It is said that the commission has voted 4-3 at its meeting Thursday at the N.C. Aquarium to direct its regional and spotted seatrout advisory committees to investigate raising the size limit to 14 inches as an interim management measure until a stock assessment is completed and to provide the Commission with comments. Christine Jensen of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) informed that the division has determined trout are both overfished and undergoing overfishing.
It si told that the division recommended the size limit increase to allow the fish a chance to spawn at least once before they’re harvested. According to Jensen the trout’s spawning stock biomass could be closer to the spotted seatrout’s fishery management plan (FMP) threshold than was originally thought in the 2006 stock assessment. She told that till the assessment period interim management measures recommended.
Mikey Daniels said he thought the commission could wait two months before making changes. Mac Currin, commission chairman, told that based on the 2006 assessment, the commission is looking to apply a 50 percent reduction to the spotted seatrout harvest. Bizzell added that he was concerned if the commission didn’t take action soon, the General Assembly would try to take action.
David Beresoff was concerned that if the size limit was increased, it will add to the bycatch mortality. The commission is also considering a bigger minimum size limit and/or season limits for southern flounder as an interim measure until Amendment 1 of the flounder’s FMP is completed. Chris Batsavage of the DMF said the last southern flounder stock assessment showed the flounder was overfished and undergoing overfishing, much like the seatrout.
