Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 6, September 16, 2024
All definitions set out in G.S. 113, Subchapter IV and the
following additional terms shall apply to this Chapter:
(1) enforcement and management terms:
(a) "Commercial quota" means total quantity
of fish allocated for harvest by commercial fishing operations.
(b) "Educational institution" means a
college, university, or community college accredited by an accrediting agency
recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; an Environmental Education
Center certified by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of
Environmental Education and Public Affairs; or a zoo or aquarium certified by
the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
(c) "Internal Coastal Waters" or "Internal
Waters" means all Coastal Fishing Waters except the Atlantic Ocean.
(d) length of finfish:
(i) "Curved fork length" means a length
determined by measuring along a line tracing the contour of the body from the
tip of the upper jaw to the middle of the fork in the caudal (tail)
fin.
(ii) "Fork length" means a
length determined by measuring along a straight line the distance from the tip
of the snout with the mouth closed to the middle of the fork in the caudal
(tail) fin, except that fork length for billfish is measured from the tip of
the lower jaw to the middle of the fork of the caudal (tail) fin.
(iii) "Pectoral fin curved fork length" means
a length of a beheaded fish from the dorsal insertion of the pectoral fin to
the fork of the tail measured along the contour of the body in a line that runs
along the top of the pectoral fin and the top of the caudal keel.
(iv) "Total length" means a length determined
by measuring along a straight line the distance from the tip of the snout with
the mouth closed to the tip of the compressed caudal (tail) fin.
(e) "Nongovernmental conservation
organization" means an organization whose primary mission is the conservation
of natural resources. For the purpose of this Chapter, a determination of the
organization's primary mission is based upon the Division of Marine Fisheries'
consideration of the organization's publicly stated purpose and
activities.
(f) "Polluted" means
any shellfish growing waters as defined in
15A NCAC
18A .0901:
(i) that are contaminated with fecal
material, pathogenic microorganisms, poisonous or deleterious substances, or
marine biotoxins that render the consumption of shellfish from those growing
waters hazardous. This includes poisonous or deleterious substances as listed
in the latest approved edition of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program
(NSSP) Guide for the Control of Molluscan Shellfish, Section IV: Guidance
Documents, Chapter II: Growing Areas; Action Levels, Tolerances and Guidance
Levels for Poisonous or Deleterious Substances in Seafood, which is
incorporated by reference, including subsequent amendments and editions. A copy
of the reference material can be found at
https://www.fda.gov/food/federalstate-food-programs/national-shellfish-sanitation-program-nssp,
at no cost;
(ii) that have been
determined through a sanitary survey as defined in
15A NCAC
18A .0901 to be adjacent to a sewage
treatment plant outfall or other point source outfall that may contaminate
shellfish and cause a food safety hazard as defined in
15A NCAC
18A .0301;
(iii) that have been determined through a
sanitary survey as defined in
15A NCAC
18A .0901 to be in or adjacent to a
marina;
(iv) that have been
determined through a sanitary survey as defined in
15A NCAC
18A .0901 to be impacted by other potential
sources of pollution that render the consumption of shellfish from those
growing waters hazardous, such as a wastewater treatment facility that does not
contaminate a shellfish area when it is operating normally but will contaminate
a shellfish area and shellfish in that area when a malfunction occurs;
or
(v) where the Division is unable
to complete the monitoring necessary to determine the presence of contamination
or potential pollution sources.
(g) "Recreational possession limit" means
restrictions on size, quantity, season, time period, area, means, and methods
where take or possession is for a recreational purpose.
(h) "Recreational quota" means total quantity
of fish allocated for harvest for a recreational purpose.
(i) "Regular closed oyster season" means
March 31 through October 15, unless amended by the Fisheries Director through
proclamation authority.
(j)
"Scientific institution" means one of the following entities:
(i) an educational institution as defined in
this Item;
(ii) a state or federal
agency charged with the management of marine or estuarine resources;
or
(iii) a professional
organization or secondary school working under the direction of, or in
compliance with mandates from, the entities listed in Sub-items (j)(i) and (ii)
of this Item.
