PROCLAMATION
Preston
P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that
effective at 1:00 P.M. Friday, January
16, 2004, the following restrictions will apply to the taking of black
sea bass for recreational
purposes from the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Hatteras (35° 15’N Latitude):
I. MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT
No person may possess black sea bass less than 12 inches total length
taken from the Atlantic Ocean for recreational purposes.
It is unlawful to possess more that twenty
five (25) black sea bass per person per day taken in the Atlantic Ocean for
recreational purposes.
III.
SEASONS
The open seasons are January 1 through
September 7, 2004 and September 22
through November 30, 2004.
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; 3I .0102, 3M .0503 and 3M .0506.
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, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fisheries Management Plan
under the authority of N.C. Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3M .0506.
D. Rule 3M
.0506 (b) is still in effect and states that south of Cape Hatteras, it is unlawful to
possess black sea bass less than 10 inches total length and it is
unlawful to take or possess
more than 20 black sea bass per person, per day without a valid Federal
Commercial
Snapper-Grouper permit.
E. This proclamation supersedes Proclamation FF 29-2003, dated March 26,
2003.
January 14, 2004
1:00 P.M.
FF-5-2004
/sab