8-10" Seabass

[Sea Draggin]

Are safe for the next two weeks off Atlantic Beach now

PROCLAMATION

RE: BLACK SEA BASS – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN

Dr. Louis B. Daniel III, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M, Friday, May 15, 2009, the following restrictions will apply to the commercial black sea bass fishery south of Cape Hatteras (35° 15’N. Latitude):

I. SEASON

A. From 12:01 A.M., Friday, May 15, 2009 until 12:01 A.M., Monday, June 1, 2009, no person may possess, sell or offer for sale black sea bass taken with commercial fishing equipment or for commercial purposes in the Atlantic Ocean south of Cape Hatteras.

B. All black sea bass pots must be removed from the water [south of Cape Hatteras (35° 15’N Latitude)] by the effective date.

C. These restrictions end by this proclamation at 12:01 A.M. Monday, June 1, 2009.

II. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of N.C.G.S. 113- 170.4; 113-170.5;113-182; 113-221.1; 143B-289.52 and NC Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3M.0512.

B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the N.C. Fisheries Director under his delegated authority pursuant to N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3H .0103.

C. Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3I .0113 specifies that it is unlawful for any licensee under Chapter 113, Subchapter IV of the General Statutes to refuse to allow the Fisheries Director or his agents to obtain biological data, harvest information, or other statistical data necessary or useful to the conservation and management of marine and estuarine resources from fish in the licensees possession.

D. The intent of this proclamation is to allow North Carolina to comply with the requirements of the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region to manage the commercial black sea bass fishery under the state quota system established by the FMP. This action is being taken because the commercial quota has been met.

E. This proclamation does not effect harvest of black sea bass north of Cape Hatteras.

[hotshot1]

Who's checking on this?

[Capt_John]

So they're closing it for 16 days. Just enough to get everyone fired up over nothing.