(2) fishing activities:
(a) "Aquaculture operation" means an
operation that produces artificially propagated stocks of marine or estuarine
resources, or other non-native species that may thrive if introduced into
Coastal Fishing Waters, or obtains such stocks from permitted sources for the
purpose of rearing on private bottom (with or without the superadjacent water
column) or in a controlled environment. A controlled environment provides and
maintains throughout the rearing process one or more of the following:
(i) food;
(ii) predator protection;
(iii) salinity;
(iv) temperature controls; or
(v) water circulation, utilizing technology
not found in the natural environment.
(b) "Attended" means being in a vessel, in
the water or on the shore, and immediately available to work the gear and be
within 100 yards of any gear in use by that person at all times. Attended does
not include being in a building or structure.
(c) "Blue crab shedding" means the process
whereby a blue crab emerges soft from its former hard exoskeleton. A shedding
operation is any operation that holds peeler crabs in a controlled environment.
A controlled environment provides and maintains throughout the shedding process
one or more of the following:
(i)
food;
(ii) predator
protection;
(iii)
salinity;
(iv) temperature
controls; or
(v) water circulation,
utilizing technology not found in the natural environment. A shedding operation
does not include transporting pink or red-line peeler crabs to a permitted
shedding operation.
(d)
"Depurate" or "depuration" has the same meaning as defined in the 2019 revision
of the NSSP Guide for the Control of Molluscan Shellfish, Section I: Purpose
and Definitions. This definition is incorporated by reference, not including
subsequent amendments and editions. A copy of the reference material can be
found at
https://www.fda.gov/food/federalstate,
at no cost.
(e) "Long haul
operation" means fishing a seine towed between two vessels.
(f) "Peeler crab" means a blue crab that has
a soft shell developing under a hard shell and having a white, pink, or
red-line or rim on the outer edge of the back fin or flipper.
(g) "Possess" means any actual or
constructive holding whether under claim of ownership or not.
(h) "Recreational purpose" means a fishing
activity that is not a commercial fishing operation as defined in
G.S.
113-168.
(i) "Swipe net operations" means fishing a
seine towed by one vessel.
(j)
"Transport" means to ship, carry, or cause to be carried or moved by public or
private carrier by land, sea, or air.
(k) "Use" means to employ, set, operate, or
permit to be operated or employed.
(3) gear:
(a) "Bunt net" means the last encircling net
of a long haul or swipe net operation constructed of small mesh webbing. The
bunt net is used to form a pen or pound from which the catch is dipped or
bailed.
(b) "Channel net" means a
net used to take shrimp that is anchored or attached to the bottom at both ends
or with one end anchored or attached to the bottom and the other end attached
to a vessel.
(c) "Commercial
fishing equipment or gear" means all fishing equipment used in Coastal Fishing
Waters except:
(i) cast nets;
(ii) collapsible crab traps, a trap used for
taking crabs with the largest open dimension no larger than 18 inches and that
by design is collapsed at all times when in the water, except when it is being
retrieved from or lowered to the bottom;
(iii) dip nets or scoops having a handle not
more than eight feet in length and a hoop or frame to which the net is attached
not exceeding 60 inches along the perimeter;
(iv) gigs or other pointed implements that
are propelled by hand, whether or not the implement remains in the
hand;
(v) hand operated rakes no
more than 12 inches wide and weighing no more than six pounds and hand operated
tongs;
(vi) hook and line, and bait
and line equipment other than multiple-hook or multiple-bait
trotline;
(vii) landing nets used
to assist in taking fish when the initial and primary method of taking is by
the use of hook and line;
(viii)
minnow traps when no more than two are in use;
(ix) seines less than 30 feet in
length;
(x) spears, Hawaiian
slings, or similar devices that propel pointed implements by mechanical means,
including elastic tubing or bands, pressurized gas, or similar means.
(d) "Corkline" means the support
structure a net is attached to that is nearest to the water surface when in
use. Corkline length is measured from the outer most mesh knot at one end of
the corkline following along the line to the outer most mesh knot at the
opposite end of the corkline.
(e)
"Dredge" means a device towed by engine power consisting of a frame, tooth bar
or smooth bar, and catchbag used in the harvest of oysters, clams, crabs,
scallops, or conchs.
(f) "Fixed or
stationary net" means a net anchored or staked to the bottom, or some structure
attached to the bottom, at both ends of the net.
