North Carolina Roe Mullet Stop Net Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries
U.S. fisheries are classified under the Marine Mammal Protection Act according to the level of interactions that result in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals.
Current Classification on the List of Fisheries
Category |
II |
Estimated Number of Participants |
1 |
Target Species |
Striped mullet |
Applicable Take Reduction Plans |
|
Observer Coverage |
There has not been Federal observer coverage in this fishery; however, the NOAA Fisheries Beaufort laboratory observed this fishery in 2001-2002. |
Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured |
Bottlenose dolphin, Northern NC estuarine system; Bottlenose dolphin, unknown (Southern migratory coastal or Southern NC estuarine system) |
Basis for Current Classification
The 2010 LOF included a superscript “1” following bottlenose dolphin (WNA coastal stock) because the annual mortality and serious injury of that stock in this fishery was greater than 1% and less than 50% of the stock’s Potential Biological Removal (PBR) level. When the stocks of bottlenose dolphins killed/injured in this fishery were updated on the 2011 LOF, the superscript “1” was retained after the new stocks because NOAA Fisheries cannot yet differentiate to which stock a killed/injured animal belongs. In this case, there is only one stock the killed/injured animals could have come from.
Distribution
Effort occurs from October-November and is unique to Bogue Banks, North Carolina.
Gear Description
This fishery uses a stop net and a beach seine. The stop net is a stationary, multi-filament net set in an “L” shape that is anchored to the beach and extended out perpendicular to the beach. The stop net herds schools of fish, while the beach haul seine is used to capture fish and bring them ashore. The beach seine is constructed of multi-filament and monofilament panels with stretched mesh ranging from 3-4 inches stretched. The stop net is traditionally left in the water for 1-5 days, but can be left as long as 15 days.
Management
This fishery is managed under the North Carolina Striped Mullet Fishery Management Plan, North Carolina Department of Marine Fisheries, and is an affected fishery under the BDTRP.
Historical Information
Original Category (Year added to the LOF) |
II (1996) |
Original Number of Participants |
13 |
Basis for Original Classification |
This fishery was categorized as a Category II based on stranding information and visual observations. Estimated mortality and serious injury of bottlenose dolphins was three animals/year (based on entanglement of stranded animals and evidence of mortality due to stop nets), which was 12% of PBR (PBR=25). |
Past Names |
N/A |
Species/stocks historically documented as killed or injured (but not currently on the list) |
N/A |
Timeline of Changes
2017 |
|
2011 |
|
2006 |
|