Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

North Carolina Marine Fisheries Proclamation M-10-202 implements small mesh gill net attendance requirements and keeps open a portion to the use of Incidental Task Permit exempted gears (i.e., runaround, strike, and drop gill nets) with a stretched mesh length of 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches for harvesting blue catfish in Internal Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters in Management Unit A.5

The proclamation is effective at 12:01 a.m., Thursday May 1, 2025. Below are noted changes in the Proclamation.

Gill net use defined:

– Non-exempt gill nets (fixed, stationary or anchored) less than three inches or created than 3 ¾ inches unless the nets are attended at all times; or

– Runaround, strike or drop gill nets less than three inches or more than four inches or 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches (runaround, strike, and drop gill nets with a stretched mesh length 3 inches through 4 inches and 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches MAY be used) in Management Unit A, Sub-Unit A1.

As of May 1, 2025, it is unlawful to use drift gill nets in the Joint Fishing Waters portion of the Roanoke, Middle, Eastmost, Cashie, Chowan and Meherrin rivers and all other joint water tributaries of the Albemarle Sound Management Area as defined in N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Rule 15 NCAC 03R. 0201.

It shall be unlawful to use or possess more than 800 yards of gill net with a stretched mesh length of 5 ½ inches through 6 ½ inches in any combination per vessel or SCFL/RSCFL holder regardless of the number of license holders on the vessel.

Proclamation FF-26-2024 dated June 20, 2024 states that from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, it shall be unlawful for a commercial fishing operation to take or land mullet for commercial purposes from 11:59 p.m. Friday to 12:01 a.m. Monday each week, and from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, it shall be unlawful for a commercial fishing operation to take or land mullet for commercial purposes from 11:59 p.m. Friday to 12:01 a.m. Tuesday each week.

It shall be unlawful to fail to report any sea turtle or sturgeon captured in anchored gill nets. Reports shall be made within 24 hours of the capture to the Division of Marine Fisheries at 252-515-5500 or 800-682-2632. Self-reported takes of sea turtles and sturgeon by fishermen fishing without an observer do not count toward the allowable takes in the Incidental Take Permit.

READ ABOUT MORE NEWS HERE.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE COASTLAND TIMES TODAY!