By Capt. Tim Barefoot
This flounder stock enhancement in Wilmington, NC was truly history in the making. Marc Turano (NCSU) hosted this event and secured some world class speakers for the event including Dr. Robert Vega, Director of Fisheries Enhancement of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. (TPWD). Dr. Vega was very informative in more than one way. Not only did he share the findings of the study performed that clearly indicates the success of the red drum stock enhancement that has been under way for more than a decade, but he also shared the cost of the trout drum and flounder fingerlings. While the cost of the 1 inch long flounder fingerlings may be up to 25 cents each, the cost of the 35mm red drum fingerlings are 8 cents each, and 35mm speckled trout fingerlings are 7 cents each. The cost of the flounder fingerlings here in NC may be more due to the addition steps needed to raise the artemia and rotifers that the flounder embryo eat. Dr. Vega also shared some surprising info for everyone in the room (except for the NCSU personnel) that ALL of the knowledge used to develop the hatchery system in Texas, was learned from teams of TPWD personnel attending NCSU/UNCW workshops here in NC. Did you catch that??? ALL of the experience/knowledge they have in Texas came from attending workshops here in NC hosted by NCSU/UNCW!!! Which leads me to this question…? Why can’t we use our own technology, personnel and facilities here in NC? The short answer to this is POLITICAL. With the removal of the main obstacle (Marc Basnight), it seems pretty obvious what will happen in the near future.
In addition to Dr. Vega, John Miller (NCSU), Dr. Harry Daniels (NCSU) and Chris Batsavage (NCDMF) were all very informative speakers as well. Harry Daniels spoke of the ongoing research regarding diet/growth rate, sexing of embryo and more. Chris Batsavage gave us more of the usual DMF verbage of how things can get better with time.
It was John Miller that dropped the bomb on the crowd explaining the major spawning areas and migration routes of the southern flounder fry/fingerlings. Miller explained some of the obstacles that the fingerlings go thru to get back to the creeks (inside the Pamlico Sound) where they grow until the age where they return to the ocean to spawn. The major obstacle of the southern (and summer) flounder is man. Miller explained the trawl industry in and around the Pamlico Sound is responsible for the majority of casualties of flounder fingerlings, juveniles and adults. There was also a lot of good news from Miller. He explained that he has had much more impact in Japan with regards to the flounder than here in NC, his home state. What he has learned in Japan is that stock enhancement WORKS, and NC has HUGE potential in the commercial flounder industry. Huge areas of underutilized water such as the Albemarle Sound could be a southern flounder factory (with the assistance of hatcheries and stock enhancement) for the commercial flounder industry. Commercial fishing and hatcheries have been successful partners in other places like Alaska for salmon.
In addition to all the above, Miller clearly indicated the Cape Fear River was the ultimate site in NC for a pilot program due to the water clarity, and lack of the large trawlers and giggers.
With all that being said, it’s time we get beyond our past political obstacles, and get on with the job of restoring our southern flounder populations to historic levels.
Dr. Vega closed his presentation with saying that stock enhancement alone will not solve all our problems regarding southern flounder. This is only one of the management tools needed. Enforcement is the other management tool that NC has long since needed.
[easy-social-share]