M-12-2005

PROCLAMATION

RE:  GILL NETS - ALBEMARLE SOUND MANAGEMENT AREA

Preston P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M., Thursday, December 1, 2005, the following provisions shall apply to the use of gill nets in the ALBEMARLE SOUND MANAGEMENT AREA:

I.          AREA DESCRIPTION:             The Albemarle Sound Management Area includes:
Albemarle Sound Management Area as described in Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 03R.0201 (a).

II.         NET RESTRICTIONS:
A fishing operation, regardless of the number of vessels or persons involved, shall adhere to the gill net restrictions specified for the following areas:

  • Albemarle Sound, Currituck Sound, Croatan Sound and Roanoke Sound
  • Gill nets with a mesh length of 3 inches and 3 ¼ inches shall not exceed 800 yards in any combination.

2.   Gill nets with a mesh length less than 3 inches may not be used.
3.   Gill nets with a mesh length greater than 3 1/4 inches may not be used.
 

  • GENERAL INFORMATION:

            A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of N.C.G.S. 113-170.4; 113-170.5;113-181; 113 – 182;  221.1; 143B-289.52 and Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3H .0103 and 3J .0103,       3Q .0107 (c) and 3M .0202.
B.         It is unlawful to violate provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director under his delegated authority pursuant to Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3H .0103.
                        C.         In accordance with 15A NCAC 3J. .0103 (d) (1), effective September 1, 2005, it is unlawful to use gill nets within 200 yards of any pound net set with lead and either pound or heart in use, except from August 15  through December 31 in Albemarle Sound, excluding tributaries, west of a line beginning at a point  36°04.5184’N - 75°47.9095’W on Powell Point; running southerly to a point 35°57.2681’N - 75°48.3999’W on Caroon Point, it is unlawful to use gill nets within 500 yards of any pound net set with lead and either pound or heart in use.
D.         The intent of this proclamation is to allow directed fisheries for mullet, white perch and bluefish while managing Albemarle Sound Management Area striped bass and red drum stocks within the quota established by the North Carolina Estuarine Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan and the North Carolina Red Drum Fishery Management Plan.  This proclamation implements a provision of the 2005 Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan that seeks to maintain an adequate spawning stock of southern flounder.
            E.                 This proclamation supersedes Proclamation M-12-2005 dated November 16, 2005.

November 22, 2005
9:00 A.M.
M-12-2005

/sab