FF- 36-2004

 

 

                                                            PROCLAMATION

 

RE:  RIVER HERRING

 

Preston P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 4:00 P.M., Wednesday, April 21, 2004, the following restrictions will apply to the river herring fishery in the Albemarle Sound Herring Management Area and the Chowan River Herring Management Area.

 

I.           SEASON CLOSURE

 

No person or fishing operation may take, possess, land, sell or offer for sale river herring (blueback herring or alewife) taken with commercial gear for commercial purposes, except from the Chowan River Herring Management Area by pound nets.

 

II.         AREA DESCRIPTION

 

The Albemarle Sound Herring Management Area and the Chowan River Herring Management Area as described in Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3J. 0209.

 

III.    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 Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103 and 3M .0513.

 

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 33,000 pound  quota allocated at the discretion of the Fisheries Director is being approached so closure is necessary.

 

D)    This proclamation supersedes portions of FF-52-2003 dated December 9, 2003, which set the commercial harvest discretionary quota. This means commercial harvest for river herring will not be allowed except in the Chowan River Herring Management Area with pound nets.

 

April 19, 2004

3:00 P.M.

FF-36-2004

/dlt