FF-48-2008

PROCLAMATION

RE: STRIPED BASS COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS

Dr. Louis B. Daniel III, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at midnight, April 30, 2008 the following will apply to the harvest of striped bass in the internal coastal waters of North Carolina.

I. SEASON CLOSURE

The commercial harvest season for striped bass in the internal coastal waters is CLOSED.
No person shall take, possess, transport, buy, sell or offer for sale striped bass from the area defined above, except dealers will have until May 14, 2008 to sell, offer for sale, transport, or have in possession unfrozen striped bass taken in this fishery prior to the closure.

II. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of N.C.G.S. 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 113-182; 113-221.1; 143B-289.52; and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103, 3M .0505 and 3M.0512.

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

C. The North Carolina Estuarine Striped Bass Plan and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3M .202 specify that the commercial striped bass fishery closes from May 1 through September 30.

D. The striped bass dealer permits validated for the ASMA, Central or Cape Fear Areas are no longer valid upon this closure. Permittees must submit required reporting logs (when such reports have not been faxed) to the Division of Marine Fisheries Elizabeth City Office by May 7, 2008.

E. This proclamation supersedes Proclamation FF-2-2008, dated January 8, 2008; FF-26-2008, dated February 26, 2008; and FF-40-2008, dated April 10, 2008.

April 28, 2008
12:00 P.M.
FF-48-2008
/sab