RE: GILL
NETS - ALBEMARLE SOUND MANAGEMENT AREA
Preston
P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that
effective at 12:01 A.M., Monday,
November 26, 2001, the following provisions shall apply to the use of gill
nets in the ALBEMARLE SOUND MANAGEMENT AREA.
I. AREA DESCRIPTION:
Albemarle Sound Management Area as described in Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3O .0503 (b) ( 2) (A) (ii).
II. NET RESTRICTIONS:
Only gill nets meeting the specified mesh lengths shall be used in the following areas identified below. A fishing operation, regardless of the number of vessels or persons involved, shall not use more than the lengths of gill nets specified for the following areas:
A. Albemarle Sound and Currituck Sound
1.
Gill nets with a mesh length of 3 inches and 3¼ inches shall not exceed
800 yards.
2. Gill nets with a mesh length of 5¼ inches and larger that are equipped with floats that do not exceed 2 inches in diameter and 6 inches in length placed a minimum of 10 yards apart, not to exceed 11 floats per 100 yards of net. Nets must not exceed 3,000 yards in length and must be set so as to fish on the bottom not to exceed a vertical height of 48 inches.
3. All gill nets with a mesh length of 5¼ inches and larger not meeting the criteria in II. A. 2. for floats are required to be equipped with tie downs spaced no farther apart than 30 feet restricting the vertical distance between the top and bottom lines to 48 inches or less. Nets must not exceed 3,000 yards in length and must be set so as to fish on the bottom not to exceed a vertical height of 48 inches.
B. Croatan
Sound and Roanoke Sound
1. Gill nets with a mesh length of 3 inches and 3 ¼ inches shall not exceed 800 yards.
2. Gill nets with a mesh length of 5¼ inches and larger that are equipped with floats that do not exceed 2 inches in diameter and 6 inches in length placed a minimum of 10 yards apart, not to exceed 11 floats per 100 yards of net. Nets must not exceed 3,000 yards in length and must be set so as to fish on the bottom not to exceed a vertical height of 48 inches.
3.
All gill nets with a mesh length of 5¼ inches and larger not
meeting the criteria in II A. 2. for floats are required to be equipped with
tie downs spaced no farther apart than 30 feet restricting the vertical
distance between the top and bottom lines to 48 inches or less. Nets must not exceed 3,000 yards in length
and must be set so as to fish on the bottom not to exceed a vertical height of
48 inches.
The season for the use of commercial gear described in Section II. A.1., and II.B. 1., but excluding Sections II. A. 2. and 3., and II. B. 2. and 3. will close at 12:00 A.M. Monday, December 31, 2001.
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 Rule
15A NCAC 3H .0103 and 3J .0103, 3Q .0107(1)(c), 3O .0503, and 3M .0202.
B. It
is unlawful to violate 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 directed fisheries for mullet, white perch and flounder while managing Albemarle Sound Management Area striped bass stocks within the quota established by the North Carolina Estuarine Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan and controlling the bycatch of striped bass in directed gill net fisheries.
D. This proclamation supersedes Proclamation
M-9-2001 dated May 7, 2001.
November 19, 2001
12:30 P.M.
M-16-2001
/sab