State to how the governor appointed them. Rather, I listed them as they Communications. should be listed. If they are a scientist sitting in an at-large position, they are listed as scientist. Or a recreational fisherman in an at-large position as recreational and if a commercial in an at-large position, commercial.

And here are the results for those 32 years: Only two of the 32 years had an even split with commercial and recreational; Eight of the 32 years had a commercial advantage of one; Eleven of the 32 years had a recreational advantage of one; Eleven of the 32 years had a recreational advantage of two, which has been the case since 2010.

Of those 32 years, a recreational was chairman for 15; commercial for 16 and a scientist chaired the commission one year. That one year was 1987 when Dr. John Costlow served on the commission that had 7 scientists!

So, for the past 32 years the recreational folks have had a numerical advantage for 22 years; the commercial folks had a numerical advantage for 8 years.

This commission, without a doubt is the most unbalanced body to regulate fishing in recent memory.

You should all resign immediately and allow governor cooper another shot at it. Or allow the general assembly to fix what the governor has messed up.

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letters

to the

editor

March 7, 2018 To: Ms. Aundrea O’Neal, Editor I was appointed by Governor Martin to a recreational seat on the NC Marine Fisheries Commission for the 1989-1991 sessions. There were 15 members in the 1989-1990 session and 14 members in the 1990-1991 session. The Commission was reasonably balanced with commercial, recreational and scientific seats.

While there were differing opinions, the broad range of the experience and scientific input enabled the Commission to compromise and reach decisions with the goal of protecting the marine resources for all users.

The reduction of the Commission seats to nine, all appointed by the Governor, results in a lack of input from a broader range of recreational, commercial and consumer stakeholders. “At large” seats should be eliminated.

In order to have a “balanced” commission, I suggest that the membership be increased in number so that commercial, recreational, and consumer interest be fairly represented.

I intend to send a copy of this letter to Governor Cooper.

PC Midkiff Elizabeth City

A BALANCED AND FUNCTIONAL MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION We celebrated the 20th anniversary of the NC Fisheries Reform Act (FRA) during 2017. There was a collection of reflections from several people involved in the activities leading up to passage of the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act, followed by several discussion groups. One of the outcomes of these exercises was the conclusion that the FRA remains an effective roadmap for marine fisheries management. One of the essential ingredients of the FRA is the role of a balanced and functional Marine Fisheries Commission.

I served on the Steering Committee appointed to meet during the Moratorium on fisheries rules set by the General Assembly and to recommend a new roadmap for fisheries management in North Carolina. I was also Director of NC Sea Grant tasked with providing research on critical issues.

The Steering Committee’s recommendations were subsequently passed by the General Assembly as the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act. I later served on the Marine Fisheries Commission during 1999 to 2011. I am assuming that these experiences give me license to comment on

the question of a “balanced and functional commission”.

We identified the need to “reduce” membership of the commission to nine members to better able to reach decisions on management issues. In order to improve the commission’s effectiveness, all members are appointed by the Governor for three-year terms, staggered to cycle balanced interest each year. To balance the outcome of commission conclusions, we established a balance of interests of the membership: * Three members represent commercial fisheries interests (2 full-time commercial fishermen and 1 in the seafood business). * Three members represent recreational fishing interests (2 actively engaged in recreational fishing and 1 in a recreational fishing business). * Three at-large members (1 an active fisheries-related scientist and 2 reflecting other fisheries-related livelihoods). These at-large members need to reflect cultural, economic and demographic interests.

and water quality, and four regional committees. The Advisory Committees would have the same balance of interests as the commission. Their recommendations are to be seriously considered by the MFC. The NC Division of Marine Fisheries has the responsibility of carrying out management of the fisheries. They develop Fishery Management Plans (FMP) for all targeted species or related groups using stock assessment, traditional use and habitat data. Each FMP exercise has its own advisory committee reflecting the diversity of interests and regional variability.

The MFC then has the responsibility to follow the FMP process of adoption and/or direct revisions.

I strongly suggest that we need to get back to the original intent of the FRA and re-double our efforts to follow the FRA roadmap to better balance the MFC for optimal use of our fisheries resources for the benefit of all North Carolineans!

BJ Copeland Pittsboro

To assist the commission in its assessment and deliberations, we established Advisory Committees to address issues regarding crustacea/shellfish, finfish, habitat north carolina fisheries association

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Fun Facts about Blue Crabs! https://deq.nc.gov/blog/2016-07-15/fun-facts-about-blue-crabs

Did you know that blue crabs consistently rank at the top of North Carolina’s commercial fisheries, both in pounds sold at the dock and in the value of the landings? Here’s some other fun facts about this important species: •

A mature male crab is called a “jimmy” and is easily recognized by the brilliant blue shading on his shell and claws.

•

Adult female crabs are called “sooks” and are distinguished by the rounded aprons on their underside and red tips on their claws – just like a woman would paint her fingernails.

•

Blue crabs are crustaceans, which means they have three distinct body parts: the head, the thorax and the abdomen.

•

They are found in all North Carolina coastal waters, but the largest populations live in the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds.

•

One popular way to catch blue crabs is by chicken necking. This involves tying a string to a raw chicken neck, dropping it off the dock or side of the boat or even just from the shore while holding the other end. When the line pulls tight, you’ve got a crab nibbling on the chicken, so slowly pull the line back up to catch the crab with a dip net.

•

In order to grow, a blue crab must shed its shell and form a new one. As crabs shed, they emerge from their old shells with a very thin, soft shell which hardens after several days. Catch them Crab Pot Escape Ring Requirements during this process (mostly Effective beginning 12:01 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017 warm water months) and you’ve got soft shell crabs.

Each crab pot contains no less than three unobstructed escape rings that are at least 2 / inches inside diameter

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries 5

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•

•

If a crab loses a leg or claw, it can grow a new one. Blue crabs can also voluntarily throw off limbs in order to escape, if caught. The leg is regenerated the next time it sheds.

Female blue crabs can spawn several times in their lifetime and release up to two million eggs at a time.

For pots with a divider

For pots without a divider

• Two escape rings are located on opposite outside panels of the upper chamber; and

• Two escape rings pot; and

is located within one full mesh of • At least one escape ring the corner and one full mesh of the bottom of the divider in the upper chamber of the pot.

is located within one full mesh of the • At least one escape ring corner and one full mesh of the bottom of the pot.

are located on opposite outside panels of the

• A divider is defined as a panel that separates the crab pot into upper and lower sections.

Escape Ring

Upper Chamber

Divider Lower Chamber

Escape Ring

No more than one full mesh from side corner

No more than one full mesh from corner

No more than one full mesh above

No more than one full mesh from bottom corner

divider

For more information about crab pot requirements, contact Divison of Marine Fisheries Biologist Jason Rock (252-946-6481, Jason.Rock@ncdenr.gov)

north carolina fisheries association 11

Brown’s Island 2 The Camp

OCTOBER 13, 2017 / DAVID CECELSKI

Courtesy, State Archives of North Carolina

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A

view of the Brown’s Island mullet camp from the ocean dunes facing the sound side of the island.

Piles of firewood, a wandering hog and several fishermen, including one tending to his laundry, can be seen around the camp.

The bunkhouses and the cook shop, near left, have doors and windows open to the breeze. With no screens, the fishermen relied on sea winds to keep cool and to discourage the swarms of mosquitoes, flies, and yellow jackets that plagued the island until the first hard frost.

This is the 2nd in a series of Charles A. Farrell’s photographs from Brown’s Island, in Onslow County, in 1938. An earlier version of this story appeared in Southern Cultures, a quarterly journal published by the UNC Center for the Study of the American South.

For other reasons, too, a barrier island was not an easy place to live. Sun-baked, arid, and wind-swept, the long, narrow islands resembled a desert from an ecological point of view. In 1938, when this photograph was taken, most were uninhabited, and only special breeds of plants, animals, or people succeeded in making homes on them.

At least 4 other cabins and a larger dwelling made up the camp as well, but cannot be seen from this angle. In the distance, a maritime forest occupied the south end of the island, then a broad salt marsh, and the mainland on the horizon.

A stretch of open sound water can be seen on the far right, beyond the shed. The straight, narrow passage through the salt marsh is part of the Intracoastal Waterway, the “Big Ditch,” which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged in the 1910s and ‘20s to provide a sheltered path for commercial vessels to transport goods the entire length of the Eastern Seaboard.

Reprinted with permissions from David Celelski

NCFA

YOUNG FISHERMAN’S

PROGRAM

The NCFA is excited to announce the start of its Young Fisherman’s Program. The purpose of the program is to educate young fishermen about the fishery management process in NC and encourage them to become more involved in that process. The first year of the three-year program will focus on public speaking, community outreach and education with a set of goals that will help our young fishermen progress in each of these areas.

There is no age requirement for this program and it is open to both young and the young at heart. If you are interested or someone you know maybe interested in participating, please contact Aundrea O’Neal. aundrea@ncfish.org, 252-726-6232 or 252-503-8302. north carolina fisheries association 13

Tradewinds is a bi-monthly publication owned and published by North Carolina Fisheries

Association, Inc. (NCFA). The North Carolina Fisheries Association is a non-profit organization based on Families, Heritage, and Seafood.

