Marine Fisheries Commission

Bay Scallop Harvesting Resumes After 7-Year Moratorium

Eric Hodge — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:50:45 +0000

For the first time since 2006, fishermen along North Carolina's southeastern coast can go after bay scallops in Bogue Sound. A moratorium on the mollusks has been lifted in that area and the inner coastal waters to the South Carolina line. The state imposed the ban because of declining populations seven years ago.

Recreational Fishing Group Seeks Ban On Shrimping Device

Gurnal Scott — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:55:00 +0000

A recreational fishing group wants the Marine Fisheries Commission to ban a device some commercial fishermen use to catch shrimp.

Gurnal Scott: The device is called an 'otter trawl' but it's not what you think. It's a net used to sweep the ocean floor to catch shrimp. Joe Albea with the Coastal Fisheries Reform Group says those traps kill small fish

Joe Albea: There is gear that can harvest the shrimp. We just have to do what the other states and the Gulf and Florida have done. They've regulated some of that gear off their beaches.

Large-Scale Menhaden Fishing Banned

Isaac-Davy Aronson — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:55:00 +0000

A ban goes into effect today on an industrial-scale method of fishing for menhaden off the North Carolina coast. The ban was approved earlier this month by the state Marine Fisheries Commission. Patricia Smith is with the state Division of Marine Fisheries.

Patricia Smith: The Commission members basically said that they were concerned about the bycatch associated with the use of these nets and these operations. And they'd also gotten quite a few complaints and were concerned about just the conflicts that arise between these operations and recreational fishermen.