Commentary: Addressing the Striped Mullet Fishery Management Plan Amendment 2
North Carolina Watermen United president Woody Joyner will be presenting a statement in opposition of the Striped Mullet Fishery Management Plan (FMP) Amendment 2 during the public comment portion of the North Carolina Department of Marine Fisheries meeting in New Bern, N.C. on February 21-23, 2024.
The following is the public comment statement from Joyner.
The April 2022 Stock Assessment of Striped Mullet in North Carolina Waters supplied the data to view the stock status and the necessary reductions, if needed, required to rebuild the stock. This assessment was used as a basis for the commercial harvest relative to commercial landings in 2019. It is our position that this data is flawed and we are not working with the best available science. Even a quick glance at the data gathered from 2015 to 2019 bookended two years with major early October landfall hurricanes. Hurricane Matthew in 2016, and 2018 saw Hurricane Michael. We also appreciate the inability of the Division to conduct a meaningful assessment in the years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I presented an in-person comment to the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission at the May 2023 meeting and voiced the opposition of the North Carolina Watermen United to the November 7 through December 31, 2023, proposed closure for Amendment 1 Supplement A. I stressed the importance of the striped mullet shoulder season to our watermen and quoted your estimated value lost per person on 2019 data of $1,278.00. This monetary figure was woefully short regarding our watermen and additionally reinforced the premise that the final impact would be much greater not only on the fishermen but also on our supporting industries.
After attending a meeting in mid-February 2024 with local bait & tackle shop owners and concerned fishermen, I realized the true financial loss to the Dare County owners and operators.
These locally owned businesses rely on the fall fishing shoulder season for the sale of mullet, fishing tackle, clothing, and other supplies. Not only were they not allowed to have in their possession frozen locally-caught North Carolina striped mullet but had to bear the financial burden of stocking the bait fish from Virginia. Many fear any continued seasonal closings will have an extremely negative perception on our visiting fishermen. It is easy to extrapolate this to other industries that rely on tourism… restaurants, shops, hotels, property rentals, etc.
These last few years have in fact shown larger than average harvest yields, but it is our contention the species is not experiencing over-fishing. However, the Division is striving to meet the directive for a 21.3 to 35.4% reduction in the overall commercial harvest. To meet this end, the Division is recommending the most conservative reduction of 35.4% to increase the probability of rebuilding success. Knowing a reduction is going to be recommended by the commission, using data from Option 5 Table 2.13., compared to 2019 commercial landings, day closures of Saturday-Sunday for January-September and Saturday-Sunday-Monday for October-December will approach the Division’s desired reduction.
The North Carolina Watermen United favors an option that will focus on day-of-week closures only with no trip limits. Using the data from this same table, day closures of Saturday-Sunday for January-December will result in a 25.7% commercial harvest reduction. The Division can then gather all data at the end of the 2024 calendar year to determine where the stock status registers. Again, we do not agree with the overfishing view, but this ruling will surely meet the current NC statute that the FMP must end overfishing within a specific time frame.
Woody Joyner
North Carolina Watermen United – President
