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FISHERIES HEARING WILL NOT BE RESCHEDULED

MOREHEAD CITY - The Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) has announced it will not reschedule a hearing in Manteo cancelled on Sept. 11 due to terrorist attacks.

The public is encouraged to attend the following additional hearings in the same meeting series:

All hearings begin at 7 p.m. and are followed by a public meeting.

The MFC will accept written comments through October 3, 2001. For more information, contact Jess Hawkins at 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.

DOLPHIN MEETING TO BE HELD SEPT. 19

MOREHEAD CITY - The National Marine Fisheries Service will hold a meeting on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. at the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Wilmington Regional Office, 127 Cardinal Drive, to discuss the potential impact of dolphin regulations on commercial fishing operations.

Bill Foster, NMFS Southeast Region will speak to fishermen about the Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Team and the ramifications of potential regulations that could be implemented to protect coastal bottlenose dolphin populations.

For more information contact Foster at 252-986-2430 or fosfish@earthlink.net.

FEDERAL CLOSURE OF PAMLICO SOUND IMMINENT

MOREHEAD - State officials expect the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will close the Pamlico Sound to large-mesh gill nets early next week, in an effort to protect endangered and threatened sea turtles.

The closure is expected to stretch from Oregon Inlet to Cedar Island, and will encompass all bays and creeks along the western side of the sound, excluding the Pamlico, Pungo and Neuse rivers.

Large-mesh nets are typically used to catch southern flounder during the fall fishing season.

After seven months of intensive negotiations, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) convinced NMFS that nets set in shallow-water portions of the sound (waters less than 10 ft. deep) and the rivers flowing into the sound, posed minimal risk to sea turtles. In early August, the DMF applied to NMFS, for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act. The permit, commonly referred to as a Section 10, sets out measures the state will take to protect sea turtles and restrictions for a limited gill net fishery along the eastern edge of the Pamlico Sound, from Oregon Inlet to Core Sound.

NMFS is expected to approve the Section 10 permit early next week and simultaneously shut down the sound to large-mesh gill nets. Only the shallow-water fishery covered under the Section 10 permit will be allowed. Without the Section 10 permit, there would be no large-mesh gill net fishery permitted anywhere in the Pamlico Sound.

Earlier this month, DMF announced management measures the state will enact for the gill net fishery, as set out in the Section 10 permit application. From Sept. 15 through Dec. 15, large mesh gill nets (greater than five inches) will be allowed in three shallow-water areas behind Hatteras, Ocracoke and Portsmouth islands. Fishermen can use a maximum of 2,000 yards of large mesh gill net and 2,000 yards of small mesh gill nets (five inches or less). Small mesh nets must be attended at all times from Sept. 15 - Oct. 31. Fishermen must apply to the DMF for special permits to participate in these fisheries.

In past years, high numbers of sea turtles have been observed around Hatteras and Ocracoke inlets during the fall migration. These areas will be closed to all large mesh nets from Sept. 15 through Dec. 15. Fishermen holding special DMF permits for participation in this fishery will be allowed up to 2,000 yards of attended small mesh gill nets from Sept. 15 - Oct. 31.

For more information on these restrictions, please contact Fentress Munden by e-mail at Red.Munden@ncmail.net or Jeff Gearhart by email at Jeff.Gearhart@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632. Visit the DMF's Website at: www.ncdmf.net/procs/ to view the proclamation implementing these restrictions.

FISHERIES HEARING CANCELLED

MOREHEAD CITY - Officials with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries have cancelled a public hearing on fisheries issues, scheduled to be held this evening at 7 p.m. at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island in Manteo, due to the today's tragic events. The hearing will be rescheduled at a later date.