Commercial fishermen established the North Carolina Fisheries Association, Inc. in 1952 to serve fishing families by protecting their heritage and promoting seafood.

Over six decades later, NCFA still believes the commercial fishing industry begins and ends with families – from those who harvest seafood to those who help supply the industries needs and to those who enjoy the harvest. We are committed to presenting an accurate portrait of the industry and the people who sustain it.

Tradewinds Ad Prices are as follows: Full Page: 8.62 X 11.25

$400.00

Half Vertical: 3.625 X 9.75

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Quarter Page: 3.625 X 4.75

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Eighth Page: 3.625 X 2.1875

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The above rates are based per issue.

For any additional information or to advertise, call 252-503-8302 or email:

Aundrea@ncfish.org or Tradewinds@ncfish.org

~-Note: With Annual Prepaid Ad Commitment there is a 10% discount off the top (excludes Business Directory) **As a courtesy your ad will also be placed on NCFISH.ORG in a digital Tradewinds Flipbook** 14

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WATER QUALITY & Your Drinking Water…

Protecting water sources are essential to providing safe drinking water for North Carolina. Water sources exist in watersheds consisting of lakes, reservoirs, rivers, aquifers and springs. It’s water from these sources that supply our water treatment facilities and wells.

Fresh water pollution is mostly caused by un-treated discharges or improperly treated waste water, industrial effluent dumping, and sediment / pesticide run-off from agricultural fields.

Industry, agriculture and population growth have increased the use of industrial and household chemicals/ fertilizers and pesticides these all have adverse impacts on fresh water sources. Additionally, animal manure, dumping, littering and acid rain are just a few more of the many ways that water becomes polluted.

U. S. surface waters are protected from pollution with the Clean Water Act. All business, industries, municipalities etc. must obey these laws. Specific regulations apply to each of these entities. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the agency that sets the standards for controlling contaminants in water that could pose a risk to the public drinking water supply.

Protecting Drinking Water When waterways and ground water become polluted and derogated the bacteria and contaminants build to unsatisfactory levels. Bacteria and contaminants make individual waterways, aquifers and springs either unsuitable for use or very expensive for utilities to treat and return to safe drinking water levels. The treatment of high levels of bacteria and contaminants increases costs because more energy and chemical treatments are needed. The cleaner we keep our basic water sources the less it will cost everyone people and business alike.

Dr. Doll checking a stream Although it’s a fact of nature that the cleanest waters have some lev16

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els of contaminants in them these contaminants don’t harm the general public but may cause problems for immune compromised individuals. Our U.S. municipal and private water utilities follow EPA drinking water standards which are among the best in the world. These standards do a great deal to assure the quality of our water supplies but they don’t do the job of supplying water.

It’s the job of the local water utilities, state agencies, local health departments and a knowledgeable public working collectively to protect their watersheds which ensure the highest quality drinking water.

Even though human pollution is the major factor affecting our water supply there are others. When nature is overwhelmed by a weather situations like, excessive flooding or when municipal systems temporally fail instances do occur that can cause contaminants to reach levels that may make people sick. In both cases the public is notified as soon as possible by local health departments. For people who choose to use a well these notifications may or may not be useful.

A farmer opens a well head for inspection.

In the U.S.10% of the public use wells, cisterns or springs for drinking water and are responsible for assuring the quality of it. There is little regulatory control over individual water supplies in rural areas and over site only happens during well development or when property transfers. Well owners must maintain and test regularly.

With the influx of new people to North Carolina, education about potential pollution problems and how to protect watersheds are essential.

State agencies like the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) and N. C. Division of Water Quality are the networks that educate the public and industry about issues.

Urban homeowners, landscapers, and rental managers need to know about the proper use of chemicals to avoid excessive runoff into our waterways. Many use too much pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals to

obtain lawn results. Uninformed farm owners and untrained farm workers may not understand the consequences of the improper use of chemicals, pesticides or other farming practices.

Water in this culvert ends up in your watershed.

The improper use of chemicals, pesticides and herbicides like all types of pollution not only affect drinking water, but the health of ecosystems which are so vital to watershed health. Clean waterways protect children, and adults that swim in them and pets and animals that may be drinking directly form a waterway.

Citizens can do a lot to protect local water sources by learning about and assisting in the protection of their watershed. The things people can do aren’t hard they are just a matter of changing bad habits. Citizens can (1.) properly select the safest lawn fertilizers, pesticides, and other home chemicals that end up in storm drains hence, the watershed. (2.) remove litter and grass clippings from curbs to assure street drains are unblocked. (3.) properly dispose of pet waste, motor oil household chemicals, and garbage. (4.) monitor local water utilities and read and ask question (5.) don’t litter and pick-up litter — Its obvious our convenience food wraps, plastic bottles and bags etc. don’t degrade on the curbside (recycle them). (6.) promptly report street underground utility events, sewage backups, burst pipes, truck spills, and illegal dumping.

(7.) join or financially support a local citizen group that is working to protect waters (8.) educate yourself and your children about the environment and develop good environmental habits.

and pleasurable surroundings, health, property values, and their pocketbook. The same is true for a successful business because they depend on clean water for operations and a quality environment to attract good workers. When these things become apparent then people and business tend to become good stewards of the environment.

The knowledge and action of people can greatly reduce the degradation in waters and make even greater improvements to drinking water quality. Resources for public Involvement.

To learn more use the menu links at the top of the page… Contact: Barbara Doll

Dr. Barbara Doll, P.E. Extension Assistant Professor Biological & Agricultural Engineering and NC Sea Grant, water quality specialist Phone: 919-515-5287 Fax: 919-515-5287 e-mail: barbara_doll@ncsu.edu

Reprinted from (https://waterquality.wordpress.ncsu.edu/) NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH, NC 27695 919.515.2011

An extension associate shows people insects found living near streams.

Businesses, farms and municipalities must follow all Clean Water Act rules and regulations pertaining to their type of operation. They are responsible for educating, training, and enforcing workers to follow proper procedures that ensure compliance. Business should evaluate partners and sub-contractors to be sure they also comply with water regulations.

When citizens fully realize the consequences of pollution in their watersheds they begin to understand how directly it can affect their visual north carolina fisheries association 17

Marketplace The History and Origin of Ginn’s Seafood As told by: Brandy Ginn

G

inn’s seafood is a beloved part of Washington, North Carolina’s history, and plays a key role in how so many of the townspeople get their fresh, local, wild-caught seafood. Mr. Kermitt and Mrs. Patsy Ginn began their business by selling oysters on the side of the road from the back of their old Ford pickup truck, back in 1976. After several years of doing their business this way, Mr. Ginn was able to purchase a piece of property. It was on this piece of property where he established his business, and where Ginn’s Seafood still stands to this day. Originally, Mr. Ginn had built a bait, tackle, and convenience store, all-in-one.

Along with Mr. and Mrs. Ginn, their three children: Angela, Lisa, and Lawrence, helped operate the family business throughout their school years. Soon after, the business had prospered enough so that Mr. Ginn was able to start selling shrimp, fish, and many other types of local seafood at his store. Lawrence worked alongside both his father and mother until they decided they were ready to retire. Afterwards, Lawrence, with the help of his wife his wife Brandy, took over the family business on January 5, 2011. Lawrence, his wife, their three girls, and one son now operate the family business.

The Ginn Family runs their business with honesty and places high value on providing excellent customer service. Ginn’s Seafood makes sure to purchase only the freshest wild-caught seafood from local areas such as Swan Quarter, Beaufort, Morehead City, as well as many other North Carolina fishing towns. Ginn’s Seafood 18

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is open all year round and has won the Readers Choice Award in both years 2016 and 2017; and are hoping to do so again this year!

So shop local, support small business, and go to Ginn’s Seafood!

Ginn’s Seafood 837 Carolina Ave.,, Washington, NC 27889 Phone Number: 252-946-4834

Catch up with the latest Sign up for our monthly eNewsletter by visiting www.nccatch.org or drop us a line: info@nccatch.org

NC Catch ENewsletter Tradewinds Ad.indd 1

3/16/2018 3:51:05 PM

north carolina fisheries association 19

7th Annual NC CATCH Summit Recap

Thank you everyone who attended our 7th Annual NC Catch Summit in Southport, NC! A special thanks to Brunswick Catch and Brunswick County Cooperative Extension for all of their hard work to plan this wonderful event.

O

ur first day started with two tours; Net to Napkin in Southport and Wholesale and Added Value Tour in Wilmington. The Net to Napkin participants toured Potter’s Seafood Shrimp Boat, Potter’s Seafood and Fishy Fishy Restaurant. The Wholesale participants toured Port of Wilmington, Acme Smoked Fish and Seaview Crab Company. We continued the day at the Southport Community Building with an oyster roast and live music overlooking the beautiful waterfront.

The day ended with great local seafood dishes from Southport Restaurants and Markets including grilled Golden Tile cheeks- they were fabulous!

