Still Floundering | Eastern North Carolina Now

Tom Campbell
    Unfortunately for North Carolina, a handful of large commercial fishermen and 13 coastal legislators are blocking an honest discussion about the dwindling supplies of flounder and other fish in our waters. Equally unfortunate, our state's environmental regulators and the Marine Fisheries Commission, charged with protecting our waters, come off looking little more than pawns in blocking action.

    After publishing my column about this topic in September, a coastal newspaper that had long printed my offerings immediately said they would no longer publish me. Unknown vandals at Sneads Ferry destroyed 27 tires of recreational vehicles. One member of the Marine Fisheries Commission returned from a meeting to find the control box on his boatlift unbolted and dumped in the river.

    The Marine Fisheries Commission was set to consider a "supplement" to current flounder regulations, but the MFC chairman postponed a vote after 13 legislators threatened legislative intervention if the commission took action they considered unfair to commercial fishermen. The MFC is an executive branch board and many were miffed when legislators tried to insert themselves in commission actions. Even more confounding, the chairman of the MFC dragged his feet in the timely calling of another meeting to consider the matter, even after the requisite number of board members requested he do so.

    Intimidation is common. An outspoken critic of current policies has had threats made on his life and a Down East artist who spoke about concerns was told his work would no longer be displayed in area galleries.

    North Carolina is the only southern state that allows a net-base commercial fishery on southern flounder, red drum and speckled trout. One would think that all fishermen, commercial or sports anglers, would want to ensure the protection of supplies of fish that provide their livelihood. The obvious conclusion to be drawn from what has transpired to date is that some, not all, are unwilling or unable to self-regulate, want little or no regulation and don't seem to care about future supplies. Concurrently, it appears our state regulators are more interested on advocating for special interests than regulating.

    To be fair, the issues are not so cut and dried, as "Net Effect," an hour-long documentary explains in an excellent examination airing Monday night, October 26th on television stations WRAL in Raleigh and WILM in Wilmington.

    What is the harm with holding an honest and open discussion about the supplies of fish in our waters? If the issues are complicated and conclusions are difficult wouldn't it also seem reasonable to err on the side of caution and restraint?

    We want and need commercial fishermen in our state and do not want regulations for them so onerous that they cannot make a living. They provide valuable jobs, make a significant contribution to our economy and we need to protect their rights, but their rights are not more important than the thousands of sports anglers who rent motel rooms, eat in restaurants, buy bait and tackle and shop in our coastal stores.

    The Marine Fisheries Commission, tasked with the duty to balance the rights of both, will hold another meeting on the subject in Nags Head next month. Let us hope they demonstrate more of a willingness to conduct a serious conversation in good faith. So far, they are just floundering.

    Publisher's note: Tom Campbell is former assistant North Carolina State Treasurer and is creator/host of NC SPIN, a weekly statewide television discussion of NC issues airing Sundays at 11:00 am on WITN-TV. Contact Tom at NC Spin.
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