The NC Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has warned commercial and recreational gill nets that they may be subject to having observers placed on their boats at any time to monitor the new state gill net rules, which have been tightened due to sea turtle interactions and low fish stocks.
“Individuals fishing in North Carolina’s coastal waters may be monitored by state and/or federal observers and are required to carry observers on their vessels if requested,” stated the DMF in a press release. “Observers monitor various types of fishing gear and activities collecting information on catch, discards, bycatch and protected species interactions. Much of the observer effort at this time is focused on the inshore gill net fishery.”
The observers the DMF uses on commercial and recreational vessel are either biologists or NC Marine Patrol officers. Any fisherman holding a DMF-issued license is required to cooperate with state observers.
The DMF has been keeping a close eye on gill net use since the Marine Fisheries Commission tightened state regulations in response to a lawsuit over sea turtle interactions. The state has also declared some fish stocks which gill nets target, such as Southern Flounder, as depleted.
For more fisheries management info see my fisheries politics page on Surf and Salt. For fishing articles and reports check out my blog A Dash of Salty.
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