THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 12, 1994 TAG: 9410120505
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
DATELINE: MOREHEAD CITY LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Fishermen who use gill nets from the Albemarle Sound to the Pamlico River will face added restrictions on the use of those nets, beginning today in some areas, Division of Marine Fisheries officials announced this week.
The restrictions are designed to protect the large numbers of small striped bass, said Robert J. Jamieson, interim director of the division.
Gill net fishermen in the upper reaches of the Pamlico River west of Ragged Point to Mauls Point must attend at all times gill nets of less than five inches stretched mesh as of 12:01 a.m. today.
Division officials also announced that a similar restriction in effect since Sept. 1 for all of Bay River, Neuse River, Pungo River and the rest of the Pamlico River, intended to protect small red drum in those areas, has been rescinded.
Jamieson said that because of a drop in the water temperature, the small red drum have generally moved out of those waters.
Gill net fishermen in the Albemarle Sound Management Area face additional restrictions on the use of nets from 12:01 a.m. Oct. 17 until 4 p.m. Nov. 18, Jamieson announced.
The Albemarle area restrictions were intended to allow fishermen to catch mullet and white perch with small mesh gill nets and flounder with the larger nets while protecting striped bass stocks, according to fisheries officials.
Gill nets of 3- to 3 1/4-inch mesh size are limited to a length of 1,000 yards and must be attended at all times in most of the Albemarle and Currituck sounds. Gill nets with a mesh size of 5 1/4 inches and larger are limited to a length of 3,000 yards and must be equipped with tie downs west of Powells Point and Caroon Point.
Gill net users also face the following added restrictions:
In Roanoke Sound, gill nets with a mesh size of 2 1/2 inches or larger may only be used east of Baum Point to Rhodoms Point and east of Eagleton Point to Long Point at the mouth of Kitty Hawk Bay.
In Croatan Sound, gill nets with a mesh size 2 1/2 inches or larger may only be used south of Roanoke Marshes Point to Beacon FL4 on the south point of the mouth of Baum Creek.
In the Albemarle Sound, gill nets are prohibited in the area southwest of Black Walnut Point and the mouth of Mackey's Creek and including Roanoke, Cashie, Middle and Eastmost rivers.
For a more detailed description of the restricted areas or other requirements in the Albemarle area, fishermen can contact Harrel Johnson, division manager of the Division of Marine Fisheries regional office in Elizabeth City at (919) 264-3911 or 1-800-338-7805.
For added details about the Pamlico River restrictions, fishermen can contact Jess Hawkins with the Division of Marine Fisheries regional office in Washington at (919) 946-6481. by CNB