NORTH CAROLINA LEGISLATIVE RACES FOR 2020 PRIMARY:
Early voting began on Thursday, February 13, 2020. The primary is March 3rd. Next week we will share any answers to fishing questions we receive from candidates.
NC HOUSE DISTRICT 3:
There are 4 candidates in the Republican primary for NC House District 3, which is Michael Speciale’s seat. He’s not running again:
Jim Kohr:
Steve Tyson:
NC HOUSE DISTRICT 6:
Bobby Hanig is the incumbent, and has a Republican challenger, Rob Rollason.
Bobby Hanig & Rob Rollason: Saturday, February 15th, Precinct meetings: Colington at 10am & Buxton at 2pm. 252-207-5479.
NC HOUSE DISTRICT 14:
George Cleveland is the incumbent, and has a Republican challenger, Cindy Edwards.
George Cleveland: Thursday, February 27th; Fundraiser The Osprey Grill Jacksonville; 910-581-6794.
Cindy Edwards: 910-938-4319.
NC HOUSE DISTRICT 15:
Phil Shepard is the incumbent, and has a Republican challenger, Mark Price.
Phil Shepard: 910-389-6392.
Mark Price: 910-787-3672.
Industry Funded Economic Survey–
It is very important that all fishermen fill out this survey when they receive it in the mail. This information is so NC can get an accurate value for our fishing industry. If you have any questions, feel free to call Glenn Skinner at 252-646-7742
Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment
Scoping and public comment meeting
Tuesday, Feb 25 6PM-8PM
NCDMF Office
943 Washington Street, Washington, NC
Atlantic Cobia Benchmark Stock Assessment Finds Resource Not Overfished Not Experiencing Overfishing
South Atlantic Board Sets Harvest Specifications & Initiates Addendum
Arlington, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board accepted the Atlantic Cobia Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report, including new reference points, for management use. The assessment, which was conducted through the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) process, evaluated the Atlantic stock of cobia, which extends from the Georgia/Florida border north. Assessment results indicate the stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring.
The SEDAR 58 Report is available at http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5e3d99a3SEDAR58_AtlCobiaAssessment_PeerReviewReport.pdf. An overview will be available on the Commission’s website, www.asmfc.org, on the Cobia page under Stock Assessment Reports. For more information, please contact Dr. Mike Schmidtke, FMP Coordinator, at mschmidtke@asmfc.org.
ASMFC South Atlantic Board Approves Atlantic Croaker and Spot Addenda
Arlington, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board approved Addendum III to Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Croaker and Addendum III to the Omnibus Amendment to the Interstate FMPs for Spanish Mackerel, Spot, and Spotted Seatrout. These Addenda adjust management of Atlantic croaker and spot through their respective Traffic Light Approaches (TLA).
Through the annual analysis of the TLA, which assigns a color (red, yellow, or green) to characterize relative levels of indicators that reflect the condition of the fish population (abundance characteristic) or fishery (harvest characteristic). If the amount of red, indicating low abundance or low harvest, in both characteristics exceeds threshold levels (30% and 60%) for too many years, management action is triggered. In 2018, the Atlantic Croaker Technical Committee and Spot Plan Review Team recommended updates to their respective TLAs that would incorporate additional fishery-independent indices, age information, use of regional characteristics, and changes to the management-triggering mechanism.
These Addenda change the management-triggering mechanisms to enact coastwide management if the amounts of red for both the harvest and abundance characteristics within a region (Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic) exceed threshold levels for 3 of the 4 most recent years for Atlantic croaker and 2 of the 3 most recent years for spot. The Addenda also define commercial and recreational management responses to triggers at each threshold level (see table below). Finally, the Addenda define the processes for evaluating the fisheries while triggered measures are in place and determining when triggered measures may be removed.
Both Addenda were approved for immediate implementation by the states of New Jersey through Florida. The next TLA analyses will be presented to the Board at the Commission’s Summer Meeting.
The Addenda will be available on the Commission’s website, www.asmfc.org (on the Atlantic Croaker and Spot webpages) by mid-February. For more information, please contact Dr. Mike Schmidtke, FMP Coordinator, at mschmidtke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.
PR20-05
A PDF of the press release can be found here – http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5e3d8f9fpr05AtlCroakerSpotAddendaApproved.pdf
Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment
Scoping and public comment meeting
Tuesday, Feb 25 6PM-8PM
NCDMF Office
943 Washington Street, Washington, NC
