M-17-2019

PROCLAMATION

RE: GILL NETS – ALBEMARLE SOUND AREA – RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL GEAR

This proclamation supersedes Proclamation M-15-2019 dated September 12, 2019. It makes it unlawful for Recreational Commercial Gear License holders to use gill nets with stretched mesh lengths of 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches. It maintains the openings in Management Unit A to the use of gill nets with stretched mesh lengths of 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches in accordance with Amendment 2 to the N.C. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan and the Sea Turtle ITP. It maintains small mesh gill net attendance requirements in the entirety of Management Unit A.

Stephen W. Murphey, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M., Monday, September 30, 2019, the following provisions shall apply to the use of gill nets in the following areas:

I. MANAGEMENT UNIT A: AREA DESCRIPTIONS AND SPECIFIC AREA RESTRICTIONS (See Map)

A. Management Unit A: encompasses all Internal Coastal Waters bound on the south by 35° 46.3000' N latitude to the North Carolina/Virginia state line. This includes Albemarle, Currituck, Croatan and Roanoke sounds and their tributaries.

B. Management Unit A, Subunit A1-South of US-64-BYP/US-64: area described as south of a line beginning at a point 35° 53.1720' N – 75° 45.6160' W on the mainland shore near Manns Harbor; running easterly along the south side of the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge, continuing easterly along the south side of the Washington Baum Bridge to a point ending at 35° 54.3820' N – 75° 35.9240' W on the Outer Banks shore.

C. Black Walnut Point to Mackey’s Creek: It is unlawful to use ANY gill nets (including those described in Section IV.) in the area southwest of a line from Black Walnut Point 35° 59.3833' N - 76° 41.0060' W; running southeasterly to a point 35° 56.3333' N - 76° 36.0333' W at the mouth of Mackey’s Creek, including Roanoke, Cashie, Middle and Eastmost Rivers.

II. GILL NET CONSTRUCTION AND USE REQUIREMENTS (see Section V. for exempted gear)
A fishing operation regardless of the number of vessels or persons involved, shall adhere to the gill net restrictions specified:

A. It is unlawful for Recreational Commercial Gear License holders to use gill nets with a stretched mesh length of 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches (except as described in Section V. A. and C.).

B. Management Unit A (excluding the areas described in Sections I. B., and I. C.):

1. It is unlawful to use gill nets with a stretched mesh length less than 3 inches and greater than 3 ¾ inches (gill nets with a stretched mesh length of 3 inches through 3 ¾ inches may be used).
2. It is unlawful to use unattended gill nets with a stretched mesh length of 3 inches through 3 ¾ inches.
3. It is unlawful to use gill nets with a stretched mesh length greater than 3 ¾ inches and less than 5 ½ inches.
4. It is unlawful to use gill nets with a mesh length greater than 6 ½ inches.
5. It is unlawful to use gill nets with a mesh length of 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches unless the nets are set so as to fish the bottom of the water column and not to exceed a vertical height of 48 inches. Vertical height is defined as the distance between the top and bottom lines of the net.

C. MANAGEMENT UNIT A, SUBUNIT A1-SOUTH OF US-64-BYP/US-64: (As described in Section I. B.):

1. It is unlawful to use gill nets with a stretched mesh length less than 3 inches and greater than 3 ¾ inches (gill nets with a stretched mesh length of 3 inches through 3 ¾ inches may be used).
2. It is unlawful to use unattended gill nets with a stretched mesh length of 3 inches through 3 ¾ inches.
3. It is unlawful to use gill nets with a stretched mesh length greater than 3 ¾ inches and less than 5 ½ inches.
4. It is unlawful to use gill nets with a stretched mesh length greater than 6 ½ inches.
5. It is unlawful to use gill nets with a stretched mesh length of 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches unless it complies with the following provisions:

a) It is unlawful to use gill nets with a stretched mesh length of 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches of more than 15 meshes in height and without a lead core or leaded bottom line.
b) It is unlawful to use cork, floats, or other buoys except those required for identification.
c) It is unlawful to set more than 100 yards of gill nets with a stretched mesh length of 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches without leaving a space of at least 25 yards between separate lengths of net, regardless of individual net length.