Our second day of the Summit began with breakfast, including shrimp and grits, back at the community center.

We had a full day of great speakers including the Division of Marine Fisheries, SeaGrant, The NC 10% Campaign, Commercial Fishermen, Owners of Seafood Markets and a Professor from UNCW. Lunch was catered by Gourmet to Go and featured fresh sea bass, tile fish and triggerfish. After lunch we viewed the short film Ugly & Wild produced by Vittles films and played Ugly & Wild bingo! You can view the film here.( http://www.nc10percent.com/uglyfish) The Summit also had short demonstrations throughout the day including how to properly filet fish, peeling and deveining shrimp and the safe shucking of oysters. We ended the day with a small cooking demonstration of how to properly cook shrimp and fish in a skillet without over cooking it.

A huge thank you to all of our participants, speakers and sponsors! We could not have had a successful Summit without each of you! Below are some of the presentations from our speakers. Thank you for attending the 2018 Summit!

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Divsion of Marine Fisheries- Economics by Adam Stemle Division of Marine Fisheries - Landings by Stepanie McInerny NC Seafood Opportunities and Challenges by Scott Baker The Future of Fish by Chris Dumas

north carolina fisheries association 21

cswm & hc

Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center

CELEBRATING

Community Spirit Generations Strong

PORTSMOUTH HOMECOMING Saturday, April 21 “There’s hardly a day goes by that I don’t miss that place … It’s the peace and quiet that’s there, and it’s home.”

Marian Gray Babb, “One of the last to leave” CONTACT NUMBERS FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOMECOMING 2018:

Friends of Portsmouth: Kathy McNeilly (828-448-0597) or Rosanne Penley (828-439-5424) Cape Lookout National Seashore: Jeff West (252-728-2250)

Every two years, descendants, family and friends gather on Portsmouth Island to celebrate homecoming with a traditional homecoming celebration complete with dinner on the ground, visits to the family cemeteries and time to revisit old memories along the sandy paths of Portsmouth Village.

Sponsored by the Friends of Portsmouth and hosted by Cape Lookout National Seashore, the theme for the 2018 Homecoming is “A Step Back in Time,” focusing on the simple times and activities that were common to the people of Portsmouth.

I am honored to host the 2018 homecoming at Portsmouth Island.

Having seen first-hand the love, work, and dedication the heritage and history of Portsmouth village inspires in people, I can say that it is a truly amazing place both physically and in the hearts and minds of people. I hope everyone can make time to come and be a part of the celebration on April 21.

Jeff West, Cape Lookout National Seashore Superintendent

We hope everyone will take this opportunity to tour the houses and visit with our descendants. The Park is working hard to make the houses accessible this one day. We won’t do this again until 2020.

Come be a part of this special day! Everyone is welcome!

Rosanne Penley, Friends of Portsmouth President

Transportation logistics: Reservations to Portsmouth should be made by calling in early April: Rudy Austin at Ocracoke -- 252-928-4361 ($20 per person, round trip) If coming for the day on the North Carolina ferry from Cedar Island or Hatteras:

The North Carolina ferry service often changes schedules. You should contact them at the following number for the latest information, including schedules and prices. (Ferry Number – 800-293-3779 or www.ncferry.org).

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The aerial and homecoming pics, credit to Friends of Portsmouth Island.

9:00am

SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY …

BUILDINGS OPEN: Visitor Center (T-Shirts sales), Post Office (stamp cancellation), School, Cecil Gilgo House (next to school) Henry Pigott House, Washington Roberts House, Roy Robinson/Gilgo House (descendantdisplays) U.S. Life-Saving Station, Styron-Bragg House, Wallace/Grace House, Jesse/Marian Babb House, Dennis Mason House, Carl Dixon House, Tom & Lucy Gilgo House, McWilliams/Dixon House

10:00am Hymn singing in church led by Connie Mason 11:15am Church bell rings to begin the Homecoming Celebration 11:30am Homecoming Program will feature David Quinn, grandson of Dot Salter Willis,

who will offer the Island’s history, along with presentations from other

island family members 12:30pm Dinner on the Grounds (Ice, paper products and tea will be provided. Everyone brings FOOD to SHARE) 1:30pm Time to visit/tour all the open buildings throughout the village 2:00

Passenger ferries begin returning to Ocracoke (ferries will run as long as needed)

The boats to Portsmouth load at the NPS docks at Ocracoke. Park your car and follow the crowd! Return reservations should be made on the last state ferry to Cedar Island or Swan Quarter unless you are spending the night at Ocracoke. If coming from Hatteras you will want to be on a very early ferry as the ride is now an hour long.

In case of inclement weather, Homecoming will be held at the Assembly of God Church at Ocracoke on Lighthouse Road. Please check www.friendsofportsmouthisland.org and Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page for any news or updates to this schedule.

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A MAN OR

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TRED BARTA KNOWS NO LIMITS.

north carolina fisheries association 23

NORTH CAROLINA MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION-

pAST N

PRESENT

orth Carolina is widely recognized as one of the premier states in America relative to the wealth of its coastal and marine resources, including its fisheries resources. The diversity of our fisheries and the productivity of our extensive coastal and marine waters are renown by experts. Coastal fisheries in North Carolina provide significant social, economic, and ecological benefits to our citizens; protecting and managing those resources is a critical responsibility.

Many institutional models exist in the world regarding the management of fisheries.

Some countries and states enact fishing laws by representative legislative bodies, where elected officials decide issues such as fish size and catch limits. These decisions are made while having to deal with many other social and economic concerns.

Other entities empower an executive official such as a fisheries director or czar to determine the appropriate fisheries restrictions. Others create a specialized body, such as a council, usually composed of people with fisheries expertise to govern those resources; the body is usually appointed by elected officials. Sometimes managing fisheries is handled by local officials and decisions are made at a community level; this technique is most often used in developing nations or regions with small, local fisheries.

North Carolina historically enacted fishing laws through their elected officials of the General Assembly. As mentioned earlier, officials would have to address fishing issues along with other complex issues and our legislative body did not meet throughout the year. In 1915 our legislative leaders created a Fisheries Commission, which was a precursor to today’s Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) and was granted specific duties regarding fisheries management programs. Later, the General Assembly created a Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to collect scientific data to guide regulations and to implement policy such as enforcement/restoration. Such a management structure allows the MFC to focus on the many fisheries issues facing our state with the aid of scientific data collected by the DMF. Many government institutions choose to create a commission/council of multiple backgrounds to manage public trust resources, as they are empowered to focus on the particular resource and a multi-person body is usually perceived to provide fairer and more balanced decisions. North Carolina also has a unique management tool granted by the General Assembly, called proclamation authority, where the DMF Director, when authorized by the MFC, can change fisheries restrictions with 48 hr notice if warranted by changes in variable conditions.

In 1994 the NC General Assembly undertook a two year comprehensive study of North Carolina entire coastal fisheries management process and passed a temporary 24

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FUTURE moratorium on the sale of most commercial fishing licenses and restriction of non-critical regulations by the MFC. They created a Moratorium Steering Committee (Committee) composed of 20 key stakeholders to undertake the study, being composed of General Assembly members, scientists, and recreational and commercial fishing representatives. The Committee funded a detailed study to assess the organization and functions of the MFC and DMF, examining multiple fisheries management structures in the USA. Based on the study, numerous discussions by the Committee and 19 public meeting throughout the state, the group recommended that North Carolina retain the MFC, but it should be significantly restructured. Most of the recommendations of the Committee were put into law by the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act (FRA).

Significant changes that were authorized by the FRA to provide for a fairer, more efficient and more effective MFC included: reducing membership from 17 to 9; specifying 2 commercial fishing seats- 2 recreational fishing seats-1 recreational industry seat-1 commercial industry seat-1 scientist seat-and 2 at large seats; creating coastal residency requirements for most of the seats; strengthening ethical requirements; and expanding the MFC’s authority to manage fisheries. The FRA continued the authorization of the Governor to appoint the MFC and allowing MFC members to serve 3 year terms.

The FRA also created four standing committees (Finfish, Crustacean, Habitat/Water Quality, Shellfish) and four regional committees (Northern, Central, Southern, Inland) to advise the MFC on fisheries issues. The committees were to be composed of people with expertise in the subject area or the fisheries in the specified region and were required to have fair representation of recreational and commercial fishermen and scientists.

The Moratorium Steering Committee envisioned that the MFC advisory committees would have regular meetings, would create a structure for regular stakeholder input, and that the MFC would commonly refer issues to the advisors for consideration.

The FRA also established advisory committees to help the DMF develop fishery management plans (FMP), which would contain key measures to manage fisheries and ensure sustainable resources. All significant recreationally and commercially important species would have FMP’s prepared and amended every 5 years. The FMP advisory committees would be composed of individuals with expertise in the particular fishery.

