FF-12-2020 REVISED

PROCLAMATION

RE: STRIPED BASS – ALBEMARLE SOUND MANAGEMENT AREA – RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL

This proclamation revises FF-12-2020 dated March 12, 2020 and corrects the effective day only. It decreases the daily landing limit for the harvest of striped bass taken for commercial purposes in the Albemarle Sound Management Area at 12:01 A.M. on Saturday, March 14, 2020.

Stephen W. Murphey, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M. on Saturday, March 14, 2020, the following provisions shall apply to the harvest of STRIPED BASS TAKEN IN RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS IN THE ALBEMARLE SOUND MANAGEMENT AREA. The following provisions shall apply:

I. AREA DESCRIPTION
Albemarle Sound Management Area as defined in N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Rule 15A NCAC 03R .0201(a).

II. RECREATIONAL SIZE AND CREEL LIMITS, SEASON, MEANS AND METHODS

A. It is unlawful to possess striped bass less than 18 inches in total length.

B. It is unlawful to possess more than two (2) striped bass taken in any one day by hook-and-line or for recreational purposes from the Albemarle Sound Management Area.

C. It is unlawful to possess striped bass in the Albemarle Sound Management Area for recreational purposes except when taken by hook-and-line or with recreational commercial gear.

D. It is unlawful to sell, offer for sale, or purchase striped bass taken by hook-and-line or with recreational commercial gear for recreational purposes.

E. The recreational season for striped bass in the Albemarle Sound Management Area shall close by proclamation when the harvest allocation is reached or at 11:59 P.M. on Thursday, April 30, 2020, whichever occurs first.

III. COMMERCIAL SIZE AND DAILY LANDING LIMITS, SEASON, MEANS AND METHODS

A. It is unlawful to possess, sell, offer for sale, or purchase striped bass less than 18 inches in total length.

B. It is unlawful for an individual or commercial fishing operation regardless of the number of persons or vessels involved, to possess, land, sell or offer for sale striped bass, unless taken in conjunction with other finfish species. Striped bass will be limited to 50% by weight, of the combined daily harvest, not to exceed 20 fish per day, per Standard Commercial Fishing License (SCFL) holder. The daily harvest limit of 20 striped bass shall not be exceeded, regardless of where taken from Internal Waters, unless the fish are taken in accordance with III. C. below.

C. It is unlawful for any operation consisting of more than one SCFL holder to be in possession of more than two daily harvest limits. A SCFL holder shall accompany each single harvest limit until the time of sale to a dealer possessing a valid 2019/2020 STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT validated for the Albemarle Sound Management Area.

D. The SCFL holder(s) shall accompany and transport each single harvest limit and the other finfish species together until the striped bass are sold to a dealer possessing a valid 2019/2020 STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT validated for the Albemarle Sound Management Area.

E. Striped bass taken from areas opened by this proclamation may be sold only to and purchased by a dealer possessing a current 2019/2020 STRIPED BASS DEALER PERMIT validated for the Albemarle Sound Management Area.

F. It is unlawful to purchase more than the daily commercial harvest limit of striped bass per day from a SCFL holder.

G. It is unlawful to sell, offer for sale or purchase striped bass taken by hook-and-line. The striped bass season for commercial fishing operations in the Albemarle Sound Management Area will close by proclamation when the harvest allocation is reached or at 11:59 P.M. on Thursday, April 30, 2020. Dealers will have until two weeks after the closing of the season to sell, offer for sale, transport, or have in possession unfrozen striped bass taken in this fishery.