RE: STRIPED BASS RECREATIONAL
SEASON–ALBEMARLE SOUND MANAGEMENT AREA
Preston P.
Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that
effective at 12:01 A.M., Wednesday,
October 17, 2001 the season for striped bass taken for a recreational
purpose in the Albemarle Sound Management Area will open with the following
restrictions:
I.
AREA
DESCRIPTION:
The Albemarle Sound Management
Area as defined in Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3O .0503 (b) (2) (A) (ii).
II.
SEASON, MEANS,
AND METHODS:
A. Striped bass
may be taken for recreational purposes on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and
Sundays only during the open season.
B. Holders of the
Recreational Commercial Gear License (RCGL) must adhere to the daily bag limits
and harvest days for striped bass during the striped bass recreational season.
RCGL gill nets
with a mesh length of 5 ˝ inches and larger are required to be equipped with
floats that do not exceed 2 inches in diameter and 6 inches in length, with
float placement no less than 10 yards apart.
The nets must be set so as to fish on the bottom not to exceed a
vertical fishing height of 48 inches.
Attendance is required when used from one hour after sunrise through one
hour before sunset.
RCGL gill nets
are required to be marked with two yellow buoys at each end of the net. In addition, one buoy colored any shade of
hot pink shall be attached to each end of the net.
C. The
recreational season for striped bass in the Albemarle Sound Management Area will close at 6:00 P.M., Sunday,
December 30, 2001, unless closed earlier
by a proclamation when the quota is met.
III.
SIZE AND CREEL
LIMIT:
A. No person may
take or possess striped bass less than 18 inches total length taken for
recreational purposes from the Albemarle Sound Management Area.
B. No person may
take or possess more than two (2) striped bass taken in any one day for
recreational purposes from the Albemarle Sound Management Area.
IV.
GENERAL
INFORMATION
A. This
proclamation is issued under the authority of G.S. 113-182; 113-221 (e); 143B-289.52; and N.C. Marine Fisheries
Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103 and 3M .0202.
B. It is unlawful
to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director
under his delegated authority per 15A NCAC 3H .0103.
C. The intent of
this proclamation is to allow the recreational harvest of striped bass in the
Albemarle Sound Management Area within the striped bass harvest allocation
established by the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission in cooperation
with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. The season will close
as soon as the harvest quota is reached, with no reduction in harvest days or
number of fish prior to that time.
D. Recreational
seasons for striped bass in the Roanoke, Eastmost, Middle, and Cashie rivers
are under the management jurisdiction of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
and are exempt from this proclamation.
E. Hook-and-line
fishing equipment is not commercial fishing equipment in the striped bass
fishery and it is illegal to sell or purchase striped bass taken by
hook-and-line in accordance with N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3M .0201
(b).
F. Commercial
fishing equipment authorized by the RCGL is not considered commercial fishing
equipment in the striped bass fishery and it is illegal to sell or purchase
striped bass taken by this method in accordance with G.S. 113- 173.
G. All striped
bass that do not meet with the 18 inch size limit shall be immediately returned
with minimum harm to the water where taken.
H. This proclamation supersedes FF-2-2001,
dated January 17, 2001, which closed the season.
September
14, 2001
10:00
A.M.
FF-48-2001
/sab