During the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission meeting later this month, members are expected to select their preferred management options for the draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3 and send the plan for Division of Marine Fisheries review.
The in-person meeting will be Feb. 23-25 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel New Bern Riverfront, 100 Middle St., New Bern. Meetings will begin at 6 p.m. Feb. 23, 9 a.m. Feb. 24 and 9 a.m. Feb. 25.
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The meeting also will be livestreamed on YouTube. The link will be posted on the Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting webpage. After the meeting, a recording will be posted online.
In addition to the draft southern flounder fishery management discussion, agenda items include the following:
- Reviewing the draft Estuarine Striped Bass FMP Amendment 2 and sending it out for public comment and advisory committee review.
- Approving a management option and associated proposed rule language to begin the process of amending the Mutilated Finfish Rule.
- Final approval for the adoption, readoption, repeal, and amendment of a slate of rules under a state mandated periodic review.
A full meeting agenda and materials will be posted on the Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting webpage as they become available.
The commission will hold in-person public comment sessions at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 and near the beginning of the meeting on Feb. 24. Public comment will not be taken through web conference.
The following information pertains to in-person public comment:
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- Those who wish to speak may sign up at the hotel beginning at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 23.
- To accommodate as many speakers as possible, the chairman will limit each speaker to 3 minutes.
- Those making comments will be asked to speak only once, either Wednesday night or Thursday morning, but not during both public comment periods.
- Those who wish to submit handouts to the commission during public comment should bring at least 12 copies to the meeting.
In accordance with current guidance to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the chairman asks that everyone attending the meeting wear a mask, except when giving public comment to the commission.
Written comments may be submitted through an online form accessible through the Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting webpage. Written comments can also may be mailed to February 2022 Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting Comments, P.O Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557, or delivered to the Division of Marine Fisheries’ Morehead City Headquarters Office at 3441 Arendell St., Morehead City.
Written comments must be posted online or received in the Division of Marine Fisheries Office by 4:30 p.m. Feb. 21.
The Marine Fisheries Commission Office will not accept public comment for this meeting through email.
