SF-10-2001/2002
PROCLAMATION
RE: 2001/2002 MECHANICAL HARVEST OF CLAMS
Preston P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine
Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 7:30 A.M., Monday, December 3, 2001, the mechanical harvest of
clams WILL OPEN with the
following restrictions:
I. AREA DESCRIPTIONS
ONSLOW/CARTERET
COUNTIES
Clams may be taken by mechanical methods in portions of New
River, Bogue Sound, Newport River, North River, Core Sound and Pamlico Sound as
shown by the hatched areas on the attached maps.
II. HARVEST DAYS/TIMES
Mechanical harvest of clams will open in , New River, Bogue Sound, Newport River, North River, Core
Sound and Pamlico Sound on Monday, December 3, 2001. Mechanical methods may
be used to take clams from 7:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Mondays through Wednesdays
only.
Mechanical harvest will be closed Monday and Tuesday, December 24 and
25, 2001.
Properly licensed persons may take or possess no more than a
maximum daily harvest of 3,750 clams (15 bags at 250 clams per bag) per
commercial fishing operation per day in North River, Newport River and Bogue
Sound. A maximum daily harvest of 5,000 clams (20 bags at 250 clams per bag)
in possession will be allowed per fishing operation per day in Core Sound and
Pamlico Sound. A maximum daily
harvest of 6,250 clams (25 bags at 250 clams per bag) in possession will be
allowed per fishing operation per day in the New River.
A. Clams may not be
transferred from the catching vessel to any other vessel during clam harvesting
operations or be transported by any vessel other than the vessel in which they
are harvested.
B. All areas within
25 feet of privately marked and maintained navigation channels and piers, all
marked shellfish leases, all polluted
shellfish areas, all established beds of aquatic vegetation and natural or
live oyster beds shall remain closed to
the mechanical harvest of clams.
V. GENERAL
INFORMATION
A.
This proclamation is
issued under the authority of G.S. 113-182; 113-221(e); 113-170.4; 113-170.5;
143B-289.52 and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103 and 3K .0301,
.0302, and .0304.
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 Division of
Marine Fisheries will place markers with green signs, orange survey tape, or
yellow buoys along the boundaries of referenced areas which will be considered
the actual closure line. Unauthorized
removal or relocation of any marker or sign will not change the area opened,
nor shall any such unauthorized removal or relocation or the absence of any
marker or sign affect the applicability of any proclamation pertaining to any
such body of water or portion thereof.
Where there is conflict between markers or signs and maps, maps shall
prevail.
D. If
surveys reveal flagrant violations as evidenced by bottom disturbance caused by
mechanical harvest behind the lines, or when markers, buoys or signs
delineating the boundaries are removed, destroyed, or relocated to the degree
that the lines are unenforceable, the Fisheries Director intends to close the
affected area for the remainder of the mechanical harvest season .
E. The variable
conditions associated with this proclamation are mechanical harvest of clams is
permitted during the winter months and, generally, in deeper waters where they
are less accessible to hand harvest methods.
November 21,2001
11:30 A.M.
SF-10-2001/2002
/sab