The North Carolina General Assembly and the Committee expected that the MFC appointment criteria and ethics requirements would result in a representative and balanced Commission that would make fair and just decisions. The groups also thought that the MFC would fully utilize the formalized advisory committees composed of stakeholders to help make decisions on often complex issues. They thought that the cornerstone of managing fisheries would be FMPs, where the extensive scientific data collected by DMF and other experts would be incorporated into a management document with key stakeholders having a seat at the table in the development of the FMP. Since FRA was implemented, five North Carolina Governors have made appointments to the MFC and selected six MFC chairs to lead the Commission. With only nine slots on the MFC, each appointment is significant. The At-large and Scientist appointments are especially critical as recreational and commercial fishing representatives sometimes share similar perceptions of fisheries issues. For over 10 years after the FRA passage the advisory committees met frequently (at least once every 2-3 months) and the MFC frequently utilized their advisory committees and the committees provide input on their own accord. FMP advisory committees helped develop numerous management plans that contained regulations to try to ensure sustainable resources and address important social/economic issues. Regional and standing committees were used to also to provide advice on FMPs, even when not required by the FRA. FMPs were the primary instrument to manage North Carolina’s resources.

In recent years the MFC has deviated from the intent of the FRA and exhibited little respect for the mandates of this legislation. The MFC misused the FMP process when pursuing actions on Southern Flounder through a supplement rather than an amendment, without using stakeholder input, and little scientific data. The MFC was actually found to have acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner by our courts regarding the Flounder FMP Supplement.

Recently the MFC misused the FMP process and rejected the DMF’s scientific findings concerning actions on a petition for rulemaking by the NC Wildlife Federation calling for numerous and substantial restrictions on shrimp trawling even though a Shrimp FMP had just finished its mandated five-year

amendment, which involved two years of scientific assessment, stakeholder input, and public meetings. If for some reason the MFC felt additional restrictions were necessary, they could have revised the FMP schedule and pursued another amendment as provided in the FRA. Instead, the MFC made a decision to abandon the FMP process and manage our resources by piecemeal fashion or an emergency as perceived by special interest groups. They also ignored almost unanimous advice from standing and regional advisory committees that the MFC reject the petition due to process and scientific concerns. While the MFC was completely within their authority to not follow their advisory committees’ advice, they did not provide any reason to advisors for their decision, which was usually provided by post-FRA commissions. The MFC also did not convene its FMP Shrimp advisory committee to provide advice.

Other examples of the MFC recently not using the FMP process within the FRA to guide include actions on cobia, sheepshead, and black drum (not using the Interjurisdictional FMP and its advisory committee). Recently, the MFC pursued and pressed the DMF Director to use proclamation authority for additional striped bass restrictions even though C/S Striped Bass FMP review was beginning and did not solicit advice from any of its advisory committees.

The MFC advisory committees no longer meet regularly and when they do it often in a setting with hundreds of interested people gathered and only given 3 minutes provide comments to the advisors. The Habitat and Water Quality Committee has seldom met in recent years, yet just after the FRA, were meeting every 2-3 months; all experts recognize the importance of habitat and water quality in fisheries production. The Shellfish/ Crustacean Committee (combined in recent years) does not meet regularly.

In its recent decision on providing recommendations to the General Assembly regarding possible significant changes to the definition of a commercial fisherman, the MFC did not ask for advice from any advisory committee listed in the FRA, held one public meeting, and even passed measures that had not been discussed in any prior public forum.

Actions taken recently by the MFC generate dismay and uncertainty in the management system created by the FRA that was meant to be predicated on science-data driven decisions, with regular and valued stakeholder input, and balanced interests. The situation has created a crisis of faith in a fair and just Marine Fisheries Commission by its advisors, fishermen, industry representatives, local governments and seafood consumers.

Actions should be taken by North Carolina’s leaders to restore that faith.

-Jess Hawkins has a Master of Science in Biology.

He was the former Chief of Fisheries Management with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries.

He is currently an instructor with the Duke University Marine Laboratory and North Carolina State University CMAST Laboratory teaching Marine Fisheries Ecology.

north carolina fisheries association 25

- -� . ·---

CAPT. STACV FISHING CENTER 416 All.ANTIC BEACH CAUSEWAY ATLANTIC BEACH, NC 28512

252-726-4675

FULL DAY SHARK FISHING HALF DAY 24 HOUR OVERNIGHT PRIVATE CHARTER WWW.CAPTSTACV.COM

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CAPT STACY FI SHINO CENTER HAS JIROVDLY BEEN A PART OF THE COMMER<lAL AND CHARTER FISHINC INDUSTRY'S FOR MORE THAN A CINtvavr

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“The Life and Times of a Commercial Fisherman: As Told by His Wife” In dedication to my loving and hard-working husband, Hunter Barta.

Written by Nikki Raynor It’s early in the morning, he rises hours before the sun.

He knows he must emerge, so another day of work can be done.

He quietly makes his coffee, eats last night’s leftovers, and calls to check the weather.

Then for the sleeping wife and son, a loving goodbye and a kiss, soft as a feather.

Though he already went out to check on the boat just a few hours before, he gets dressed, slips on his boots, and shuffles out the front door.

He hops in his truck to buy fuel for his boat, with his hard-earned money in pocket.

Taking a risk on this endeavor, he has faith that the expense will yield a profit.

Whether he’s going after fish, shrimp, crabs, oysters, or clams, he gives it his best.

Only after his day’s work is complete, does he allow himself to rest.

He works in all bodies of water; the ocean, the river, the sound.

No matter what is in season, he heads to the water year ‘round.

In the frigid winter air does he tirelessly tong for oysters with cold, wet hands and feet.

With his strong back, strong will, and perseverance, he fails to miss a beat.

He catches his limit and carefully culls his oysters to be sold.

After business is taken care of, he returns home from the shivering cold.

He faces the scorching summer heat with peeling skin and sun-bleached hair.

He deals with the elements of nature regularly, that most wouldn’t dream to bear.

Wrestling with ropes and nets and getting covered in fish slime.

These are just a couple of things he knows to expect every time.

In between drags, he culls his catch and packs them quickly with ice.

He catches what he legally can and hopes they’ll pay a good price.

The backbreaking work, depending what catch, can sometimes last through the night.

Sleepless and weary, he carries on working, he just has to turn on a light.

When the early hours of the morning have come, he heads in to sell his labors.

He knows his fresh, locally caught seafood will spread to the plates of his neighbors.

With fish-spine-stuck hands and the grody scent of seafood on his clothes, he ties up at the dock to wash his boat with soap and a hose.

He goes home to see his family, get clean, eat, and rest.

He’s already planning for tomorrow when he will commence his next quest.

Some people wonder why a man would do this to himself, what on earth is the need?

For him it is very simple, he loves the water and has a family to feed. north carolina fisheries association 27

Offshore Marine Electronics 315 Steel Tank Road Beaufort, NC 28516

252-504-2624 Get “Offshore” and Go Fishing!

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Dependable Seafood Packaging for Eastern North Carolina.

Contact Us: (910) 512-1182 Email: kellam.oden@wilheit.com

CAPT’S

SPOTLIGHT

CAPTAIN FLOYD L. GIBBS F/V LADY AMIE ENGELHARD, NC

I

am a third-generation commercial fisherman from Engelhard NC. Like most fishermen, my love for the water started at a young age, by the age of 4 or 5. I started shrimping with my dad on his 40-foot trawler called the F/V Nubbin. By age 11, my dad let me use a 21-foot Seahawk to fish crab pots, a total of 40 pots. As I was growing up, I always worked summers with my dad on his 48-foot boat, F/V Papas girl. It was great! I worked all summer long. I had spending money in my pocket and money saved in the bank. I was able to buy everything I needed for school and then some.

Shrimping had gotten so bad that we started scalloping.

During this time we purchased the boat that is now mine, the F/V Lady Amie. She is a 51-foot Harker’s Island trawler that I’ve been running since 2009. Before me, my brother ran her.

My brother did really well shrimping, scalloping, and smooth dog shark fishing with the boat, but a time came when he decided that the water wasn’t the career path for him, so I

asked my dad if I could run the boat. After a small amount of struggling with him, he finally agreed. I ran the boat for him until 2014, at which point I obtained possession of the vessel.

The commercial fishing career path is a brutal road to go down. You’re up one day and down the next, and it’s not any easier for your family. My wife of 10 years and my daughter can testify to that. Catching seafood and taking care of the catch so that people can have high-quality seafood to enjoy is one of the most gratifying things. If I had to give advice to someone trying to get into commercial fishing, I would have to tell them: become a deck hand, pay close attention and anytime you have an opportunity to learn something, do it. I used to ask my father, “When can I run the boat?” and he would always reply, “You have to learn to work the deck before you can work the cabin”. To this day I learn something new every trip I make.

