Pat McCrory, Governor
Donald R. van der Vaart, Secretary
N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Release: Immediate
Contact: Patricia Smith
Date: Aug. 25, 2015
Phone:
252-726-7021
Marine Fisheries Commission delays vote on Southern Flounder
proposals
MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission
postponed action on proposals for Southern Flounder management that had been
scheduled for last week’s meeting.
During last week’s meeting, the board received a letter from
N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Donald van der
Vaart. Van der Vaart’s letter referenced and enclosed a letter he received from
multiple members of the N.C. General Assembly asking him to temporarily rescind
the commission’s authority to adopt a supplement to the state’s Southern
Flounder Fishery Management Plan. Van der Vaart stated in his letter that he
shared some of the legislators’ concerns and reemphasized his sole focus of
achieving responsible management of Southern Flounder while protecting the
rights of all those who rely on the fishery. After reviewing both letters and
noting the various concerns, Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman Sammy Corbett
removed the issue from the agenda.
The commission was scheduled to select and approve
management measures for Southern Flounder from six potential management
proposals it had taken out for public comment. The six options range in impacts
to different fisheries and gears. They can be found at:
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/southern-flounder-current-topic.
The letters can be found online at
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/southern-flounder-current-topic.
Once these concerns are addressed, the commission plans to
hold a meeting in September to address the Southern Flounder issue. Details of
the meeting date, time and location will be announced later.
In other business, the commission:
· Voted to post
draft information updates for the Interjurisdictional and Kingfish fishery
management plans on the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ website for public
review.
· Approved a
five-year fishery management plan schedule.
Prior to the meeting, van der Vaart administered the oath of
office to new commission members Janet Rose and Keith Rhodes. Rose, of Moyock,
fills a commercial fisherman seat and Rhodes, a Wilmington chef, fills an
at-large seat. Photos of the swearing-in ceremony can be downloaded at
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/08-2015-rhodes-rose.
###
Patricia Smith
Public Information Officer
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries
3441 Arendell St.
Morehead City, N.C. 28557
(252) 808-8025 (Office)
(252) 342-0642 (Mobile)
Tricia.Smith@ncdenr.gov
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