The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet Nov. 2-4 at the Coastal Education and Visitor’s Center at Fort Macon State Park, 2300 East Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach.
The commission is slated to review public comments and advisory committee recommendations on options to end overfishing in the spotted seatrout fishery. A 2010 stock assessment found that a 57.1 percent reduction in fishing mortality is needed to end overfishing of spotted seatrout within two years of final adoption of the Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan. One of several options for reaching this target in the recreational fishery includes reducing the bag limit to two fish per day. There are also several options for reaching the target in the commercial fishery, including reducing the trip limit to 50 fish per day with a weekend closure.
The meeting is open to the public. The meeting begins with a public comment session at 6 p.m. Nov. 2. Anyone who wishes to speak to the commission on a fisheries-related matter may do so then or at 9:15 a.m. Nov. 3.