Monday, February 27, 2006
NOAA Comments on Proposed NC Sonar Range
 It took an entire week for almost two dozen Navy officials to sort through the 40,000 pages of public comments they received on their controversial plan to build a sonar training range off the North Carolina coast. We would like to thank our visitors who were able to send their comments and the Ocracoke Preservation Society and Big Block Blue Marlin Tournament for also chipping in. One of the most surprising and encouraging comments received was from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. NOAA found serious fault with the Navy's downplaying of potential harm to the extremely endangered right whale and other marine mammals. NOAA also disapproved of the Navy's use of trained mammals for their research and the 190 decibel volume threshold of sonar activity. The Navy's exhaustive research set the 190 decibel level because one of two tame dolphins altered their behavior at that volume. One of two? We can't afford to let this story drop off the proverbial radar so be sure to let your state representatives know you oppose the Navy's plans. For more on this story is available in a great article by Kate Wiltrout of the The Virginian-Pilot.
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Sunday, February 26, 2006
Shaft Packing Seal Blamed in Deaths
 On February 5th two Florida men died when the brand new 35-foot Carolina Classic they had just picked up from the factory in Edenton, NC sank in the intercoastal waterway near Oriental. There was a lot of debate about what had caused the new boat to sink less than 70 miles from the factory on the same day it was picked up. The boat was raised from 18 feet of water and towed in for examination. Investigators have now determined that a severe leak around the port shaft packing seal lead to the sinking but questions about way the packing seal leaked and other circumstances surrounding the deaths are still unanswered. The Carolina Classic was equipped with three bilge pumps that were each rated at 2,000 gallons per hour and the boat sank less than a mile from shore. More on the investigation is available from the Jacksonville Daily News.
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Friday, February 24, 2006
Help the NC MFC Save Our Redfish
 While we usually don't post the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission's calls for advisors, they need all the help they can get to help protect and grow NC's redfish population. The NC MFC is currently looking for interested individuals to serve as advisors in revising the North Carolina Red Drum Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The original FMP was completed in 2001, and current regulations are intended to prevent overfishing on juvenile fish while spawning fish are protected through a harvest prohibition. Individuals interested in serving as advisors should be willing to attend meetings at least once every two months and actively participate in the committee process. If you know your redfish and care about their future be sure to step up to the plate and help the MFC. Advisor applications are available at any Division of Marine Fisheries office or by calling 252-726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632. Applications should be returned by March 31, 2006, to the Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, North Carolina, 28557, to the attention of Jess Hawkins. More on the Marine Fisheries Commission's FMPs are available from the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries.
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Thursday, February 23, 2006
Roanoke River Striper Season Opens March 1st
 For those of you who just can't seem to get your fill of striped bass, the NC Division of Marine Fisheries will be opening the lower Roanoke River to striper fishing from March 1st through April 15th and the upper Roanoke River from March 15th through April 30th. The lower Roanoke River is defined as the Roanoke River and its tributaries downstream from the US 258 bridge near Scotland Neck to Albemarle Sound, including the Cashie, Middle and Eastmost rivers. The upper Roanoke River is defined as the Roanoke River and its tributaries upstream, from the US 258 bridge near Scotland Neck to Roanoke Rapids Lake Dam. The daily creel limit within the Roanoke River Management Area is two striped bass per person. The minimum length limit is 18 inches, and no striped bass between 22 and 27 inches may be possessed at any time. Only one stripers larger than 27 inches may be included in the daily creel limit. More information on the striped bass management plan is available from the NC DMF.
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Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Bonner Bridge Repairs Begin Today
 Although long term plans for the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet are still uncertain, the North Carolina Department of Transportation will begin repairs today on the aging bridge today in order to buy a little more time. From now until the end of May, the NC DOT will be closing sections of one of the bridge's two lanes and may even close both lanes for short periods. The $800,000 cost of these temporary repairs will be added to the more than $50 million that have been spent on the 40 year old bridge in just the last few decades. Despite all the efforts to maintain and repair the Bonner Bridge, the existing bridge has a stability rating of 4 out of 100. Long-term options for replacement are still being debated and include a parallel bridge and a 17 mile bridge that connects Oregon Inlet directly to Rodanthe. More on the repair work is available from the Outer Banks Sentinel and an aerial photographic history of Oregon Inlet is available from the Army Corps of Engineers.
