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TIME CHANGE FOR FINFISH COMMITTEE MEETING MOREHEAD CITY – A previously announced Aug. 3 meeting of a Finfish Advisory Committee has been delayed by 30 minutes to accommodate committee member travel schedules. The meeting, previously scheduled for 10:30 a.m., will now begin at 11 a.m. at the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Washington Regional Office, 943 Washington Square Mall. The finfish committee is one of five advisory committees to the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission that will discuss possible interim rules for southern flounder at meetings scheduled in August. At its May meeting, the MFC asked its regional advisory committees and its Finfish Advisory Committee to review and comment on whether the state should implement interim rules for southern flounder. The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will put forward options for season closures, increased size limits and trip and creel limits. The MFC also asked the advisory committees to provide comments on how to address user conflicts in the southern flounder fishery. State law allows the MFC to implement temporary management measures while a fishery management plan is being developed if it determines the regulations are necessary to ensure the viability of a species or fishery. State law also requires such interim measures to be reviewed by the MFC’s regional advisory committees. Dates, times and locations for the other four meetings follow:
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