Commercial Fishermen
Seek Help From Local Legislators
BY DOUG RUTTER
legislators David Redwine,
Dewey Mill and R.C. Stales Jr. will
head hack to Raleigh next month
with a greater knowledge of the
plight of local commercial fisher
men.
The three men who represent
Brunswick County in the N.C.
General Assembly met with more
than 1(H) anglers last Wednesday at a
session hosted by the newly-formed
Carolinas Commercial Fishermen's
Association.
Fishermen pleaded for relief from
the steady stream of state and feder
al regulations and a sportfishing as
sociation that they claim is trying to
bring an end to commercial fishing.
The group also asked the local
lawmakers to take measures to con
trol water |x?llulion that they say is
being caused by rapid coastal devel
opment and golf course construc
tion.
"Gentlemen, we are really what
you might say begging for our jobs,
a lot like you do when you run for
re-election," said Lloyd Ward, presi
dent of the association.
Ward showed the lawmakers a
bumper sticker describing commer
cial fishermen as an endangered
species. "It's a fact that we are. and
it's a fact that many people don't
know," he said.
Ward said regulations are "kill
ing" the commercial fishermen. "We
just feel every time legislation
comes out we get the worst of it." he
said.
The specific legislation on the
minds of many fishermen last week
was the one requiring all commer
cial anglers to buy special licenses
in order to sell fish to dealers.
As co-chairman of the Joint
Legislative Commission on Seafood
and Aquaculture. Rep. Redwine in
troduced the bill that led to the "en
dorsement to sell" license.
The license is required for each
boat engaged in commercial fishing
and costs between $25 and $36 per
year, depending on the boat size.
Fishermen said the license should be
required for each person, but not
each boat.
Redwine, who said changes in the
license are a possibility, explained
that it was proposed as a means of
collecting data on how much com
mercial fishing gear is used and how
many fish are landed.
Without the data, he said federal
quotas and other regulations are set
using arbitrary figures that might not
reflect what has been harvested in
the past.
"We need the data in order to
STATE REP. DAVID RED
WINE says he is in a position
to help commercial fishermen
as co-chairman of the Joint
Legislative Commission on
Seafood and Aquaculturc.
manage the fishery for your bene
fit." Redwine told the fishermen.
Redwinc and his colleagues. Rep.
Hill and Sen. Soles, said the reason
they attended last week's meeting at
Grissettown was to find out what
problems the fishermen are having.
"We hope to get some informa
tion tonight and go back to Raleigh
and get some things done." Rep. Hill
said.
"I'm in a position to help," said
Redwine, who pointed out that
S750.(KK) has been allocated in the
last two legislative sessions for an
oyster rehabilitation program
Soles pointed out that most of the
restrictions placed on fishermen
come through the N.C. Marine
Fisheries Commission and not the
General Assembly.
"We want to be your voice in
Raleigh, and if things are wrong we
want to make them right." Soles
said.
Fishermen said one of the things
that needs immediate attention is
water pollution, which has resulted
in the closure of shellfish waters and
is threatening marine life.
"We have to leave something for
STAFF PHOTOS BY DOUG RUTTFR
Ll.OYD WARD, president of the Carolinas Commercial Fish
ermen's Association, says water pollution and too many regula
tions are preventing fishermen from making a living.
our children besides a cesspool in
the waterways and ocean," Ward
told the lawmakers.
"Look at them. I don't believe
there's a one of them who wants to
go on welfare. They're working
people. All they want is for you to
give them a chance to work."
Christine Dosher of Varnamtown
said water pollution is being caused
by over-development on the beach
es, chemicals used on golf course,
CP&L's Brunswick Nuclear Plant
and landfills.
"It's not the shrimpers that's de
stroying the fish and shrimp. It's the
pollution," she said. "It's not the
shrimpers. I don't sec why every
thing is laid on them and the net
fishermen."
Dosher said nothing is being done
to control pollution. "We've been
promised and promised from
Charlie Rose on down to do some
thing about pollution and nothing is
done."
Jim Culpepper of Cause Landing
said people should focus less atten
tion on saving rain forests in South
America and put more emphasis on
protecting the local environment.
"What in the name of God about
ours right here where these damn
golf courses is destroying everything
we got?" he said.
Culpepper said the marshes in
North Carolina Fish Commission
Seeks Moratorium On Licenses
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Com
mission recently passed two resolu
tions that could result in a two-year
moratorium on the issuance of new
commercial fishing licenses.
Commission Chairman Bob
Lucas said he hopes the resolutions
will be approved by the N.C.
General Assembly during the up
coming legislative session that starts
May 24.
"We've got to go in a new direc
tion. We have got to be bold. The
old system will not work and we
have got to finu a better one, Lucas
said in an N.C. Division of Marine
Fisheries news release.
One of the resolutions, passed at a
recent business meeting in Manteo,
asks the General Assembly to place
a two-year freeze on the issuance of
shellfish and crab licenses.
The other resolution requests that
a moratorium be placed on the is
suance of vessel licenses, endorse
mem to soil licenses, shellfish and
crab licenses and non-resident li
censes.
N.C. Fisheries Director Bill
Hogarth says the proposed freeze
would not affect commercial fisher
men who already have valid licens
es. They would be exempt from the
moratorium.
"This move will enable the divi
sion to look at the amount of gear in
the water and the number of people
involved in different fisheries."
Hogarth said in the release.
During the moratorium, the com
mission and the division would con
duct a study of licensing, status of
the slocks and fisheries and develop
ments in other states and by the fed
eral government that affect North
Carolina's commercial fisheries.
A review committee would be es
tablished to look at hardship eases for
other exceptions to the moratorium.
For more information on the reso
lutions and proposed moratorium,
contact Jess Hawkins at 919-946
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Also discussed was the ongoing
conflict between commercial and
recreational fishermen. Several fish
ermen said they think it can be re
solved because there is enough wa
ter and fish for everyone.
However, Ward said the Atlantic
Coast Conservation Association,
which has a North Carolina chapter
based in Wilmington, is trying to
end commercial fishing.
He cited comments made in a re
cent letter from the group's execu
tive director, Richen Brame, seeking
support in preserving and restoring
marine resources.
The letter blames "wasteful com
mercial fishing practices" for reduc
ing fish like gray trout, croaker and
red snapper to less than 20 percent
of their former levels.
It also says that for every pound
of shrimp caught in North Carolina,
more than 10 pounds of young fish
arc killed in nets and discarded.
Redwine invited fishermen to at
tend an upcoming meeting of the
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joint legislative commission at
UNC-Wilmington's University
Center. The meeting will he April 28
at 3 p.m.
Redwine, Hill and Soles, all Dem
ocrats, arc seeking re-election this
year. Redwine and Hill arc unop
posed for their N.C. Mouse seats,
while Soles has two Democratic
challengers in the N.C. Senate race.
One of them, Ron Taylor, attend
ed last week's meeting. The other
challenger is Claude Spivey.
Also attending were district court
judge candidate Wayne Long,
school board candidate Thurman
(iause and county commission can
didate Randy Stanley.
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