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Contact: Patricia Smith State Closes Large-Mesh Gill Net Fishing In Core Sound to Protect Sea Turtles MOREHEAD CITY – N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Director Louis Daniel will close Core Sound to large-mesh gill net fishing Monday. The action is being taken due to the number of observed sea turtle interactions that have occurred since June 1. “We have seen more sea turtles than usual in the areas around Cape Lookout this year,” Daniel said. “It is unfortunate that as the number of sea turtles increase in this area, the number of interactions with fisheries increases, as well.” Daniel implemented stricter regulations on North Carolina’s inshore large-mesh gill net fishery May 15 under a lawsuit settlement agreement between the state and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. As part of the agreement, the division is observing large-mesh gill net fishing in inshore waters to track interactions with sea turtles. The state is also seeking a statewide Incidental Take Permit under Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act for North Carolina’s gill net fisheries. Since implementation of the new regulations, observers have documented 20 interactions with sea turtles in 24 fishing nights, and 14 of these observations occurred in Core Sound. Of the total interactions, 16 turtles were alive. “By closing Core Sound, the state is trying to maintain protection of threatened and endangered sea turtles while continuing the flounder gill net fishery in areas where few or no sea turtle interactions have been observed,” Daniel said. The closure takes effect one hour before sunset Monday and applies to all gill nets between 4 inches and 6 ½ inches stretched mesh that are fished as set nets in Core Sound. The closure does not apply to run-around, strike or drop nets that are used to surround a school of fish and then are immediately retrieved. The closure will remain in place until Sept. 1. For specific regulations and a map of the closure area, see Proclamation M-11-2010 on the division’s website at http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/index.html. |