Boat Name: F/V Lady Amie Homeport: Engelhard, NC Owner: Floyd L. Gibbs Captain: Floyd L. Gibbs Builder: Harker’s Island Year Built: 1980 Length: 51’ Hull Material: Wood Beam: 16’ Draft: 3.5’ Engine: Twin 453 Detroit Diesels Gear: 3 to 1 Velvet Drive Top Speed: 9 knots Propeller Size: 28” X 24” Ice/Fish Capacity: 10,000 pounds Electronics: Furuno, Sim Radar

north carolina fisheries association 29

Yellowfin Tuna

N.C. Seafood What’s In Season SPRING

Blue Crab (Soft) Bluefish Clams Grouper Kingfish Mahi-mahi Tilefish Tuna

SUMMER

Blue crabs (Hard & Soft) Grouper Spanish Mackerel Mahi-mahi Shrimp Snapper Tilefish Tuna

FALL

Black Sea Bass Blue Crab (Hard) Clams Croaker Flounder King & Spanish Mackerel Mullet Oysters Shrimp Striped Bass Yellowfin Tuna

WINTER

Flounder Oysters Clams Striped Bass Sea Trout Spotted Bluefin Tuna Bluefish Black Sea Bass King Mackerel Sea Trout Gray Croaker

The website www.fishwatch.gov provides links to information on the benefits of consuming seafood, including a comprehensive analysis by Harvard School of Public Health. It concluded that eating about 2 grams per week of omega-3 fatty acids in fish, equal to about one or two servings of fatty fish a week, reduces the chances of dying from heart disease by more than one-third.

Eating fish weekly can reduce the risk of stroke, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and other chronic conditions.

How to choose your seafood

Whole & Dressed Fish

• Bright, shiny eyes • Bright red gills, if present • Firm, elastic flesh • Scales adhering tightly to skin • Smooth, glistening skin • Mild scent • Bright red bloodlines

Live Shellfish

• Tightly closed shells; if open, they shut when tapped • Moist, intact shells • Mild scent

Raw Shrimp Fresh Cut Fish

• Firm, elastic • Translucent color • Moist appearance • Mild scent

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• Translucent shells with grayish green or tan coloration • Moist appearance • Firm flesh • Mild scent

The website www.fishwatch.gov provides links to information on the benefits of consuming seafood, including a comprehensive analysis by Harvard School of Public Health. It concluded that eating about 2 grams per week of omega-3 fatty acids in fish, equal to about one or two servings of fatty fish a week, reduces the chances of dying from heart disease by more than one-third.

Eating fish weekly can reduce the risk of stroke, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and other chronic conditions.

How to choose your seafood

Whole & Dressed Fish

• Bright, shiny eyes • Bright red gills, if present • Firm, elastic flesh • Scales adhering tightly to skin • Smooth, glistening skin • Mild scent • Bright red bloodlines

Live Shellfish

• Tightly closed shells; if open, they shut when tapped • Moist, intact shells • Mild scent

Raw Shrimp Fresh Cut Fish

• Firm, elastic • Translucent color • Moist appearance • Mild scent

• Translucent shells with grayish green or tan coloration • Moist appearance • Firm flesh • Mild scent

You’re Ready to Fish, So Where is Your PFD?

PFD stowed in a locker will be of no help at all.

“Yeah, but I hate wearing a PFD and so do my crew. They’re uncomfortable and they snag on gear.” Maybe, you just haven’t found the right PFD. PFDs are manufactured in a wide variety styles and types. Depending on your fishery and location, you You have finished your boat and gear work. The boat is fueled and may prefer a Type-III work vest, an inflatable vest, or oilskins iced. You have groceries and crew aboard and you are ready to slip the with built-in flotation. The National Institute for Occupational lines and head to work. Right?

Safety and Health (NIOSH) asked 200 fishermen from different Take a look. Are your crew wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) fisheries to try one of six different PFDs for a month.3 Each on deck? Increasingly, commercial fishing captains are requiring their group found PFDs that worked in their fishery.

JustPFDs Helped on Savedeck Two Commercial Fishermen in the PFDs Bering Sea, January crew to1PFDs wear and for good reason: save lives.23, 2018, If you read the NIOSH study, you may notice that the flotation https://www.amsea.org/single-post/2018/01/23/PFDs-Just-Helped-Save-Two-Commercial-FishermenConsider an incident this past January1. Two commercial fishermen oilskins evaluated, were not U.S. Coast Guard-approved. in-the-Bering-Sea aboard the trawler, F/V Arctic Wind, were swept overboard by a wave in While a non-approved PFD will not help you to meet the Coast 2 Commercial Fishingmen Regional Fatality Summaries – Five yearboth update, National Institute for Occupational the Bering Sea. Both were wearing PFDs and were recovered Guard’s carriage requirements, an approved PFD stowed in a Safety and Health, March 1, 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/fishing/nationaloverview.html alive within fifteen minutes. locker will not help if you fall overboard. The best PFD is the 3,4 you might say, “I don’t fish in the Bering Sea in January or “Well,” PFDs That Work: Overview, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Marchone 1, 2018, you will wear, whenever you are on deck. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-131/ conditions nearly that severe.” In that case, you may be interested to “OK, I’m convinced, but my crew will never go along with it.” know that onBethe Atlantic and Institute Gulf Coasts, roughlySafety three-quarters of 1, 2018,Let them know what a PFD will do for them.

5 Live To Salty.org, National for Occupational and Health, March all commercial fishing fatalities are the result of falls overboard and http://www.livetobesalty.org/ • If they fall overboard and they are wearing a PFD, rather than merely keeping their heads above water, they can focus Accompanying Photos: on other aspects of survival, like attracting the attention of their shipmates.

• If they are injured or unconscious, a PFD will keep their airways clear when they can’t help themselves.

• In cold water, a PFD will keep them afloat when they’re too cold to swim.

• A PFD will give them more time to be rescued.

Of the 182 fishermen who died from falls overboard between 2000 and 2011 none of them were wearing a PFD.4 In the end, it’s your boat and you get to set the rules. Or to quote Angus Figure 2 Regatta and Stormline are Iverson, “America may be a democracy, but your boat sure companies that manufacture flotation oilskins. isn’t!”5

Figure 1 Angus Iversen

1 PFDs Just Helped Save Two Commercial Fishermen in the Bering Sea, January 23, 2018, https://www.amsea.org/single-post/2018/01/23/PFDs-Just-Helped-Save-TwoCommercial-Fishermen-in-the-Bering-Sea

Commercial Fishing Regional Fatality Summaries – Five year update, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, March 1, 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/ niosh/topics/fishing/nationaloverview.html 2

Figure 3 An approved Type-III on the left and a non-approved foam PFD on the right, both manufactured by Kent.

PFDs That Work: Overview, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, March 1, 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-131/ 3,4

Figure 4 Inflatable PFDs are available from many amnufacturers.

vessel disasters resulting in the crew abandoning ship.2 In either case, wearing a PFD will significantly improve your chances of survival.

Wearing a PFD whenever you are on deck will ensure that you are prepared in case of an emergency. When disaster strikes, events frequently move rapidly and you may not get the opportunity to break out your PFDs from a locker. If you or one of your crew fall overboard, a

5 Live To Be Salty.org, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, March 1, 2018,

http://www.livetobesalty.org/

north carolina fisheries association 31

Did you Know?

Summer Flounder Facts

Paralichthys dentatus (Linaeus, 1766), also called a fluke, is a member of the large-tooth flounder family Paralichthyidae.

There are typically 5 to 14 ocellated (eye-like) spots on the body.

They can change the color and pattern of their dark side to match the surrounding bottom.

The average summer flounder reaches sexual maturity at 2 years and weighs 1-3 pounds. Typically, 15-20 inches in length, some can grow as large as 26 pounds and live up to 20 years.

They have a range from the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Florida.

Often confused with the Southern Flounder of the southeastern U.S. Considered to be, by far, the most important flounder along the Atlantic coast. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_flounder

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Get involved Become a member in your community CONTACT : Albemarle Fisherman’s Association Terry Pratt 252-339-7431 Pamlico County Fisherman’s Association Wayne Dunbar Hwd0123@gmail.com 252-670-7467 Oz Hudgins Home: 252-745-7424 Mobile: 252-571-2002 Carteret County Fisherman’s Association Bradley Styron qualityseafood@clis.com Office: 252-225-0073 Mobile: 252-342-8821 Brunswick County Fishermen’s Association Randy Robinson fishmancsx@gmail.com 910-209-3463 Ocracoke Working Waterman’s Association Hardy Plyler hplyler@gmail.com 252-588-0512 34

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Around the Coast Affiliate News Albemarle Fisherman’s Association

Mike Blanton~“The guys have started shad (American) fishing and catching their bycatch limit of rock, but the winds are causing hard times. Some guys are setting a few crab pots, the cold has brought that to a halt. Got a few guys that have their pound nets set.”

Carteret County Fisherman’s Association Proud Affiliate of the North Carolina Fisheries Association

Brunswick County Fisherman’s Association

Randy Robinson~ /Doug Todd~“Ain’t much going on

with the trout being closed. Got a few guys catching some black drum. Shrimpers are getting ready for the Spring shrimp season. We finally got the inlet dredged, bout 6’ of water, but it hasn’t been buoyed yet. We have been working with the Coast Guard to get that taken care of.”

