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Contact: Patricia Smith Fishermen May Use Top Line to Connect Multiple Gill Net Sets MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will allow fishermen to use a top line to connect multiple 100-yard gill net sets. Division Director Louis Daniel issued a proclamation today revising regulations that went into effect May 15 to allow for this change. The regulations still limit fishermen who use large mesh gill nets (4-inch to 6 ½ mesh) to 100-yard sets in most inshore waters of the state, but allow a continuous top line to facilitate deployment and retrieval of the nets. “I am convinced the fishermen who use net reels will be able to get their nets up more quickly and efficiently if we allow them to use a continuous top line,” Daniel said. Daniel reconsidered an earlier decision about the use of top line after receiving comments from fishermen about retrieval methods when using net reels. He also states that use of a top line will not pose additional threat to threatened and endangered sea turtles. “I have listened to the fishermen and want to do what I can to allow them to fish while still protecting sea turtles,” Daniel said. The revised regulations go into effect at 5 p.m. Sunday. An attached diagram illustrates the provisions set forth in the proclamation. nr-24-2010 |