# Comm trawlers slaughtering thousands of stripers



## jeffreyweeks (Feb 5, 2009)

Commercial trawlers slaughtering thousands of striped bass off the Outer Banks


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## citation (Dec 8, 2010)

This is just wrong, it makes me sick. These people came and srcewed everything up killing thousand of fish, and breaking the schools up. I hope they get caught next time they go out cause they are *proably* going to do the same thing again


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## pier_man0909 (Feb 28, 2006)

citation said:


> This is just wrong, it makes me sick. These people came and srcewed everything up killing thousand of fish, and breaking the schools up. I hope they get caught next time they go out cause they are *proably* going to do the same thing again


caught? doing what?


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

pier_man0909 said:


> caught? doing what?


 I know you are saying they are doing it legally,and in full agreement,but where does it stop?? The restrictions need to be re-evaluated for all user groups.. They need to close all loopholes that would allow the slaughter and strictly enforce...jmo


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

So, Kenny, rights of way at sea. Bigger boat always has the right of way? What if many, many smaller boats were in the way to stop the trawlers progress? Could it help?


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## citation (Dec 8, 2010)

Ohh i had no idea that all this was leagal, whoops, but it still isnt right.


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

citation said:


> Ohh i had no idea that all this was leagal, whoops, but it still isnt right.


Trawlers culling is legal but there is a lot of poaching going on too by comms and recs being over the 3 mile line. 

The culling part is backwards though- they are digging their own grave and fall back on blaming the gubmit.


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

"What if many, many smaller boats were in the way to stop the trawlers progress? Could it help? "

Probably not if the Big boat happens to run into the little boats and their occupants end up in 50 degree water......

Maybe that Captain Kangaroo guy who is saving the Whales from the Japanese is available.


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

A more constructive solution would be to notify NCMF and provide them the name of the boat and if possible dated photos of the offense.

Are these Wanchese trawlers or Trawlers from up North? I would feel better I guess if it were strangers...

I have not checked this year but they were limiting only 50 fish per season per NC License. With a slight amount of regret I would freely admit that if I was still on the boats and 150 dead Stripers show up in the net, the Fifty largest are the ones going to market in my tote...shorts and dinks would go overboard...

There are issues involved but it sure would make sense to develop a way to donate over the limit and or by catch to the food banks instead of dumping it over for the birds and Sharks. Instead the only option is for the comm to dump them over when they have reached their quota...

The other side of the table had 200 rec boats out of Oregon Inlet last Saturday coming back to dock with 2 a piece for every individual on the boat that day........

I am doing my part this winter.....I have not caught or killed a one....so if you happen to kill one don't fret.....just eat him...


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## outerbanker1 (Nov 24, 2003)

what is the difference in the point being closed for piping plovers, if you are a bird lover, and catching two rock fish per day over 28 inches long??? fishermen, and i am one, are a different breed. which direction is the wind blowing??


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## OBX Rookie (Dec 22, 2003)

So the question I have is why is possession not part of the law or regs when it comes to this kind of issue? I mean if you are using a net to scoop up a school of fish are you not in possession of it at that point? If you bring the net full of fish on your boat wouldn't that be considered possession? If you grab the fish to throw it overboard is that not possession? Come on folks how is this legal??opcorn:

RE:STRIPED BASS SEASON – OCEAN TRAWL: ATLANTIC OCEAN

Dr. Louis B. Daniel III, Director of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M., Saturday, January 15, 2011, the season for the harvest of striped bass with ocean trawls in the Atlantic Ocean waters of North Carolina SHALL OPEN. The following restrictions will apply:

I. SIZE LIMIT
No person may possess, transport, buy, sell, or offer for sale striped bass less than 28 inches total length taken with ocean trawls from the Atlantic Ocean.

II. HARVEST RESTRICTIONS

A. It is unlawful to take or possess striped bass from the Atlantic Ocean in a trawl operation without having an Atlantic Ocean Striped Bass Commercial Gear Permit designated for the trawl fishery. 

B. It is unlawful for an Atlantic Ocean Striped Bass Commercial Gear Permit trawl holder to possess, land or sell more than 50 striped bass per vessel, per day, regardless of the number of permit holders on board, during the harvest period beginning at 12:01 A.M., Saturday, January 15, 2011 and ending at 6:00 P.M. Thursday, January 20, 2011.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

OBX Rookie said:


> So the question I have is why is possession not part of the law or regs when it comes to this kind of issue? I mean if you are using a net to scoop up a school of fish are you not in possession of it at that point? If you bring the net full of fish on your boat wouldn't that be considered possession? If you grab the fish to throw it overboard is that not possession? Come on folks how is this legal??opcorn:
> 
> RE:STRIPED BASS SEASON – OCEAN TRAWL: ATLANTIC OCEAN
> 
> ...


