THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 15, 1997 TAG: 9701150454
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: 112 lines
Anglers fishing off piers and charter boats would not have to buy saltwater licenses.
But anyone angling from a bridge, a private boat or shore will have to buy a $15 permit under a plan being considered by North Carolina legislators.
``Do you mean to tell me that if I'm 75 years old and I put a string with a chicken neck on it into the water in front of my porch to catch crabs, I'll need to buy a license?'' state Sen. Beverly Perdue of New Bern asked Tuesday.
``That's right,'' replied Bob Lucas, who heads North Carolina's Marine Fisheries Commission. ``As it stands now, you would.''
For more than two years, Lucas and members of a Moratorium Steering Committee have studied ways to overhaul the state's fishing laws to protect and preserve marine resources.
Requiring a saltwater sportsfishing license is one of 127 recommendations that the committee adopted in November. Other ideas include capping the number of commercial fishing licenses sold, requiring fisheries management plans for most species and beefing up fisheries law enforcement practices.
Members of the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture were expected to vote on the fisheries reform proposals Tuesday.
But after hearing from 30 speakers and spending three hours debating, they agreed to revise some of the recommendations and meet again Feb. 10. Legislators still hope to bring their proposals before the General Assembly this session.
If the legislature approves the package this session, license requirements would go into effect in 1998.
``I think we made just one very small step on a very long path,'' said Rep. Robert Grady of Jacksonville. ``There are still a lot of unresolved issues left on the table.''
One of the most controversial proposals being considered is a requirement that all saltwater sportsfishermen hold licenses - similar to the license already required for fresh water fishing. The steering committee suggested that licenses cost $15 a year or $5 for one week. But some legislators thought those fees were too high.
``I don't want our cost to be any higher than our neighboring states' recreational licenses cost,'' Grady said. ``I'd hate to be squeezed between Virginia, where it's $7.50 and South Carolina, where it's $5.50. . . . Plus, we're the only state trying to regulate people standing on the shoreline fishing. Why do we need to do that when none of the other states have it? I'm not concerned about people fishing from the shore with one little rod and reel.''
Steering committee members said they wanted to license everyone so that fisheries biologists would have a better idea about how many fish were being caught - and where. Originally, they included a blanket license so that pier and charter boat owners could purchase a permit and their patrons would not need to hold individual licenses. But some people expressed concern that such a provision would unfairly advantage pier owners and charter boat captains.
Most of the speakers Tuesday, however, supported a blanket license provision. So legislators decided to work from a plan submitted by Rep. David Redwine of Ocean Isle Beach which includes a blanket license for pier and charter boat owners and is similar to the one adopted by the Moratorium Steering Committee. ``My proposal is a middle ground between the people who think that fish species are stressed and those who may not want us to do anything,'' said Redwine.
Much of the work to implement and enforce fisheries reforms will have to be done by state Division of Marine Fisheries. On Monday, representatives of the state fisheries division said they would need $2.6 million and at least 37 new employees to carry out the proposed changes. Ten days ago, an estimate from the same officials called for $11 million and more than 100 new staffers. Legislators seemed pleased that the price tag had shrunk. But they questioned the fisheries division's ability to carry out new initiatives.
Redwine's proposal demands that the state auditor's office investigate the fisheries division and conduct a performance appraisal before any new licenses are initiated.
Speakers also questioned data that the state's fisheries office is using to support contentions that fisheries stocks are in trouble.
``We don't have stressed fish,'' Mildred Gilgo of Atlantic told the seafood commission. ``I have the figures from 1965 to 1995 - and they don't look at laws, gear restrictions, weather or other factors that influenced catches, so there's no way to tell what's going on. ... I'm afraid my legislators are being misinformed by this process.''
Some recreational fishermen and members of the Sierra Club disagreed. They said fish stocks are in terrible trouble and need to be protected for future generations. They backed plans for recreational saltwater licenses and most other aspects of the reform plan.
``I represent every grandfather in North Carolina,'' Tony Mallette of Pungo County told seafood commission members. ``I've fished in this state for more than 60 years and no one can tell me there are plenty of fish. We've got to take the lead and manage this resource.''
Sen. Bob Shaw of Greensboro agreed. ``If we do nothing, that will be the worst thing that could happen to the seafood and fishing businesses,'' Shaw said. ``I'm not ready to vote on anything yet. But five years from now, if we do nothing, the people in this room won't be able to buy fish in a market.
``We've got problems,'' said Shaw. ``And it's scary.''
Money raised by recreational saltwater fishing license sales is slated to be earmarked for enhancing marine resources. But fishermen and legislators said they doubted the money would remain in a separate fisheries fund. Rep. Zeno Edwards of Washington said he doesn't think the money ``has a snowball's chance in hell of going into a trust fund.''
Other aspects of fisheries reform that seafood commission members are considering include whether to allow commercial fishermen to transfer their licenses; whether to let any new commercial fishermen into the industry; whether fisheries violations should be considered felony crimes; whether to charge state residents the same fees for licenses as visitors; and how to regulate recreational fishermen who use commercial gear, such as crab pots.
The public comment period on fisheries reform proposals is over. But fishermen and other concerned citizens can call their elected officials before the commission reconvenes in February. Legislators plan to make further amendments to the suggested changes in fisheries laws before they take any bills before the General Assembly. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
REFORM PROPOSALS
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]