THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 5, 1994 TAG: 9408050696
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MOREHEAD CITY LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
The state Marine Fisheries Commission on Thursday established an appeals process for commercial fishermen whose requests for fishing licenses have been denied because of the ban on new permits.
An appeals panel will meet the first and third Fridays of each month, beginning Sept. 2, to consider appeals, and will convene to hear oral arguments from fishermen on a quarterly basis.
The appeals panel includes the chairman of the Marine Fisheries Commission, the director of the Division of Marine Fisheries, or their designees, and one member appointed by the co-chairmen of the Joint Legislative Study Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture.
About 450 appeals have been received by the Division of Marine Fisheries from commercial fishermen who were denied 1994-95 licenses.
The legislature approved the two-year freeze on the sale of virtually all new commercial fishing licenses which went into effect July 1.
Under the terms of the moratorium, only fishermen who had 1993-94 commercial licenses were eligible for 1994-95 permits.
The appeals panel can issue two types of licenses - a hardship license and an emergency license.
Fishermen who can demonstrate substantial economic hardship may be granted a hardship license, which will be valid through June 30, 1995. An emergency license may be issued to fishermen who can show that their operation had been abandoned because of death, illness or incapacity. The emergency license will expire after 30 days.
Individuals who wish to appeal the denial of their commercial license may obtain a petition form by contacting the Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557 or telephone (919) 726-7021 or 1-800-582-2632.
The appeals panel will hold many of its semi-monthly meetings by telephone conference call and affected fishermen will be advised where they can go to listen to that telephone call and ask questions about their appeals. by CNB