NC flounder regs

[Slot-Machine]

well it happened March 1 flounder catch size increases to 15.5

http://www.northcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=687
http://www.ncdmf.net/news/NR2k8/NR-13-2008.html
Wes

[Shakespeare]

Well 006 at least it's not 19" like up in VA.

[Slot-Machine]

yeah but i put food on the table w/ 14.5 and its hard to judge size underwater w/ a speargun

Wes

[sportskiff]

Hey, can you noodle 'em???
Reggie

[Slot-Machine]

i grew up in Oklahoma and noodling requires letting catfish bite your hand, there is no way i am going to let a flounder bite my hand they have teeth. i have never been able to even touch one unlike others. have touched sheephead and spade fish to get them into position to shoot. but flounder will spook easy.

Wes

[lakebiker]

And there still letting the commercial guys keep the "pecker heads". 004 004 004

[Slot-Machine]

i have not read it yet but the ncdmf link says that they reduced their limit as well

[lakebiker]

i have not read it yet but the ncdmf link says that they reduced their limit as well


Same as Va., only the quota/pounds were reduced. They, Va. still get to keep the 14" stuff either by net or hook and line as you can get commercial hook and line there. I'm not sure but I think the 14" is still good for the commercial guys here in N.C. but I don't think we have a commercial hook and line license. 006

[sportskiff]

:secret: ( Some of you take me too serious, I also have pulled a few doormats in my time, and I wouldn't even "noodle" a catfish....)
salt = teeth I learned that a long time ago when you could catch BIG sharks at Tybee Isl. GA. late 70's era .
Reggie

[CFISHN]

SEPT/OCT OREGON INLET

SLABS WERE JUST REACHING KEEPER SIZE


MORE COMMON LIKE 12 OR 13 ISH

IMHO
MAKE ROCK FISH A GAME FISH !!!!

[Dave]

Unless I've misinterpreted previous years regs, this year the (internal/external) bounderies have changed as well. It appears that this year "internal" waters are included in the 15 1/2 size limit requirement. For Crystal Coast fisherman, that means everything on the ocean side (south) of the Core Creek Bridge on Hwy 101. For practical purposes, the 15 1/2" size limit pertains to all salt waters that reach from Cape Lookout to Emerald Isle, including the waters surrounding Beaufort, Atlantic Beach, and Morehead City, inside and outside the inlets. NOTE: For those that fish outside the areas I mentioned above, see the below proclamation for limits and restrictions that may apply in those areas. I have prepared a google map (below) to help you visualize the 15 1/2" size limit zone that pertains to the Pamlico Sound area.

Dave


PROCLAMATION RE: FLOUNDER – RECREATIONAL PURPOSE
Dr. Louis B. Daniel III, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M., Saturday, March 1, 2008, the following restrictions will apply to the taking of flounder for recreational purposes:
I. MINIMUM SIZE LIMITS AND AREAS

It is unlawful to possess flounder less than 15 ½ inches total length taken from internal and Atlantic Ocean fishing waters for recreational purposes except as specified below:

PAMLICO SOUND - No person may possess flounder less than 14 inches total length taken from internal waters for recreational purposes west of a line beginning at a point on Point of Marsh in Carteret County at 35° 04.6166’N – 76° 27.8000’W, then running northeasterly to a point at Bluff Point in Hyde County at 35° 19.7000’N – 76° 09.8500’W. In Core and Clubfoot creeks, the Highway 101 Bridge constitutes the boundary north of which flounder must be at least 14 inches total length.

ALBEMARLE SOUND - No person may possess flounder less than 14 inches total length taken from internal waters for recreational purposes west of a line beginning at a point 35° 57.3950’N – 76° 00.8166’W on Long Shoal Point; running easterly to a point 35° 56.7316’N – 75° 59.3000’ W near Marker “5” in Alligator River; running northeasterly along the Intracoastal Waterway to a point 36° 09.3033’N - 75° 53.4916’W near Marker “171” at the mouth of North River; running northwesterly to a point 36° 09.9093’N – 75° 54.6601’W on Camden Point.

