MFC has ‘business as usual’ approach

Anglers bought approximately 460,000 recreational saltwater fishing license in North Carolina during 2007. It was the first year (starting Jan. 1, 2007) the license was required to fish with hook and line in N.C. coastal waters.Anglers spent $5.7 million for these licenses. Admittedly, that’s far less than the predicted $19 million proponents said the Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses would generate, but it’s still a nice chunk of change for the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.

For that kind of financial support from recreational anglers — the first time in N.C. history recreational anglers paid for the management of saltwater fishes — one might expect decisions by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission to reflect at least some of the goals of recreational anglers.

What are those goals? Radical stuff such as protection of overfished species, enforcement of laws, trying to rebuild depleted stocks of fish and, most importantly, helping saltwater shellfish and finfish survive increasing pressure from user groups.

But a problem remains, and it’s easy to identify. The MFC, an appointed group of nine members, continues to conduct business as usual, as if there were no new paying constituency with conservation of saltwater resources as one of its main goals.

At its Nov. 2007 meeting, the MFC voted at the request of a commissioner to extend the pound-net season for already depleted southern flounder an extra two weeks (it was supposed to end Dec. 1, 2007, and was lengthened to Dec. 14).

Although DMF director Dr. Louis Daniel told the MFC there’d be good and bad netting seasons for inshore flounder and N.C.’s Fishery Management Plan mandates avoidance of overfishing, the MFC voted 6-0 (with one recusal) to extend the season. But then a commissioner noted the proposal left out gill netters, so the MFC re-voted 5-0 (two recusals) to give them two extra weeks.

Chairman Mac Currin, who holds a “recreational” seat on the MFC, was absent at this meeting because of illness. The president of the N.C. Fisheries Association (a commercial fishing lobby) said Currin’s absence allowed the flounder season extension. The NCFA official later asked the MFC to think seriously before nominating Currin to be on the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council.

A commercial netter then said the Red Drum FMP Advisory Committee was unfair because netters could keep only seven red drum per day and that catch doesn’t even pay for fuel while recreational anglers can “target” red drum. Rec anglers actually may keep just one slot-size drum per trip and release almost all reds they catch. A commissioner then said he wanted the Finfish Advisory Committee to investigate rec anglers who “target” red drum.

And so it goes at the MFC, constant slamming of not-for-profit fishing, even though recreational anglers now support the MFC and DMF with millions of dollars in license fees.

Perhaps with new appointments to the MFC and Daniel’s efforts to keep the MFC aware of FMP objectives, recreational angler goals won’t be plowed under by for-profit fishing agendas.

More participation by recreational anglers is needed at MFC meetings and its advisory boards. That’s one hope that might keep the MFC from continuing to do business as usual.