 It's all legal and above board,Jay,that's why I'm saying the law needs to be looked into.... When they trawl up those stripers,they drown them in the nets before they come aboard,thus they have to throw all back but 50 and leave BUNCHES of dead stripers on the surface... Yes,as hard as that is to believe,it is legal.......


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

*Yep, it seems terrible. And is because of the waste.*

That comes to 6 days of fishing at around 12,000# of stripers per boat[40# each after culling] for the season. How many boats holds that license? Now when you look at the rec side, saying 100 boats per day for 6 days, you're talking maybe an average of 300# per day x 6 = 1800#[average of 30# each] per same period, x 100 boats= 180,000# for same period, but no cull and waste is involved, supposedly. So if these numbers are anywhere accurate, it means 15 trawlers would take the same amount in same period. Wonder how many trawlers are working off the banks.


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## tbird6971 (Jan 16, 2010)

I agree with what was said on the news that the limit should be a set weight not a set # of fish because then the trawlers wouldnt be inclined to catch more fish than needed to aquire the most weight possible for thier 50 fish fish limmit. Therefore they could catch thier weight limmit and be done, reducing the waste. just my 2 cents :fishing:


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## OBX Rookie (Dec 22, 2003)

Drumdum said:


> It's all legal and above board,Jay,that's why I'm saying the law needs to be looked into.... When they trawl up those stripers,they drown them in the nets before they come aboard,thus they have to throw all back but 50 and leave BUNCHES of dead stripers on the surface... Yes,as hard as that is to believe,it is legal.......


Still don't get it. I know lots of words fall into that gray area when it comes to the law but in this case its the death of hundreds of fish that should dictate some type of action to STOP this in its tracks. I agree 100% with changing the law on this and while we are at it how about the by catch, how many times have we been on the beach after a net gets dragged in only to see a small portion of the catch harvested and the rest left on the beach to rot? Don't get me wrong I am not pointing the finger at the working stiff its the rule makers that need to be looked at.


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

*More times than you know OBX.*

When Avalon Motel was up and running I HQ'ed there for a quick 2/4 day trip. The wife and I went to the lighthouse and on the way back, I pulled into the parking lot at KH and the spot were coming up like gulls flying. Told the wife we needed to get back to the pier. Well, I waited and then waited some more. I could have et every spot that was caught that evening. Next day the news reported a massive spot catch north of Avalon where the nets were so full of fish that they washed into shore. Thousands of dead spot. The netters were required to get a backhoe in and load the fish on dump trucks. The penalty. NONE.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

OBX Rookie said:


> Still don't get it. I know lots of words fall into that gray area when it comes to the law but in this case its the death of hundreds of fish that should dictate some type of action to STOP this in its tracks. I agree 100% with changing the law on this and while we are at it how about the by catch, how many times have we been on the beach after a net gets dragged in only to see a small portion of the catch harvested and the rest left on the beach to rot? Don't get me wrong I am not pointing the finger at the working stiff its the rule makers that need to be looked at.


 Yeap haulsiening (msp as well as the rest of my stuff:redface on the beach needs to be looked at as well,putting bunting into thier nets would elliminate possible culled fish from being gilled and then could be released... Don't know the answer,although the folks being paid to make the laws should.... jmo....


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## Ian (Nov 28, 2007)

youll never stop the machine,A fishermans story, about big buisness, and the old salt who would go out to catch fish for his familly,community,and enough pay to go do it enougher day.big brother is in everybodys pockets and they will rape this earth untill its to late for em to fix the mistakes they have made .alltemently srewing it up for all of us, the past didnt last and the present youll resent.


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

*Ill answer you Darin*



dirtyhandslopez said:


> So, Kenny, rights of way at sea. Bigger boat always has the right of way? What if many, many smaller boats were in the way to stop the trawlers progress? Could it help?


Technically the Trawl has the "right of way", it's the "stand on vessel". It's actively fishing. Other boats in the area are the give eay vessels, even though they are technically fishing, the rules define fishing as either trawling, (such as shrimping or otherwise draging a net.) Or a fishing boat that has outlying gear off to one side, such as long lining. Another good example would be like deadlist catch, they fish off to one side of the boat hauling pots, but they are not trawling.