BROWNS INLET-SOUTH – No person may possess flounder less than 14 inches total length in internal and Atlantic Ocean fishing waters for recreational purposes west and south of a line beginning at a point 34° 37.0000’N – 77° 15.000’W; running southeasterly to a point 34° 32.0000’N – 77° 10.0000’W.

II. CREEL LIMIT
It is unlawful to possess more than eight (8) flounder taken for recreational purposes per person per day or per trip if a trip occurs on more than one calendar day. The possession limit shall apply to flounder taken from internal and Atlantic Ocean fishing waters by all gears, including gigs, if possession is for a recreational purpose.

III. GENERAL INFORMATION
A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of N.C.G.S. 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 113-182; 113-221.1; 143B-289.52 and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103; 3I .0102, 3M .0503 and 3M .0512.
B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director under his delegated authority pursuant to N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3H .0103.

C. The intent of this proclamation is to maintain North Carolina’s compliance with the requirements of the joint Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council-Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Summer Flounder Fisheries Management Plan under the authority of N.C. Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3M .0512. This proclamation continues the minimum size limit of flounder taken for recreational purposes in internal waters west of a line in Pamlico Sound from Point of Marsh to Bluff Point and in Albemarle Sound west of Alligator River at 14 inches. The size limit east of those lines and in all other internal waters and the Atlantic Ocean north of Browns Inlet becomes 15 ½ inches total length.
D. This proclamation does not affect commercial fishing operations. Commercial harvest reduction requirements were met by a reduction in their total annual quota.
E. This proclamation supersedes Proclamations FF-9-2007, dated February 6, 2007, and FF-10-2007, dated February 8, 2007.


http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/djerhart/2008FlounderInternalWatersEdit.jpg

[Gunnar]

Dave,
I think you're right. It is worded poorly to no great surprise. I understand it to mean both internal and external limit to be 15 1/2" for the Crystal coast. Then below Brown's inlet internal and external limit drops to 14". That just doesn't make any sense to me. Gregg

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Well 006 at least it's not 19" like up in VA.


How about nothing for NY as of now. 004 004 004 004

[Dave]

Doesn't make much sense to me either Gunnar. Seems like it would be a whole lot easier for everyone if they just set one size limit for the state. The way it is (and has been) if you do your fishing near a boundary line, you have to be careful to choose which side of the line you want to fish that day, or choose the largest size limit and fish either side of the line. And what's with the "1/2" increment anyway. 16" saves 4 key strokes, take a third of the time to say, and takes fewer brain cells to store the data.

Dave

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Can i ask something? With that kind of rule, smaller inside/bigger outside, when you go back to the dock and DEC checks you out, how do they know where you cought them? 006 006

[Dave]

Can i ask something? With that kind of rule, smaller inside/bigger outside, when you go back to the dock and DEC checks you out, how do they know where you cought them? 006 006


That is a problem, but I would expect mostly for those that dock and fish near a zone where the size limits change. I don't know how lenient the wardens would be if you said you caught "those" 14" fish in the 14" zone if they checked you at a dock that was substantially distant from the 14" waters. I would think most of the citations would come (in these areas) by wardens catching you on the water, fishing in a 15-1/2" zone, with undersized fish???

Dave

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Got it, thanks.
In our area DEC checks at the docks also.
For us here Connecticut and NY have different regulations.Usually in Connecticut you allow more or smaller fish than NY.I can fish Connecticut waters, but i have to comply with NY regs, because that's where my haling port and my dock space is.

[CFISHN]

Read last year "coastline times "about 2 guys with big rock fish in the pamlico checked by the DNR who got off and paid for the loss of their fish !
When the DNR officers could not testify that they were not cought at the Manns harbor bridge as clamed by the obvous poachers!
Dare county