SH-5-2006
PROCLAMATION

RE: SHRIMPING AND CRAB TRAWLING

Preston P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 5:00 P.M., Sunday, June 25, 2006, shrimping and crab trawling will be allowed in the following areas. This proclamation brings together in one document all areas that are NOW OPEN until changed by subsequent proclamations or newly effective rules.

I. AREA DESCRIPTIONS - NORTHERN AND CENTRAL DISTRICTS:

A. ATLANTIC OCEAN - except inside the hook at Cape Lookout
B. ROANOKE SOUND/CROATAN SOUND
1. Shallowbag Bay – east of the special secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0105 (1) (a). (Map 1)
2. Broad Creek –south of the primary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0103 (1)(b). (Map 1)
3. Kitty Hawk Bay – north of the special secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0105 (1)(b). (Map 1)
4. Colington Creek – the special secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0105 (1)(b). ( Map 1)
5. Buzzard Bay - south of the special secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0105 (1)(b). ( Map 1)
C. PAMLICO SOUND
1. Eastern Pamlico Sound (Maps 6, 9, 10 & 11)
2. Western Pamlico Sound (Maps 1,4 & 5)
3. West Bay – north of a line beginning at a point on the west shore at 35° 02.0500’ N - 76° 26.1000’ W, running east through Markers “A”, “4WB”, and “5WB” to a point on the east shore at 35° 02.1000’ N - 76°21.8666 W. (Map 8 & 9)
North Bay - (Map 9)
D. ROSE BAY – south of the secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0104 (2) (g). (Maps 3 & 4)
E. SPENCER BAY – southwest of the secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0104 (2) (h). (Map 3)
F. SWANQUARTER – south of the secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0104 (2) (e). (Map 4)
G. JUNIPER BAY-CUNNING HARBOR – south of the secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0104 (2) (d). (Map 4)
H. PUNGO RIVER - All tributaries will remain closed. (Map 3)
I. PAMLICO RIVER (Maps 2 & 3)
1. South Creek - east and north of the special secondary nursery area lines described in NCAC 03R .0105 (2)(d) & (e) (Map 2 & 3)
2. North Creek - south of the secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0104 (3) (d). (Map 3)
3. Goose Creek - All tributaries will remain closed. (Map 3)
BAY RIVER - All tributaries will remain closed. (Map 8)
NEUSE RIVER – (Maps 7 & 8)
Clubfoot Creek – north of a line beginning on the west shore at a point 34° 54.5424’ N – 76° 45.7252’ W, running easterly to the east shore 34° 54.4853’ N – 76° 45.4022’ W. (Map 7 & 8)
Adams Creek – All tributaries will remain closed. (Map 8)
South River – All tributaries will remain closed. (Map 8)
Turnagain Bay – north of the special secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0105 (3)(c) (Map 8)
CORE SOUND TRIBUTARIES - except those areas as shown on Maps 9 and 13.
Rumley Bay - southeast of a line beginning at a point 34° 55.7696’ N – 76° 17.7016’ W; running northeasterly to a point 34° 56.2526’ N – 76° 17.11788’ W. (Map 9)
2. Thorofare Bay - Barry Bay - southeast of a line beginning on Lookout Point at a point 34° 55 .4277’ N – 76° 17.8596’ W, running southwesterly to Hall Point 34° 54.3790’ N – 76° 18.8565’ W. (Map 9)
3. Nelson Bay - southeast of the special secondary nursery area line described in NCAC 03R .0105 (4) (c). (Map 9)
4. Oyster Creek – southeast of a line running across the mouth through Beacon #2. (Map 13)
5. Jarrett Bay – south of a line beginning at the east side of Spit Bay at 34° 45.7833’ N – 76° 28.7666’ W; running to a point on the southern tip of Davis Island at 34° 45.2497’ N – 76° 29.1800’ W; then running through the offshore range marker to a point on the west shore at 34° 44.4364’ N – 76° 30.0703’ W. (Map 13)

