March 15, 2016 — The following was released by the North Carolina Fisheries Association:
KENDALYN ROSE LEWIS:
As noted in a separate message yesterday, Capt. Kenny Lewis and his wife Lynda, lost their daughter, Kendalyn Rose, earlier this week. Words cannot begin to express our sadness and disbelief at the loss of a vibrant young lady who was known and loved by so many. Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers. Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 16th, from 6:00 till 8:00pm at the Munden Funeral Home in Morehead City. The funeral service will be on Thursday, March 17th, at 2:00pm at the funeral home.
May her soul and the souls of all of the faithful departed, rest in peace.
BLUELINE TILEFISH:
Below is part of an article that is on the NC Coastal Federation website about commercial fishermen donating to a local food pantry. Dewey Hemilright, an NCFA Board member, is one of those fishermen.
You can see the entire Coastal Federation article here: http://www.nccoast.org/2016/03/paying-it-forward-in-blueline-tilefish/
Here are some excerpts from the article:
Blueline tilefish are commercially harvested off the N.C. coast, provide lean, white meat and delicately flavor.
Several commercial fishermen from the Outer Banks have been paying it forward this winter with donations of fish to a local food pantry. Buddy Coppersmith (F/V Emily Shay), Jimmy Taylor (F/V Windy Gale), and Dewey Hemilright (F/V Tar Baby), have been commercial fishermen for most of their lives. Recently, they’ve been working under a cooperative research grant collecting data that will improve future stock assessments for blueline tilefish.
Hemilright, an avid community outreach volunteer with the Coastal Federation’s office in Manteo is well-known for leading education lessons for students and adults and was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the Coastal Federation’s northeast education program with a Pelican Award in 2015.
While participating in the cooperative research project to gather fisheries- independent data on blueline tilefish and snowy grouper, the fishermen were sent out to fish and collect samples. Since the fishermen were receiving payment through the cooperative research grant, they could not sell their catch. Nor did they want to see it go to waste, and so sought out other options for it.
HEARINGS FOR BLUELINE TILEFISH:
And speaking of blueline tilefish, there are some hearings coming up about it. From the Mid Atlantic Council:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting public input on a draft amendment to address management and conservation of blueline tilefish in the Mid-Atlantic. Four public hearings will be held between March 21 and March 29, 2016. Written comments will be accepted until Wednesday, March 30, 2016.
The draft amendment considers adding blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps) as a managed species in the Golden Tilefish Fishery Management Plan, effectively turning that plan into the Golden and Blueline Tilefish Fishery Management Plan. The management measures proposed in the amendment are needed to constrain fishing mortality on the blueline tilefish stock and effectively manage the blueline tilefish fishery in waters off the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts.
Additional information and documents, including a public hearing document (to be posted by March 14), may be obtained from http://www.mafmc.org/actions/blueline-tilefish.
Members of the public are invited to comment on any aspect of the draft amendment. Following a review of comments received, the Council will choose preferred management measures and submit the Amendment to the Secretary of Commerce for approval and publication of proposed and final rules, both of which have additional comment periods.
For more information, contact Jason Didden at (302) 526-5254 or jdidden@mafmc.org.
Hearings for our area are listed below in the Calendar section.
SOUTHERN FLOUNDER:
Thanks to those of you who have contributed to our Southern Flounder Fund. Those funds will be used exclusively for issues related to southern flounder, either legally or other avenues to address the situation.
If you have not yet contributed, please do so ASAP!
Send your donations to:
NCFA 2807 Neuse Blvd; Suite 11
New Bern, NC 28562
Please make your check out to NCFA/Southern Flounder Fund or to the NC Fisheries Association and be sure to put Southern Flounder Fund in the memo.
God bless, Jerry
CALENDAR
Mar 17; 4:00pm; MFC Sea Turtle Advisors; DEQ office; Washington, NC
Mar 21; 6:00pm; Blueline tilefish; Dare County Admin Bldg; Manteo
Mar 22; 7:00pm; Blueline tilefish; Hilton Oceanfront; Virginia Beach
Apr 4; Noon; NCFA Board meeting; Civic Center; Washington NC
Apr 6; 5:30pm; MFC Southern Advisory Cmte; DMF office; Morehead City
Apr 7; 5:30pm; MFC Northern Advisory Cmte; DEQ office; Washington
Apr 11; 6:00pm; Oyster/Hard Clam Advisors; DMF office; Morehead City
Apr 12-14; MAFMC meeting in Montauk, NY
Apr 14; 6:00pm; Shellfish/Crustacean Advisors; DMF office; Morehead City
Apr 25; North Carolina General Assembly convenes for the Short Session
May 2-5; ASMFC Spring Meeting; Westin; Alexandria, VA
May 18-20; MFC meeting; Civic Center; Morehead City