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Monday, February 20, 2006
NC Shrimp Harvest Could Be Lowest Ever
 The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries released their preliminary estimates of dockside shrimp sales for 2005 and it appears that less shrimp were brought to the docks than in any year in at least the last 25. North Carolina commercial fishermen harvested well below the average 7 million pounds with a 2005 total that looks to be only 2.1 million pounds. 1981 is currently the smallest harvest on record with only 2.3 million pounds. While obviously the number of shrimp in NC waters were lower than usual, many are attributing the shrinking harvest totals to less commercial fishing. More on the 2005 shrimp harvest is available from the Jacksonville Daily News.
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Friday, February 17, 2006
NC Aquarium's Seafood Series Returns
 The North Carolina Aquarium's seafood cooking series is back this year to educate citizens on local seafood and introduce them to new seafood recipes. From February through May interested individuals may sign up for classes held at NC's coastal aquariums and each class is taught by a chef from a local restaurant. Previously participating restaurants include 1587, Outer Banks Brewing Station, Stripers, Argyle's, Black Pelican, Waterfront Trellis, Flying Fish, the Pasquotank County Culinary Arts Class, and numerous others. The first planned class of the series will feature Chef Sean Taylor of Sean's Restaurant in Edenton on February 21st and Chef Tom Lozupone of Stripers Bar & Grille in Manteo is next on March 7th. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn how best to prepare your catch. Fees for each class are just $15 and that includes admission to the aquarium. For more information about future sessions and to reserve your spot, please call 458-8257 ext. 239.
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Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Offshore Oil Drilling and the NC Coast
 Talk about drilling for oil off the North Carolina coast has come up before and although there is a moratorium for NC until 2012, it still sends shivers down our spines. Congress is currently debating opening some new areas to oil drilling and there are two bills competing to determine where the new areas will be. Also up for debate in one of the bills is standardization of the definition of federal waters. In North Carolina and Virginia federally controlled waters start just three miles offshore, but other states have significantly larger areas of state jurisdiction. In Florida federal jurisdiction doesn't begin until 100 miles offshore. This is especially important in light of the White House's announcement last week that the administration would like to pursue oil exploration off the coast of Virginia. North Carolina should be able to stop oil drilling if the public votes it down as we hope they would. A little more waters under the state's jurisdiction would give residents a little more control of their own fate. We promise to keep our eyes on this one and will let you know more as we hear it. Call or write your Congressional representatives and let them know you feel North Carolina's most valuable natural resources are in the sea not under it. More on the competing bills is available from the Winston-Salem Journal.
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Sunday, February 12, 2006
Waters Near Morehead to Reopen for Oyster Harvests
 Hundreds of acres of coastal waters have been closed to oyster harvesting in the last few years due to increased pollution levels. Rarely do these closed areas reopen. For the first time in a long time, North Carolina waters that had been closed for shellfish harvesting due to problems with water quality are being reopened. The Shellfish Sanitation Section of the NC Division of Environmental Health last week was working out the final details to reopen 209 acres of shellfish waters in the North River and Wards Creek area near Morehead City. Back in 2004 the areas had to be closed but recent testing has showed a continued trend toward healthier waters. Officials are not entirely sure what has caused the marked improvement in area waters, but large new subdivisions in the area that had significant runoff problems in 2003 have now regrown their vegetation and over 500 acres of local farm land have been restored to wetlands. In addition, the Shellfish Sanitation Section has also been diligently working to correct problems with poorly designed septic systems near the shoreline and violations of stormwater runoff policies. This is a wonderful turn of events and shows that all the little pieces we all contribute can help improve North Carolina's coast. More on this story is available from the Jacksonville Daily News.
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Friday, February 10, 2006
Flounder Caught in Sutton Lake Near Wilmington
 A NC State student had an interesting surprise last week while doing a little catfish fishing on Sutton Lake near Wilmington. Although Sutton Lake is entirely fresh water, Jarrett Thorne managed to land a 19 1/2 inch flounder in the back of the lake near the power plant. Theories abound on how the flounder ended up in the lake but the leading explanation is that some flounder moved upstream during a period of low salinity and were later trapped when the lake's dam was completed. Although catching a flounder in a fresh water lake is extremely rare, this is not the first time a flounder was caught in Sutton Lake and it most likely won't be the last. Experts explained that a female flounder of this size should have spawned several times so there are bound to be at least a few more small ones growing. More on this story is available in a great article by Captain Jerry Dilsaver on North Carolina Sportsman's website.