M. CORE/BACK SOUND – except that area bounded by a line beginning at a point 34° 50.4333’ N – 76° 20.2000’ W on Core Banks near Drum Inlet; running northwesterly to a point 34° 51.0617’ N – 76° 21.0449’ W; running southwesterly to a point 34° 48.3137’ N – 76° 24.3717’ W; running southwesterly to a point 34° 46.3739’ N – 76° 26.1526’ W; running southwesterly to a point 34° 44.5795’ N – 76° 27.5136’ W; running southwesterly to a point 34° 43.4895’ N – 76° 28.9411’ W near Beacon “37A”; running southwesterly to a point 34° 40.4500’ N – 76° 30.6833’ W; running westerly to a point 34° 41.3178’ N – 76° 33.8092’ W near Buoy “3”; running southwesterly to a point 34° 39.6601’ N – 76° 34.4078’ W on Shackleford Banks; running easterly and northeasterly along the shoreline and across Barden Inlet following the COLREGS Demarcation line to the point of beginning. (Maps 9 & 13)
N. BEAUFORT INLET AREA:
1. North River - south of a line beginning on the west shore at a point 34° 46.0383’ N – 76° 37.0633’ W; running easterly to a point on the east shore 34° 46 .2667’ N – 76° 35.4933’ W. (Map 13)
2. Ward Creek - west of a line beginning on the north shore at a point 34° 46.2667’ N – 76° 35.4933 W; running southerly to the south shore to a point 34° 45 .4517’ N – 76° 35.1767’ W. (Map 13)
3. Newport River - east of a line beginning near Penn Point on the south shore at a point 34 °45.6960’ N – 76° 43.5180’ W; running northeasterly to a point on the north shore near Hardesty Farms subdivision 34° 46.5733’ N – 76° 42.6350’ W. (Map 12 & 13)
4. Core Creek – All tributaries will remain closed. (Map 13)
Bogue Sound - except that area on the north side of the Intracoastal Waterway from Marker #7 to Guthrie Point and the area bounded by a line beginning at Intracoastal Waterway Marker #31; running southerly to a point on Long Island 34E 40.9000’ N - 76E 58.6666’ W; running westerly to a point on Piney Island 34E 40.8666’ N - 77E 00.6500’ W; running westerly to a point 34E 41.1666’ N - 77E 00.7000’ W on the spoil island near Green Flasher #37; running in a northeasterly direction along the south side of the spoil islands to the point of beginning. Archers and Hoop Pole creeks, Pine Knoll Shores Canal, Coral Bay and Tar Landing Bay are closed to trawling across their mouths. (Map 12)

II. GENERAL INFORMATION:

This proclamation is issued under the authority of N.C.G.S. 113-182; 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 113-221.1; 143B-289.52 and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103; 3J .0104; 3L .0101 and .0202.

B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director under his delegated authority pursuant to N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3H .0103.

It is unlawful to use any bottom disturbing fishing gear on any shellfish lease or franchise unless it has been duly authorized by the Fisheries Director according to Marine Fisheries Rules15A NCAC 3O .0211 and in accordance with Marine Fisheries Rule15A NCAC 3O .0204(f), the Division has no duty to protect any shellfish bottom lease, franchise, or water column lease not marked according to 15A NCAC 3O .0204(a).

As specified in the Blue Crab FMP, Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 03J .0104(b)(6) prohibits trawls in designated pot areas opened to the use of pots by 15A NCAC 03J .0301 (a)(2) and bound by the shoreline to the depth of six feet as described in the initial subparagraphs of 15A NCAC 03R .0107(a)(5), (a)(6), and (a)(7).

E. Hatched and blackened areas on the attached maps indicate those areas closed to shrimping and crab trawling.

The Division of Marine Fisheries will mark the areas to be opened with signs insofar as may be practical. No unauthorized removal or relocation of any such sign shall have the effect of changing the area opened, nor shall any such unauthorized removal or relocation or the absence of any sign affect the applicability of this proclamation. Where there is conflict between signs and maps, maps shall prevail.

G. Proclamation SH-3-2001, dated May 22, 2001, describes required Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) to be used in shrimp trawls. Section II.D. of Proclamation FF-24-2006, dated March 15, 2006 limits the amount of weakfish that can be taken with shrimp or crab trawls.

June 20, 2005
2:00 P.M.
SH-5-2006
/sab