Fishing Page

Fisheries managers expect that current laws would have to change before a limited access privilege program could be implemented in the striped bass fishery.

“We’re not lawyers, but our feeling is that the General Assembly probably needs to give the MFC (Marine Fisheries Commission) that specific authority,” said Scott Crosson, socioeconomic program manager at the state Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF).

Fisheries fall into either open or limited access categories. All licensed commercial fishermen can participate in open fisheries, while limited access fisheries restrict participation to fishermen who meet certain eligibility requirements.

In limited access privilege programs, the total annual harvest quota is divided into shares that are assigned to individual fishermen, usually on the basis of fishermen’s past landings. After the initial allocation of catch shares, fishermen can sell or trade shares to other licensed fishermen.

Current law authorizes the MFC to restrict participation in some fisheries, but does not specifically authorize the use of catch share programs.

Striped bass gear permits, also authorized by law, were set to go into effect this year until the MFC postponed implementation, saying the permit would not control overall participation in the fishery.

Fisheries managers have said tighter controls are needed to ensure that fishermen don’t catch more than the 480,480 pound quota authorized for the North Carolina ocean fishery by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

But, state fisheries commissioner Mikey Daniels of Wanchese said the state is moving in the wrong direction.

“What we really need is a larger quota from the ASMFC for the fishery,” Daniels said.

The fishery was declared rebuilt in 1995, but Daniels said increases to the commercial quota for North Carolina have fallen short and that the quota hasn’t been raised since 2003.

But in August, Louis Daniel, DMF director, told fishermen not to expect an increase soon.

He said there is some concern within the ASMFC that the stock might not be as healthy as indicated in an assessment issued earlier this year. He also said some recreational fishing groups are pressuring managers to declare the species gamefish, a designation that prohibits commercial trade.

“Without a quota increase, we’re just grasping at straws,” Mikey Daniels said.

But Crosson said a limited access privilege program could result in a more consistent, long-term management policy for the fishery.

He acknowledged that designing a program could be controversial.

“The biggest concern is that fishermen don’t want to be shut out of the fishery,” he noted.

Crosson said setting eligibility requirements and deciding how to allocate initial catch shares are difficult decisions.

“How to treat people fairly is the big question,” he added.

Still, some fishermen have indicated that the a catch share system might be preferable to the current management system that, they say, is marred by catch limits as low as 10 fish per day and fishing seasons that last just two or three days.

“I’d like to know if fishermen in North Carolina think there is a way to manage this fishery for better economic and social results within the quota limit,” said Jess Hawkins, MFC member.

The MFC Finfish Advisory Committee was scheduled to discuss limited access programs for the fishery Tuesday, October 7.

“One thing DMF and the MFC have made clear is that they will not move forward with a program if fishermen don’t buy into the idea, “ said Crosson.