The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission has made amendments to the state’s Eastern Oyster and Hard Clam fishery management plans during its recent business meeting.
For the Eastern Oyster Fishery Management Plan Amendment 5, several new management provisions have been adopted. These include the establishment of Deep-Water Oyster Recovery Areas that will remain closed to mechanical oyster harvesting. Additionally, there is a plan to link mechanical oyster harvest management in Pamlico Sound with the Division of Marine Fisheries’ cultch planting efforts, using pre-season sampling of oyster resources to determine season length. A rotational opening plan for mechanical oyster harvest on 10-acre cultch planting sites is also being implemented.
In terms of the Hard Clam Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3, a three-year phase-out of mechanical clam harvesting from public bottoms has been approved. This includes harvesting associated with maintenance dredging.
Both amendments also contain a provision aimed at exploring options for estimating recreational shellfish participation and landings. They also emphasize communicating necessary shellfish sanitation health and safety information to fishermen.
In other matters discussed by the commission, they selected their preferred management option for the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 4. This decision involves moving the sector allocation shift to 50/50 (commercial/recreational) forward to 2025 instead of waiting until 2026 as previously planned in Amendment 3.
The commission also approved a notice of text to initiate rulemaking processes for two issues. The proposed rules will be published in the NC Register in August, followed by a public comment period and a public hearing at a later date. The rules pertain to Permit-Related Rules under codes 15A NCAC 03I .0101, .0114, and 03O .0501-.0503, as well as Franchises and Shellfish Leases under codes 15A NCAC 03I .0101, and various sections within code 03O.
A recording of this meeting is available on the Marine Fisheries Commission Meetings webpage.
