FF-60-2001
PROCLAMATION
RE: STRIPED BASS SEASON - OCEAN TRAWL: ATLANTIC
OCEAN
Preston P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine
Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M., Friday, February 1, 2002, the season for the harvest of
striped bass with ocean trawls in the Atlantic Ocean waters of North Carolina WILL OPEN. The following restrictions will apply:
I. SIZE LIMIT
No person may possess, transport, buy, sell or offer for
sale striped bass less than 28 inches total length taken with ocean trawls from
the Atlantic Ocean.
II. HARVEST RESTRICTIONS
No ocean trawl operation, regardless of the number of persons
or vessels involved, may take, possess, or sell more than 100 striped bass per
day or fishing trip regardless of the number of days that the vessel is
underway.
III. GEAR
RESTRICTIONS
No gill nets may be possessed aboard a vessel used in the
taking or landing of striped bass in the Atlantic Ocean.
IV. LANDING RESTRICTIONS
Striped bass harvested in this fishery may be sold only to
and purchased by a currently licensed finfish dealer possessing a valid 2002 Striped Bass Dealer Permit validated for the
Atlantic Ocean.
V. DEALER PERMITS
A. No
finfish dealer may possess, buy, sell or offer for sale striped bass taken from
the Atlantic Ocean without first obtaining a 2002 STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT
validated for the Atlantic Ocean from
the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.
Dealers must abide by all conditions of the STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT and the
general permit conditions found in 15A NCAC 3O .0500.
B. Only
a STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT validated for the Atlantic Ocean may be used for
transactions involving striped bass
taken from the area opened by this proclamation.
C. Striped
bass lawfully sold to a permitted dealer may be resold to a non-permitted
wholesale or retail market provided the initial permitted dealer records their
dealer identification number on each bill of lading or receipts involved in the
shipment of striped bass. Any
individual or corporation who holds a current finfish dealer license must
obtain a STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT validated for the Atlantic Ocean in order
to sell any striped bass personally harvested.
VI. SALE TAGS
No finfish dealer may possess, buy, sell
or offer for sale striped bass taken from the Atlantic Ocean without having
affixed either a North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries-issued Atlantic
Ocean striped bass sale tag affixed through the mouth and gill cover. In the case of striped bass imported from
other states, a similar tag that is issued for striped bass in the state of
origin must be affixed.
The
Atlantic Ocean trawl season for striped bass WILL CLOSE by proclamation when the harvest from this fishery
reaches 100,000 pounds or at midnight on
March 31, 2002, whichever occurs first.
A. This proclamation is issued under the
authority of G.S. 113-182; 113-221(e); 143B-289.52; 113-170.4; 113-170.5; and
N.C. Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103, 3M .0201 and 3M.0204.
B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of
any proclamation issued by the Director under his delegated authority per 15A
NCAC 3H .0103.
C. The intent of this proclamation is to allow
the commercial harvest of striped bass from the Atlantic Ocean by traditional
gears within the 336,000 pound quota established for the 2001/2002 season by
the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Fishery Management Plan
for Striped Bass.
D. The
waters of the Atlantic Ocean, as applicable to this proclamation are defined as
waters seaward of the COLREGS Demarcation Lines as indicated on National Ocean
Service navigation charts for the areas to which this proclamation applies.
E. Permits
may be obtained from all North Carolina Marine Fisheries License Offices.
F. All
striped bass taken during season closures and all undersized striped bass shall
be immediately returned to the waters where taken, regardless of the condition
of the fish.
G. 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).
H. Holders of Recreational Commercial License or hook-and-line fishermen must follow the bag and size restrictions of the recreational fishery for striped bass.
I. Dealers
whose businesses are located in Beaufort, Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties
may obtain tags by contacting the Morehead City Marine Patrol Office at
1-800-682-2632 or (252) 726-7021.
Dealers whose businesses are located in Hyde, Dare, Tyrrell, Washington,
Bertie, Chowan, Pasquotank, Camden, Hertford and other northern counties may
obtain tags by contacting the Columbia Marine Patrol at 1-800-405-7774 or (252)
796-1322. Allow 48 hours for delivery.
November 16, 2001
10:00 A.M.
FF-60-2001
/dlt/sab