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Wednesday, February 08, 2006
CCA Releases Report Card for NC Marine Fisheries Commission
 The Coastal Conservation Association recently announced last year's grades for the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission's fishery management plans and the report card was filled with both good and bad grades. Grades were good for both the shrimp and blue crab management plans with each earning a "B". The shrimp grade was above average due to the closure of nursery areas and encouraging the use of skimmer trawls, rather than otter trawls. The CCA was also please with the blue crab plan because of habitat protection, stocking efforts, and improved data collection methods. The MFC's southern flounder management plan was viewed as seriously flawed due to the less than adequate commercial harvest reductions and earned a "D". The worst grade of the year was reserved for the MFC's river herring plan which received a "F" due to the state's unwillingness to enact an immediate closure of the fishery. After the presentation of the report card the MFC apparently voiced frustration with the decline in public perception of the MFC and the misinformation spread in the name of the CCA. The full report card and story is available from the Outer Banks Sentinel. Archive Link 0 Comments Tell a Friend |
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
North Carolina to Challenge NMFS Shark Ban
 Earlier this year the National Marine Fisheries Service enacted a ban on the harvest of large coastal sharks in federal waters, out to 60 fathoms (roughly 30 to 40 miles offshore), from Pea Island to Cape Fear from Jan. 1 to July 31 each year. The ban is designed to reduce bycatch of the endanger dusky shark and juvenile sandbar sharks, for which NMFS has determined are being overfished. Originally the ban was to be for all waters between Delaware Bay and South Carolina but the final version was for a ban only off North Carolina's coast. The NC Marine Fisheries Commission and the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture last week gave their blessings for the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources to push forward with litigation against the NMFS. More on the shark ban is available from the Sun Journal.
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Monday, February 06, 2006
The Decline of Fishing Piers in North Carolina
 Between hurricanes and increasing financial pressure from real estate development, North Carolina fishing piers are becoming fewer and farther between every day. The fishing piers on Bogue Banks are no exception. As many as 8 publicly accessible piers once allowed fishermen access to deeper waters but that number has been falling every year. Hurricanes claimed the Emerald Isle Pier and Indian Beach Pier in the 1990's and new real estate developments are claiming the Iron Steamer Pier and Triple S Pier. The future of the Sportsman's Pier is also in question. More on this story is available from the Jacksonville Daily News.
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Saturday, February 04, 2006
New Collection of Saltwater Fishing Articles
 Our Fishing Reference Library has been growing over the past few weeks and we are excited to announce our new collection of saltwater fishing articles. Want to learn how to catch specks at night? How about details on how moon phase impacts your catch? We will be adding to our fishing article collection regularly so keep your eyes peeled for more. We are constantly working to improve Fishing-NC.com in order to provide more and more useful information to North Carolina saltwater anglers, so if you have any suggestions be sure to drop us a line.
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Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Fish For Tomorrow’s Southern Flounder Hatchery
 North Carolina's population of southern flounder has really been suffering the past several years due primarily to overfishing. A new organization, Fish For Tomorrow, hopes to be able to help North Carolina's flounder population get on the fast track to recovery. Last year the non-profit organization held its inaugural Fish For Tomorrow Flounder Tournament. What makes this tournament unique is that all flounder were weighed live and were saved for the foundation of their flounder hatchery in UNC Wilmington's Wrightsville Beach facility. We had the privilege of talking to Tim Barefoot, the founder of Fish For Tomorrow, at this year's Bass and Saltwater Expo in Raleigh and his enthusiasm for the future of the hatchery is nothing short of contagious. Fish For Tomorrow estimates that producing and releasing millions of flounder fingerlings (4-5 inches long) into the wild will have a tremendous effect on the NC southern flounder population within just five years. In addition to helping restore North Carolina's flounder numbers, Tim also explained that the knowledge gained from this flounder hatchery could translate into commercial flounder hatcheries along the coast. These hatcheries would provide a significant economic boost to coastal communities and offer lucrative income alternatives to commercial fishermen. Fish For Tomorrow is currently accepting both financial donations and donations of live flounder so be sure to help them out if you can.
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