March 28 MOREHEAD CITY – Wallace Trayah of Oak Island, has landed the bragging rights for the largest blackfin tuna ever caught along the North Carolina coast.
NEW STATE RECORD FOR BLACKFIN TUNA
March 28 MOREHEAD CITY – Wallace Trayah of Oak Island, has landed the bragging rights for the largest blackfin tuna ever caught along the North Carolina coast.
On March 24, 2001, 55 miles offshore from Southport in an area called “The Steeples,” Trayah hauled in a 34 lb. 2 oz. blackfin tuna that was 35 ¾ inches long, with a 26 inch girth, breaking the state record set back in 1993. The lucky angler caught the prize tuna trolling ballyhoo with a Zuker Lure (Blue & White) and also hauled in a 61 lb. wahoo, while fishing aboard the, Excalibur, captained by Scotter Aman out of Southport Marina.
For eight years, Jeffery Brannan held the N. C. record for a 34 lb. blackfin tuna caught back in 1993. The Division of Marine Fisheries maintains and certifies state records for saltwater fish and administers the popular N.C. Saltwater Fishing Tournament Program. This program recognizes outstanding angling achievement and awards certificates to anglers who catch fish at or over minimum weights.
To view a a larger version, click the photo above.
For more information about the N.C. Saltwater Fishing Tournament Program, please contact Dale Ward at 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.
MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION TO MEET MARCH 29 and 30
March 19 MOREHEAD CITY -- The Marine Fisheries Commission will be holding a business meeting March 29 and 30 at the Community Center in Ocracoke.
The meeting is open to the public. A hearing and a public meeting will also be held at 7 p.m. on March 28 at the same location. For more information, contact Jess Hawkins by e-mail at Jess.Hawkins@ncmail.net or by calling 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.
NOTE: Meeting Agenda
March 19 MOREHEAD CITY –Anglers, before you go surf fishing, try surfing the Web to get the latest information on what’s biting and where.
The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has launched an on-line fishing report at www.ncdmf.net/fishreport/ where fishermen can get the scoop on coastal catches, as well as tips on bait and tackle.
The report, which is updated weekly, covers charter and head boat activity, pier and surf action, and private boat catches, along the northern, central and southern portions of the coast. There are even regional e-mail contacts if anglers need more details about what’s being caught.
The DMF has recreational port agents that canvass 220 locales along the coast, producing weekly reports about fishing activity for the Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey. While this information is useful to anglers who want to know what’s biting, its real use is to assist fisheries managers estimate the impact of recreational fishing on our marine resources.
Fishermen are also encouraged to browse around the entire DMF web site and check out the latest size and catch limits, fish identification pages, and stock status reports.
For more information about the Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey, contact Doug Mumford, DMF-Washington, by e-mail at Doug.Mumford@ncmail.net or by calling 1-800-338-7804 or 252-946-6481.
MARINE FISHERIES TO HOLD HEARINGS MARCH 19 AND 28
9 March MOREHEAD CITY - The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) will hold hearings March 19 at the Coastal Carolina Community College, A.D. Guy Technology Building, in Jacksonville and March 28 at the Ocracoke Community Center in Ocracoke. Both hearings start at 7 p.m.
The hearings are open to the public and interested fishermen are encouraged to attend.
The MFC would like to have public input on the following proposed permanent rules:
For more information about these hearings, please contact Jess Hawkins, by e-mail at Jess.Hawkins@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632
STRIPED BASS WORKSHOP TO BE HELD MARCH 15
6 March MOREHEAD CITY – The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, along with the state’s Wildlife Resources Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will be holding a striped bass workshop at the Nags Head Fire Department on March 15 from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The meeting is being held at the request of the county commissioners in Dare County to explain striped bass management in the Albemarle Sound Management Area, which includes the Albemarle, Currituck, Croatan and Roanoke sounds and their inland and joint water tributaries, except for the Roanoke, Eastmost, Middle and Cashie rivers. The public and area fishermen are encouraged to attend.
For more information on the meeting, please contact Sara Winslow by e-mail at Sara.Winslow@ncmail.net or by calling 252-264-3911 or 1-800-338-7805.
CRAB POTS RULES TO BE DISCUSSED MARCH 14
1 March MOREHEAD CITY – Should fishery mangers use the distance from shore or the depth of the water to determine how closely crab pots should be set along the Pamlico, Neuse and Bay rivers?
This issue, along with a discussion about opening traditional longhaul fishing areas to crab potting, will be talked about at a meeting of the Marine Fisheries Commission’s Central Regional Advisory Committee on March 14 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Washington Regional Office, 943 Washington Square Mall, in Washington.
Fishermen are encouraged to attend this meeting and share their thoughts on these potential rule changes with the committee.
For more information on this meeting, please contact Jess Hawkins, Division of Marine Fisheries, by email at Jess.Hawkins@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632.