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.,
Friday, April 25, 2003 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.
Recreational
Commercial Gear License gill nets with a mesh length of 5 ½ 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.
C. The recreational season for striped
bass in the Albemarle Sound Management Area will close at 6:00 P.M., Wednesday, April 30, 2003.
III. SIZE AND CREEL LIMITS:
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. 113-170.4; G.S. 170.5; 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.
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 18 inch
size limit shall be immediately returned with minimum harm to the water where
taken.
H. This proclamation supersedes FF-65-2002, dated
December 17, 2002, which closed the season.
April
11, 2003
9:30
A.M.
FF-31-2003
/sab