The North Carolina Fisheries Reform Act will be 20 years old this August. As we learned last week, that policy came to be after extended and heated debate from stakeholders on all sides of the issue. Most of those involved at the time describe it as better than nothing – but most definitely a compromise.
As stakeholders make the case for an update of the law, the North Carolina General Assembly has become ground zero for maneuvering around fisheries management. On this edition of CoastLine, we learn about proposed legislation, what is at stake for commercial and recreational fishermen, and why even the science around fisheries management is the target of debate.
The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is responsible for the stewardship of the state's marine and estuarine resources. The division's jurisdiction covers all coastal waters and extends to 3 miles offshore. A nine-member Marine Fisheries Commission – establishes policies – along with the the Department of Environmental Quality.
Guests:
Sammy Corbett, Chairman of the Marine Fisheries Commission
David Sneed, Executive Director of the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina, an advocacy group for marine conservation and recreational fishermen
Glenn Skinner, Executive Director of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, an advocacy group for commercial fishermen. He is also a full-time commercial fisherman.
Frederick Scharf, Professor of Biology and Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina – Wilmington
Captain Dave Timpy, retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2014. Part of his 28-year career with the Corps was as an oceanographer in Wilmington. He is currently a for-hire charter captain and an avid recreational fisherman. And he is a board member of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA).