Carteret County Fisherman’s Association

Bradley Styron~ “Ain’t much happening, weather hasn’t been agreeable with anything. Got some boys hand clamming. Other than that, we are just preparing for our Annual Carteret County Fisherman’s Association’s Fish Fry on May 5th.”

Pamlico County Fisherman’s Association

Wayne Dunbar~Oz Hudgins~ “Got some guys catching some strippers and shad. Crabbing seemed to start out good, but the cold weather has slowed that down.”

Ocracoke Working Waterman’s Association Ocracoke Fish House~ Hardy Plyler

“OWWA attended the 7th Annual NC Catch Summit in Brunswick County this month. We have a new Island Resident Representative on the NC Catch Board named Sue Dayton, we would like to welcome and congratulate her on her position on the Board. Woccocon Oyster Company, of Ocracoke provided fresh, local oysters for the NC Catch Summit. The cold weather has slowed down fishing, so we are just waiting for the blue fish to show up, crabbing has been slow due to the weather also.”

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A WORD FROM: BLUE WATER FISHERMEN’S ASSOCIATION PO Box 51828, Boston, MA. 02210

Blue Water Fishermen’s Association Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel Report Overall, I feel the Meeting went well. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) started off by introducing the Emergency Rule, pertaining to short fin Mako. For the Highly Migratory Species Pelagic Longline (HMS-PLL), that will mean the release of all live short fin Mako’s. We will be able to retain all dead short fin Mako’s. NMFS will use a combination of our existing observer coverage and our EMS BFT-IBQ Review April Process to verify our compliance.

I want to note that both Dewey Hemilright and Glen Delaney did an outstanding job defending our position on this issue.

Dewey exposed a troubling disparity in what NMFS reported to ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) for US short fin Mako takes. What the US Pelagic Long Line (PLL) landed, which is verified by our dealer reports and what they extrapolated out and reported, are significantly less Glen Delaney pointed out that the US, as a whole is listed as the 4th largest harvester nation, in regards to short fin Mako takes. This is virtually impossible when you compare the size of our PLL fishery, and that of several other nations. These other nations are either dramatically under-reporting their takes or not reporting at all. As of right now, we are being considered a “major harvester nation”. In actuality, we are a minor harvester nation.

There are considerable differences in the level of compliance when a fish stock is listed as being overfished, and overfishing is occurring when applied to a nation’s listing.

The Day Boat/Kerstetter Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) is back in the regulatory process; (The EFP would authorize PLL vessels owned or associated with the co-applicant, Day Boat Seafood Inc., to fish in the East Florida Coast PLL Closed Area for up to three years. Day Boat Seafood would be allowed to sell all the legal fish caught under this permit.) and shamefully so, I want to add. It is disgraceful for any group to misrepresent the truth. We as an industry have always promoted “good science”.

Those who oppose a process that would have provided the data in an area of which 90% of American’s are being denied access to for the past 17 years, are simply afraid of the truth. We as a nation should frown upon any group who promotes exclusion instead of inclusion. There should be no tolerance for a “not in my backyard” mentality in the US today.

The A7 review is underway. Blue Water Fisherman’s Association (BWFA) presented a list of issues to be addressed at the meeting, which were all presented and discussed during this segment of the meeting.

Performance metric: getting the Bluefin Tuna-Individual Bluefin 36

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Quota (BFT-IBQ) into the hands of the “active vessels”, dispersing BFT-IBQ on a set basis, access to the GOM to Atlantic vessels at times, and areas identified within the A7 regulatory process, access to the North East Bluefin Tuna (NE BFT) closed area.

The pelagic longline bluefin tuna weak hook and Areabased Management Regulatory Amendment Scoping Meeting presentation was next.

Weak hooks: 1) No change, 2) Eliminate the requirement altogether, 3) Only required times and areas of BFT hotspots identified during the A7 process.

Area-Based Management: Eight options where presented to the Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel (HMSAP), starting with “No Change, No Access”, after discussing the 8 Options as a whole.

We broke off into groups of 4 and reported back to the entire HMSAP. I took the opportunity to present my personal preference to the entire HMSAP as well. There seemed to be a “common sense”, within the Room that there “IS A NEED” to get data from the “Closed Areas”.

I want to thank Glen Hopkins (Proxy for Jeff Oden), Dewey Hemilright (SAFMC-HMS), BWFA Legislative Consultant Glen Delaney, and Scott Taylor for their presence and participation at the HMSAP meeting. I also want to thank our President Jack Devnew, as well as Former-President Ernie Panacek, and Glen for attending BWFA’s Pre-HMSAP meeting.

BWFA thanks all of our members for their support.

- Marty Scanlon Owner/Operator F/V Provider II Board of Director BWFA PLLTRT Member HMSAP Member More information on BFT-IBQ can be found at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/documents/fmp/am7/ibq_troubleshooting_ guide.pdf

Council & Commission Meetings ings held in January and as part of the March Council meeting primarily supported removing Atlantic cobia from the federal management plan and providing the states more latitude in setting regulations based on the ASMFC Interstate Plan.

Once fully removed from the federal management plan, Atlantic Group Cobia would be regulated in both state and federal waters under ASMFC. The Cobia Stock ID Workshop is scheduled for April 10-12, 2018 in Charleston, SC and a benchmark stock assessment will be conducted in 2019. For additional information, visit: http://sedarweb.org/sedar-58.

Council Delays Changes to Atlantic Cobia Management Fishery managers to wait for Stock ID Workshop preliminary results available in June After reviewing public comment and considering various management alternatives and timing, members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council decided to delay approval of an amendment to remove Atlantic cobia from the current federal management plan. The amendment is designed to reduce complicated regulations and improve flexibility in the management of Atlantic cobia from Georgia to New York. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the move would allow for the fishery to be managed solely by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

The decision came after Council members discussed the need to wait for preliminary results from a Cobia Stock ID Workshop scheduled for April. The current management boundary between Florida and Georgia was established following a 2013 stock assessment. Fishermen and others have expressed concerns about the boundary change since that time.

The Council decided to wait until their June 11-15, 2018 meeting, when preliminary results from the Stock ID workshop and Advisory Panel recommendations would be available for consideration before moving forward. Council members also heard concerns from legal counsel that the document should further specify what will happen to regulations in federal waters before the amendment’s approval.

Prized for their delicious taste and relatively large size, the recreational harvest of Atlantic cobia has increased in recent years. The recreational fishery closed in federal waters in June 2016 after landings estimates exceeded the annual catch limit the previous year and closed again in January 2017, as state landings were expected to exceed the federal catch limits. The recreational fishery is currently open in federal waters, but subject to closure by NOAA Fisheries should catch estimates exceed the annual catch limit currently in place. Fish harvested in state waters count against the annual catch limit.

The majority of Atlantic cobia are harvested in state waters, within 3 miles of shore in North Carolina and Virginia. They can also be found offshore and occur more readily in federal waters off the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina as they migrate northward to spawn. Cobia harvested along the east coast of Florida are considered part of the Gulf of Mexico stock and are managed separately.

At the request of the Council, the ASMFC began developing an interstate management plan for Atlantic cobia last year. That plan will become effective in state waters from Georgia to New York in April 2018 and aligns with current federal regulations for Atlantic cobia. Under the ASMFC Interstate Plan, state-specific allocations are established based on the current federal annual catch limit of 620,000 pounds, with North Carolina and Virginia receiving the majority of the allocation based on previous landings.

Individual states have submitted plans for Atlantic cobia (including regulations for a minimum size limit, vessel limit, and season) to the ASMFC based on those allocations. The state regulations are designed to keep harvest levels below the allocated state-specific pounds of Atlantic cobia. Under federal law, the states may also request that state regulations for Atlantic cobia be extended into federal waters.

Comments from fishermen and others received during public hear-

Other Business The Council considered over 600 written comments and heard public testimony this week, before voting to send a letter to NOAA Fisheries expressing their concerns on an Exempted Fishery Permit request to conduct research and evaluate pelagic longline catch rates in a portion of an area off the east coast of Florida currently closed to longline fishing. The majority of the comments received, including those from recreational fishing organizations, were in opposition to the permit, citing concerns about discards of recreational and commercially important species, impacts to protected resources, increased landings of dolphin fish, and other concerns. The Council will submit its formal recommendations and a copy of comments received on the Exempted Fishery Permit to NOAA Fisheries, the agency responsible for making the final decision on issuance of the permit.

The Council also continued work on Snapper Grouper Amendment 46 to improve recreational data collection. The amendment includes options for a private recreational snapper grouper permit designed to improve effort estimates that may eventually be used to improve landings estimates. The amendment also includes options for recreational reporting requirements. A separate framework amendment will also be developed to address best fishing practices. The Council provided guidance on actions and alternatives.

