PROCLAMATION
Preston
P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that
effective at 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, May 8, 2002, the following restrictions will
apply to the taking of flounder for recreational purposes from the Atlantic
Ocean:
I. NORTH OF NEW RIVER INLET
North of a line beginning at a point on the southern
shore of New River Inlet at 34° 31.5000’ N – 77° 20.6000’ W and running
southeasterly through the location of Buoy “NR” at the entrance to New River
Inlet..
The
portion of N.C. Fisheries Rules for Coastal Waters 15A NCAC 3M .0503 (f) which
reads, “It is unlawful to possess more than eight flounder per person per day
taken for recreational purposes from the Atlantic Ocean” is suspended from 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, May 8, through 12:01 A.M.,
Thursday, July 4, 2002.
The
portion of N.C. Fisheries Rules for Coastal Waters 15A NCAC 3M .0503 (a) (3),
which reads, “It is unlawful to possess flounder less than 15 inches total
length from the Atlantic Ocean for recreational purposes” is suspended.
C. POSSESSION LIMIT – RECREATIONAL PURPOSES
The harvest limit for taking flounder for recreational purposes in the
Atlantic Ocean north of New River Inlet beginning at 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, May
8, 2002 and lasting until 12:01 A.M., Thursday, July 4, 2002 will be zero (0)
flounder.
It is unlawful to possess flounder less
than 15˝ inches total length taken from the Atlantic Ocean for recreational
purposes.
E. This
proclamation supersedes Proclamation FF-13-2002, dated February 8, 2002 and
FF-25- 2002, dated April 1, 2002.
II. SOUTH
OF NEW RIVER INLET
South of the line
described above, the following restrictions apply to the taking of flounder in
the Atlantic Ocean for recreational purposes:
A. SUSPENSION
OF RULE
The
portion of N.C. Fisheries Rules for Coastal Waters 15A NCAC 3M .0503 (a) (3),
which reads, “It is unlawful to possess flounder less than 15 inches total
length from the Atlantic Ocean for recreational purposes” is suspended.
No person may possess flounder less than 15˝ inches total length taken from the Atlantic Ocean for recreational
purposes.
C. POSSESSION LIMIT – RECREATIONAL PURPOSES
It is unlawful
to possess more than eight flounder per person per day taken in the Atlantic
Ocean south of New River Inlet for
recreational purposes in accordance with 3M .0503 (f).
D. This proclamation supersedes Proclamation
FF-13-2002, dated February 8, 2002 and FF-25-2002, dated April 1, 2002.
III. GENERAL
INFORMATION
A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of G.S. 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 113-182; 113-221(e); 143B-289.52 and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103; 3I .0102, 3M .0503 and 3M .0512.
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 maintain North Carolina’s compliance with the
requirements of the joint Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council – Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission Summer Flounder Fisheries Management Plan
under the authority of N.C. Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3M .0512. The
effect of this proclamation is to close the Atlantic Ocean recreational
flounder season north of New River Inlet from April through July 3, 2002, and
to open recreational flounder fishing in the Atlantic Ocean south of New River
Inlet. This decision was based on
an analysis of recreational flounder landings that revealed a very small
percentage of summer flounder in the southern portion of the state.
May 6, 2002
10:00 A.M.
FF-28-2002
/sab