Anyhow, I say that is a moot point.

Just like every other boat out there, they are fishing too. They just want a piece of the pie. They also just go about it, In my opinion, the wrong way.

Also, this stuff happens year after year, after year. The NCDMF knows about it. Noaa knows about it. The MFC knows about it. Without further regulation, all these agencies are going to do is enforcement.

Ive seen the ramification of the shrimp trawlers down here first hand too when they are culling of the back of the boats. It's devastating to the ocean. I think there could be alternatives that specifically limit the trawls and purses in their destruction.


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## LEADDRAFT (Oct 9, 2001)

Ryan Y said:


> Technically the Trawl has the "right of way", it's the "stand on vessel". It's actively fishing. Other boats in the area are the give eay vessels, even though they are technically fishing, the rules define fishing as either trawling, (such as shrimping or otherwise dragging a net.) Or a fishing boat that has outlying gear off to one side, such as long lining. *Another good example would be like deadliest catch, they fish off to one side of the boat hauling pots, but they are not trawling.*
> 
> Anyhow, I say that is a moot point.
> 
> >SNIP<.


Ryan your quite right, as the , (can I say Oriental? being PC?), and Whalers & Green Peace..
What I wish to Mention however....
WHAT WE here on the East Coast DO NOT see, is ALOT of the ***Non-TV***Crabbing F/V's are also, set-up as "Trawlers" also, chasing the Pollock catch, (think Fish-stick's or Long John silvers Folks, that's Pollock), which are currently also when Trawling, catch King Salmon as by-catch, which is causing a ruckess, Trawlers can Keep "X" amount of King's, while they have to, tos the rest back, In addition, there's claim's of what is called "High Grading" crabs while fishing in much of those areas in "Deadliest Catch".... 
Just My POV, just this is a travisty, over the Stripers... 
it should be "X" amount of pounds, then STOP.....


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

Yea, I have some experience with the small near coastal trawlers down here. I know they those big ones out west are bad too. I always wondered why Discovery channle never show or explain the bycatch. 
The show on the alaskan ranger trawling for pollock is fun to watch, but the only bycatch they show are a few skates/rays. They should explain all else too.

anyhow...Back to the stripers...


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## junkmansj (Jul 23, 2005)

LAW TO CHANGE FOR CATCHING STRIPED BASS


Officials in North Carolina said they plan to
change the law for catching striped bass after
thousands of dead fish were released into the
water over the weekend.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will
replace the current 50-fish-per-day
commercial trip limit, which has been in place
for 15 years, with a 2,000-pound-per-day
limit to avoid the need for fishermen to throw
back dead fish.

On Saturday, an overloaded fishing net
prompted fishermen on a commercial trawler
to release thousands of striped bass they
caught off of Bodie Island, officials with the N.
C. Department of Environment and Natural
Resources said.

After towing through a school of striped bass,
fishermen on the commercial trawler Jamie
Lynn found the net was so full it was too heavy
to bring on the boat. In order to retrieve the
net, the fishermen had to open it and release
the fish, the boat captain said.

The division is still investigating the incident
but has been unable to confirm reports that
commercial trawl fishermen were high-
grading, or discarding a previously-caught,
legal-sized fish in order to keep a larger fish

within the daily possession limit.

Commercial fishermen will also be allowed to
transfer trip limits to other fishing vessels that
hold a striped bass ocean fishing permit for
the commercial trawl fishery, but the transfers
must be made in the ocean.

The new regulations will be implemented by a
proclamation that will be released Friday.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will
review these actions at its February 11
meeting in Pine Knoll Shores.
(Embedded image moved to file: pic06928.jpg)=


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## drumchaser (Jan 14, 2003)

I remember the first time I went out with a guy trawling for shrimp. We got like two pounds of shrimp and a hundred pounds of everything else. Couldn't believe the carnage. Needless to say, that was the last time for me. It's quite sickening if you have never done it.


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

They keep doing this and the Striper fishing will be back to the way it was back in late 70's and early 80's. No striper fishing for anyone.


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## fishwhenican (Jun 5, 2009)

I found a website that makes it easy to write to some of the higher-ups in the DMF and MFC about the stripers being slaughtered: nccamo.org/. If enough people write and complain, it might help.


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## SaltSlinger (Aug 14, 2006)

FYI:

An Atlantic Striped Bass Reporting Hotline has been established by the Coast Guard at 757-398-6598 and the public is encouraged to report any suspected poaching activity to the hotline.


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