THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 29, 1994 TAG: 9408290036
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ATLANTIC BEACH LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
The Division of Marine Fisheries is scheduled to begin awarding $1 million in fisheries research grants as early as February, but fisheries officials said much work needs to be done between now and then, according to the director of the division.
``We look at this as a real opportunity for the division to get involved in a cooperative way with the fisherman,'' said fisheries interim Director Bob Jamieson. ``And it's a chance to get the data that fishermen say we don't have.''
Under a division timetable, the Marine Fisheries Commission will request proposals from interested fishermen and other groups who want to receive some of the grant money to do research on fishing gear, new fishing practices or other items of interest to the industry.
The commission will review the grant proposals beginning in December and will begin approving projects as early as January, under the division timetable.
The commission got its first look at the early stages of the program on Saturday in Atlantic Beach.
The fisheries grant program was approved by the General Assembly earlier this year and was the brainchild of Senate leader Marc Basnight of Manteo. Basnight said he envisioned the program to work similar to agriculture extension projects, which are designed to help farmers become more efficient.
While fisheries managers say they are pleased with the appropriation, they had no advance notice that the grant program was going to be included in the state budget and, because the appropriation did not include money for staff to oversee the program, the division has had to reassign staff members from other duties.
``We want to keep the program very simple and make it as streamlined as possible,'' Jamieson said. by CNB