FF-4-2014

PROCLAMATION

RE: STRIPED BASS SEASON – OCEAN TRAWL: ATLANTIC OCEAN

Dr. Louis B. Daniel III, Director of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M., Tuesday, January 21, 2014, the season for the harvest of striped bass with ocean trawls in the Atlantic Ocean waters of North Carolina SHALL OPEN. The following restrictions will apply:

I. SIZE LIMIT
No person may possess, transport, buy, sell, or offer for sale striped bass less than 28 inches total length taken with ocean trawls from the Atlantic Ocean.

II. HARVEST RESTRICTIONS

A. It is unlawful to take or possess striped bass from the Atlantic Ocean in a trawl operation without having an Atlantic Ocean Striped Bass Commercial Gear Permit (AOSBCGP) designated for the trawl fishery.

B. It is unlawful for a holder of an AOSBGP designated for the trawl fishery to land or sell more than 100 striped bass per vessel per day.

C. Harvest of the 100 striped bass per vessel per day will be allowed each Monday through Thursday until the quota of 160,160 pounds is caught.

D. Striped bass exceeding the possession limit may be transferred to any holder of an AOSBCGP. Permitted trawler captains returning to port with possession limits over the legal limit must call Marine Patrol Communications at 800-682-2632 prior to landing and report the approximate number of striped bass to be transferred and to receive instruction. Striped bass exceeding the possession limit may be transferred to any properly permitted holder of an AOSBCGP for any gear (beach seines, gill nets or trawls). Transfers will count against the trawl portion of the quota, regardless of the type of AOSBCGP held by the person receiving the transfer.

E. It is unlawful for a holder of an AOSBGP designated for the trawl fishery to land or sell more than 15 striped bass per vessel per day on Fridays through Sundays as a bycatch allowance.

III. GEAR RESTRICTIONS

A. For purposes of this proclamation, a trawl is defined as a net made of multi-strand nylon consisting of wings, a body and a codend.

B. It is unlawful to possess gill nets on board a vessel participating in the taking or landing of striped bass with a trawl.

C. It is unlawful to take, sell or purchase striped bass taken by hook-and-line.

IV. LANDING RESTRICTIONS
Striped bass harvested in this fishery may only be sold to and purchased by a currently licensed finfish dealer possessing a valid 2013/2014 Atlantic Ocean Dealer’s Striped Bass Permit.

V. DEALER PERMITS

A. No finfish dealer may possess, buy, sell or offer for sale striped bass taken from the Atlantic Ocean without first obtaining a 2013/2014 STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT validated for the Atlantic Ocean from the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. Dealers must abide by all conditions of the STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT and the general permit conditions found in NC Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 03O .0503.

B. Only a STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT validated for the Atlantic Ocean may be used for transactions involving striped bass taken from the area opened by this proclamation.

C. Striped bass lawfully sold to a permitted dealer may be resold to a non-permitted wholesale or retail market provided the initial permitted dealer records their dealer identification number on each bill of lading or receipts involved in the shipment of striped bass. Any individual or corporation who holds a current finfish dealer license must obtain a STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT validated for the Atlantic Ocean in order to sell any striped bass personally harvested.