Two amendments are being developed as part of the Council’s Vision Blueprint for the snapper grouper fishery, a long-term approach to management developed with stakeholder input. Vision Blueprint Regulatory Amendment 26 addresses recreational measures including modifications to aggregate species composition, removal of size limits, changes to bag limits and gear requirements for certain deepwater species, and modifications to shallow water species. Regulatory Amendment 26 would also reduce the recreational minimum size limit for gray triggerfish off the east coast of Florida for consistency with state regulations. Vision Blueprint Regulatory Amendment 27 addresses commercial measures, including alternatives for split seasons for blueline tilefish, snowy grouper, greater amberjack and red porgy. Changes to the trip limit for vermilion snapper, jacks, and modification to the seasonal prohibition on red grouper are also being considered. The Council approved both amendments for public hearings to be held later this spring.

Charter fishermen targeting snapper grouper species in federal waters off the South Atlantic are required to have a federal South Atlantic ForHire Snapper Grouper permit. At the request of the Council’s Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel and considering public input, the Council reviewed an options paper for public scoping to get input on establishing a moratorium on the issuance of these permits. The moratorium is being considered to help improve logbook reporting compliance, recreational data quality, business planning, professionalize the for-hire fleet, address localized overcapacity, and other concerns. The Council provided recommendations for the scoping document and will review it again during its June 2018 meeting.

The Council bid an emotional farewell to Dr. Michelle Duval, the Council representative for the NC Division of Marine Fisheries and former Council Chair. Dr. Duval also served as Chair as the Council’s Snapper Grouper Committee for several years and was commended for her leadership and guidance during her service on the Council. She joins her husband Scott as they move to Pennsylvania.

Final Committee Reports, a meeting Story Map, Meeting Report and other materials from this week’s Council meeting are available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/.

The next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for June 11-15, 2018 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

north carolina fisheries association 37

The Graying of the Fleet â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Vibriosis

East Carolina University Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) Debra A. Kosko DNP, MN, FNP-BC The water is warming so it is a good time to talk about Vibriosis, an infection caused by the bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, and Vibrio alginolyticus. These bacteria thrive in brackish water when it is warm, from May to October. A simple break in the skin enables this bacteria to enter the body. Often the result is a mild illness that passes within a few days. However, a serious illness can occur.

Symptoms of fever and chills should be an alarm that there is a serious illness needing immediate attention. Skin can blister and a drop in blood pressure signals septic shock. Vibriosis infection has a 25% mortality rate, resulting in 100 deaths per year in the US. As we age, our immune system weakens, increasing the risk of contracting an infection and the risk of an infection exacerbating into a life-threatening illness. Therefore, older fishers should be alert to broken skin and early signs of infection. Knowing when and where the break in the skin occurred will enable an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Prevention is our first line of defense. Avoid breaks in the skin by wearing gloves and outerwear whenever possible. Immediately flush any break in the skin with fresh water and inspect skin after

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a day on the water to note any breaks and monitor healing.

GWEP is a collaboration of the ECU College of Nursing, Brody School of Medicine, and the PA Program to provide health screening for mature fishers and their families in eastern North Carolina. We would be happy to provide health screening in your community or at your next event, so please call or email: koskod@ecu.edu; 252-744-6421.

References: Burke, W.A., Griffith, D.C., Scott, C.M., and Howell, E.R. (2006). Skin problems related to the occupation of commercial fishing in North Carolina. North Carolina Medical Journal, 67(4).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vibrio Species causing Vibriosis. https://www.cdc.gov/vibrio/index.html Gauthier, D.T. (2015). Bacterial zoonoses of fishes: A review and appraisal of evidence for linkages between fish and human infections. The Veterinary Journal, 203(1). doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.10.028

2018 Marine Mammal Authorization Program Most commercial gillnet, seine, trawl, and trap pot fisheries are listed as either category I or II fisheries under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (fishery categorizations are available at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/interactions/fisheries/lof.html).

Under the Marine Mammal Authorization Program, all category I or II commercial fishing vessels operating in state or federal waters are authorized to incidentally injure or kill a marine mammal during the course of their commercial fishing practices.

However, they must carry onboard their vessel a Marine Mammal Authorization Certificate and report all fishing-related marine mammal injuries or deaths within 48 hours of returning to port. A copy of the certificate and reporting form are available at mmap.sero.nmfs.noaa.gov. In addition, as a Category I or II fishery, fishing vessels are required to carry a fishery observer if selected by NOAA fisheries. For more information, please call the Marine Mammal Authorization Hotline at 727-209-5952 or visit mmap.sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.

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“ Red Right ….… ” FLARES… if you are commercial fishing off-shore, then you must have them. And 3-6-3, is the number to remember.

Here is how that breaks down.

If you are 3 to 50nm offshore, you will need the following, Coast Guard approved items. √ 3 - rocket parachute flares √ 6 - hand-held flares √ 3 - floating smoke distress signals If you are fishing greater than 50nm offshore, your 3-6-3 distress signals must also be SOLAS approved.

SOLAS (Safety of Lives at Sea) is the International convention that establishes the minimal safety standards for a variety of commercial maritime equipment. The SOLAS approved flares are the brightest and burn the longest as compared to others.

Closer to shore; 0 to 3nm, the following Coast Guard approved options are required.

For Day and Night √ 3 handheld flares, or 3 pistol-projected parachute red flares, or 3 red aerial pyrotechnic flares.

For Day Only √ Same as above or just one orange flag distress signal 3’x3’.

For Night Only √ Same as the day & night above or one electric distress light (these are cool, so to speak).

Although this sounds complex, the intent is to keep your cost down while balancing the safety factor of your distance offshore. But remember, these are minimal requirements. Having more or higher rated flares can’t hurt.

Be aware of your flare and smoke expiration dates. Expired items do not satisfy the minimum requirement. You may choose to keep your expired items for crew training or back-up. But, they must be kept separate from your current set. If you want to get rid of them, contact either your local fire department or Coast Guard station for more information.

As you captains know, crew training is required. Everyone on-board should know where the flares are kept and how to use them. It is not going to be easy to read those tiny printed instruction labels while under the duress of an emergency. Just be sure to contact the Coast Guard before igniting flares or smoke for crew training.

Stay safe and Return….

- Phil Amanna, Coast Guard Auxiliary - Barry Everhardt, Coast Guard CIV, CFVS www.uscgauxmoreheadcity.org

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Talk on the Dock JANET ROSE TAKES A STAND

“Since I’ve been on the Marine Fisheries Commission,” reflected Janet Rose of Moyock, NC, “I’ve had the feeling that I’m just warming a seat. Decisions are made before we come around the table.”

Ms. Rose, born and raised on Knotts Island, was appointed in 2015 to one of three seats representing commercial fishing interests. The MFC is composed of nine members appointed by the Governor. In addition to the three commercial seats, there are three recreational fishing representatives, two “at large” seats, and one scientist.

The makeup of the Marine Fisheries Commission was enacted as part of the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act, and is designed to maintain balance among stakeholders in the management of public trust fisheries resources. “But the current commission is lopsided,” Janet Rose stressed. “Someone who had served in a recreational seat was put in an at-large seat, and an at-large person was put in a recreational seat. Your thoughts don’t change with a switch in seats.”

Ms. Rose maintains that the at-large seat should be filled by citizens who care about maintaining healthy fisheries resources, such as community leaders or seafood consumers.

“There should be a give and take on this commission, with everyone working for the resource,” she added. “But now, recreational interests have the vote. No matter what I say, or fishermen, consumers, fisheries staff, or what the data says – they have the vote to do what they want.” Complaints about the imbalance and actions of the current commission has compelled the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality to attend recent MFC meetings, an unusual step in the history of North Carolina governance.

Janet Rose is a retired school teacher, and is no stranger to public service. She formerly served on the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission. “The Coastal Resources Commission functioned like a group of concerned citizens,” she said. “The Marine Fisheries Commission is the only commission that has these problems. And this is a powerful commission – they can make rules that affect a lot of people. I mean a lot of people.”

Ms. Rose explained that not only were working families impacted by decisions of the commission, but so too were the countless consumers of North Carolina seafood. “We have to remember the consumer who enjoys fresh seafood. They don’t have a boat – they have to rely on commercial fishermen.”“I’m in that situation right now,” she added. “My father was a fisherman, and then of course my late husband Paul was a fisherman. But I don’t fish – I’m a real estate agent!”

Her husband Paul Rose was not only a commercial fisherman. He was also a member of the Marine Fisheries Commission, and served as chairman until he died of a heart attack in 2014 when he was only 52. “Paul had been to the doctor with chest discomfort,” Janet recalled. “The doctor said it was reflux.

But two days later my twelve-year-old daughter and I walked in the house and found him. The autopsy showed four blockages.” Did she think the stress of serving as Chair of the MFC contribute to his heart attack? “I’m sure it didn’t help,” she said. “He got a lot of phone calls. So I wanted to serve because my late husband served and he was a hard worker who knew his stuff – a smart fisherman, and a good husband, father, and provider.”

Janet Rose is tough in her own right, raised by a hardy stock of coastal islanders. Both sets of grandparents ran hunting and fishing lodges

on Knotts Island. “My grandmothers were both widowed at a young age and supported themselves through their lodges. So, I know about recreational fishing, and enjoyed fishing recreationally growing up. Then I married a commercial fisherman - I know how hard they work, I know the issues they face.”

