M-7-2003

PROCLAMATION

RE: - GILL NETS - ROANOKE RIVER

Preston P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 3:00 P.M., Friday, April 18, 2003, the Roanoke River will open to commercial harvest of river herring with drift gill nets and the following restrictions will apply:

I. AREA:

Gill net requirements in this proclamation apply in the Roanoke River from the Joint/Inland boundary to the mouth.

II. SEASON:

Gill net restrictions shall apply from 3:00 P.M., Friday, April 18, 2003 through 4:00 P.M., Monday, April 21, 2003 and shall end at that time by this proclamation.

III. NET RESTRICTIONS:

A. Only drift gill nets with a mesh length of 3 inches may be used.

B. Only one drift gill net per vessel may be used.

C. No more than 100 yards of drift gill nets may be used per vessel.

D. All drift gill nets must be attended at all times.

IV. 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, 3J .0103 and 3M .0513.

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. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3J .0103 (c) requires gill net buoys to be identified with the owner’s last name and initials and, if a vessel is used, the North Carolina motorboat registration number or the owner’s U.S. vessel documentation name.

D. “Attended” is defined in Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3I .0101.

E. The intent of this proclamation is to use a portion of the Fisheries Director’s 33,000 pound discretionary quota for river herring to allow drift gill netting in the Roanoke River for a limited time.

F. This proclamation supersedes Proclamation FF-13-2003(Revised), dated February 13, 2003, and M-3- 2003(Revised), dated February 13, 2003.

April 11, 2003

10:00 A.M.

M-7-2003

/sab