In 1999 the couple opened Paul Rose Seafood. “I was the person that did the marketing,” she explained. “I’d come home from teaching and have 300 bushels of crabs in the cooler to sell. I’d get on the phone – that was when trucks were coming down from the Chesapeake Bay, begging.” She stressed the importance of economic diversification in commercial fishing.

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!”

Harvesting a variety of fisheries in any given year has been a hallmark of survival for North Carolina fishermen, and many turn to shore side work to supplement their income during off-season weeks or months. But this strategy has become harder with increased restrictions and other factors, some tied directly to the problem of an imbalanced Marine Fisheries Commission.

“The shrimp petition really bothered me,” she emphasized, referring to a petition for rulemaking submitted by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation and Southern Environmental Law Center just ahead of the MFC meeting in February of 2017. The petition called for reclassifying most coastal fishing waters, from estuarine to three miles offshore, as “special secondary nursery areas”, and proposed additional limits on shrimp trawling to reduce bycatch.

“We had staff from Marine Fisheries who had been working collaboratively with (Continued on page 44)

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Talk on the Dock (Continued from page 43)

fishermen on trawlers to reduce bycatch,” she noted, a three-year, taxpayer funded process which would be undermined by the petition.

Despite the ongoing bycatch reduction study, overwhelming public and advisory committee opposition to the petition, and staff data that showed critical flaws in the proposal, the Marine Fisheries Commission voted to grant the petition 5 – 3 with one abstention. The petition is now under review by the state, and can be adopted into rule by the MFC as early as 2018 year unless killed by the legislature.

“Again, recreational interests on the MFC have the votes to get what they want.”

The recent motion made at the February 2018 meeting to “define a commercial fisherman” bothered Janet Rose as well. Not only would the proposed changes cut out a substantial number of commercial fishing license holders unable to meet the new criteria, it would also reduce license revenue that helps pay for federally-required sea turtle observer coverage.

“Next, we’ll hear that DMF doesn’t have the money to pay for turtle observers,” she remarked. “I feel many decisions are made by this commission with the idea of getting rid of gillnets in the back of their minds.”

The proposal to redefine a commercial fisherman was met with great opposition at the public hearing. Worse, Ms. Rose pointed out, the motion that was debated by commissioners the next morning bore little resemblance to the language which was advertised for public comment.

“The motion was based on outside interests – we didn’t even discuss the findings of a committee that was formed to look at the issue,” Janet Rose said. A newly appointed MFC member filling the scientist seat made the motion, stating that the language came from the North Carolina

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Wildlife Federation and tweaked by himself and a couple of other members of the commission.

“This led me to wonder if they’d discussed the motion before the meeting, which is a violation of ethics,” she said. “We all have to take an online ethics training every two years, and we’ve learned that discussing business outside of the meeting is a violation.”

In 2016 a state audit found that NC Marine Fisheries Commission members violated the open meetings law, requiring deliberations to be public, on four occasions. The motion to change the licensing structure and redefine a commercial fisherman passed 5-4, despite caveats by legal counsel. Because licensing policy is set by statute as part of the Fisheries Reform Act, the changes must be approved by the General Assembly. “That’s why I made the motion I did,” said Ms. Rose. She was so troubled by the vote to change the licensing criteria, and the way that process unfolded, she moved that the commission send a request to the Governor asking that he examine the current commission’s membership and, if need be, make changes to ensure it functions as intended. “I thought it would die for lack of a second,” she exclaimed.

“One of our new members – in a recreational seat - gave us a second, which was amazing!” The motion passed 5-4. “I couldn’t believe it passed,” she added.“I thought, let’s give Governor Cooper a shot at it.”

Her hope is that the Governor will take measures to restore the balance as intended and required by the Fisheries Reform Act, for the benefit of the resources and all stakeholders including seafood consumers. One thing is for sure: Janet Rose is not afraid to take a stand, and she is doing her late husband proud. “I do appreciate our commercial fishermen,” she said. “And I do enjoy fresh, local seafood.”

-Barbara Garrity-Blake www.raisingthestory.com; Living at the Water’s Edge (UNC Press) P.O. Box 91., Gloucester, NC 28528 (252)342-8028

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WE ARE FISHING® 5/11/17 4:44 PM

TRED’n WATER BY TRED BARTA

“Facts Talk with a Loud Clear Voice”

By: Capt. Tred Barta

I

believe that God gave his only Son Jesus Christ to be crucified to his death to pay for the sins of man, which proved to be uncontrollable.

The sin of greed appeared always to be at the forefront of the human condition.

I want to make something absolutely clear to the readers of Tradewinds - I am a sport fisherman, not a commercial fisherman. The reason I have been asked to write for this great publication is because I understand both sportfishing and commercial fishing. Over 45 years spent in blue water, many of my friends are commercial fishermen. I have been on many commercial long-lining trips, as well as swordfish trips and had the privilege of being on many trawlers, not only inshore, but offshore as well. My son Hunter is a commercial fisherman, so commercial fishing is spoke of at my dining room table almost every morning as he and I enjoy a cup of coffee.

The reason we have laws, the reason we have ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas), and the reason National Marine Fisheries exists is because if we left our fisheries up to the management of sport fishermen and commercial fishermen alone, there would not be a living fish, crab, or shrimp left alive anywhere in the world; Merely because the basic trait of man doesn’t tell us when to stop, or when “enough” is enough. The human characteristic I’m referring to is better known as “greed”, the basic call for self over the better good of all, and this is just one of the many reasons why Christ reconciled his life for our sins In the early 70s, fishing out of Shinnecock Inlet, Hampton Bays, I witnessed large foreign fishing vessels just offshore of the Long Island coast. These vessels encircled the schools of fish and caught immature bluefin between 25 to 40 pounds, by the hundreds of thousands of pounds. These boats were relentless, following the schools from Fire Island Inlet

all the way down the east coast of Long Island to Montauk. In two years, they all but decimated this fishery. At the same time, the foreign fleet destroyed the sport fishing charter boat industry; As when the factory ships were finished, there was not a fish to be caught for approximately 10 years. I witnessed this firsthand. The devastation was so drastic that it was one of the reasons the Magnuson-Stevens Act was passed.

It is an unmitigated fact that in the months of July and August off Eastern Long Island, hundreds of sport fishing boats can be present in the Northeast canyons some 60 to 90 miles offshore. Many of the recreational vessels that troll during the day, chum tuna at night as well. Thousands of yellowfins, big eyes, long fin tuna, and swordfish are caught.

Although hundreds upon hundreds of sport fishing boat owners call themselves “sports fishermen”, some of them are in fact selling their fish to defray the cost of their sport; Unfortunately, there was a time when I was also one of those fishermen. The devastation to the tuna stocks by recreational/sport fishermen is incredible. Most people have no idea what a fleet of over 300 boats can do in one evening, when each boat may be harvesting 22 to 50 fish each.

As a sport fisherman, what I have heard my entire life is that commercial fishermen are ruining our sport. I’ve been told they are taking most of the fish stock, and therefore commercial fishermen are the enemies of sport fishing. I have just spent over three days reading the 2017 Annual Report from the North Carolina division of Marine Fisheries, which elucidates pounds of fish harvested by commercial fishermen and pounds of fish caught by sport fishermen.

The statistics should make every sport fisherman stand up and apologize to the commercial fishing industry! The statistics even surprised me! The commercial landings of dolphin fish were 356,053 pounds, while sport fishermen harvested 2,706,002 pounds of dolphin – (Hey, everyone better read this twice!!) I have been told time and time again

that commercial fishermen were affecting the dolphin catch for sport fishermen, however, these numbers do not lie! Read the poundage again, it was not a misprint!!

The commercial landings of red drum by commercial fishermen was 77,017 pounds.

Recreational fishermen, or should I say “sport fishermen” landed 230,473 pounds!!

My goodness gracious!! Look at these numbers! I am being told by sport fishermen (my friends and colleagues), that the red drum has been hammered extremely hard by commercial fishermen, yet these staggering numbers do not support those claims. Very eye-opening!! FACTS TALK WITH A LOUD CLEAR VOICE. Spotted sea trout harvested by commercial fishermen: 253,991 pounds.

Sport fishermen harvested 691,277 pounds.

Again, a staggering number, considering I’ve been told that the sea trout fishing has been hurt by commercial fishermen. The above statistics are from the great state of North Carolina only.

I leave the loyal reader of Tradewinds magazine only one observation that I would like you to consider: Sport fishermen and commercial fishermen have the same problem and the same goal, and that is to create legislation that will ensure a renewable resource for all parties. May I again reiterate that commercial fishermen are not the bad guys; The “bad guys” are ALL of us for not uniting and realizing that we have the same interests and the same goals. I have seen commercial interests hurt our fisheries with greed, and I have seen sport fishermen almost single-handedly act in a way which would hurt our resource forever. We are all human, and we are greedy. Perhaps it’s time for us to say a prayer for each other. North Carolina commercial fishermen are having a hard time making a living. The net is… We are legislating them out of business. They have families too!!

Until next tide, Capt. Tred Barta

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