(g) "Fyke net" means an entrapment net
supported by a series of internal or external hoops or frames, with one or more
lead or leaders that guide fish to the net mouth. The net has one or more
internal funnel-shaped openings with tapered ends directed inward from the
mouth, through which fish enter the enclosure. The portion of the net designed
to hold or trap fish is completely enclosed in mesh or webbing, except for the
openings for fish passage into or out of the net (funnel area).
(h) "Gill net" means a net set vertically in
the water to capture fish by entanglement of the gills in its mesh as a result
of net design, construction, mesh length, webbing diameter, or method in which
it is used.
(i) "Headrope" means
the support structure for the mesh or webbing of a trawl that is nearest to the
water surface when in use. Headrope length is measured from the outer most mesh
knot at one end of the headrope following along the line to the outer most mesh
knot at the opposite end of the headrope.
(j) "Hoop net" means an entrapment net
supported by a series of internal or external hoops or frames. The net has one
or more internal funnel-shaped openings with tapered ends directed inward from
the mouth, through which fish enter the enclosure. The portion of the net
designed to hold or trap the fish is completely enclosed in mesh or webbing,
except for the openings for fish passage into or out of the net (funnel
area).
(k) "Lead" means a mesh or
webbing structure consisting of nylon, monofilament, plastic, wire, or similar
material set vertically in the water and held in place by stakes or anchors to
guide fish into an enclosure. Lead length is measured from the outer most end
of the lead along the top or bottom line, whichever is longer, to the opposite
end of the lead.
(l) "Mechanical
methods for clamming" means dredges, hydraulic clam dredges, stick rakes, and
other rakes when towed by engine power, patent tongs, kicking with propellers
or deflector plates with or without trawls, and any other method that utilizes
mechanical means to harvest clams.
(m) "Mechanical methods for oystering" means
dredges, patent tongs, stick rakes, and other rakes when towed by engine power,
and any other method that utilizes mechanical means to harvest
oysters.
(n) "Mesh length" means
the distance from the inside of one knot to the outside of the opposite knot,
when the net is stretched hand-tight in a manner that closes the mesh
opening.
(o) "Pound net set" means
a fish trap consisting of a holding pen, one or more enclosures, lead or
leaders, and stakes or anchors used to support the trap. The holding pen,
enclosures, and lead(s) are not conical, nor are they supported by hoops or
frames.
(p) "Purse gill net" means
any gill net used to encircle fish when the net is closed by the use of a purse
line through rings located along the top or bottom line or elsewhere on such
net.
(q) "Seine" means a net set
vertically in the water and pulled by hand or power to capture fish by
encirclement and confining fish within itself or against another net, the shore
or bank as a result of net design, construction, mesh length, webbing diameter,
or method in which it is used.
(4) "Fish habitat areas" means the estuarine
and marine areas that support juvenile and adult populations of fish species
throughout their entire life cycle, including early growth and development, as
well as forage species utilized in the food chain. Fish habitats in all Coastal
Fishing Waters, as determined through marine and estuarine survey sampling,
are:
(a) "Anadromous fish nursery areas" means
those areas in the riverine and estuarine systems utilized by post-larval and
later juvenile anadromous fish.
(b)
"Anadromous fish spawning areas" means those areas where evidence of spawning
of anadromous fish has been documented in Division sampling records through
direct observation of spawning, capture of running ripe females, or capture of
eggs or early larvae.
(c) "Coral"
means:
(i) fire corals and hydrocorals (Class
Hydrozoa);
(ii) stony corals and
black corals (Class Anthozoa, Subclass Scleractinia); or
(iii) Octocorals; Gorgonian corals (Class
Anthozoa, Subclass Octocorallia), which include sea fans (Gorgonia sp.), sea
whips (Leptogorgia sp. and Lophogorgia sp.), and sea pansies (Renilla
sp.).
(d) "Intertidal
oyster bed" means a formation, regardless of size or shape, formed of shell and
live oysters of varying density.
(e) "Live rock" means living marine organisms
or an assemblage thereof attached to a hard substrate, excluding mollusk
shells, but including dead coral or rock. Living marine organisms associated
with hard bottoms, banks, reefs, and live rock include:
(i) Coralline algae (Division
Rhodophyta);
(ii) Acetabularia sp.,
mermaid's fan and cups (Udotea sp.), watercress (Halimeda sp.), green feather,
green grape algae (Caulerpa sp.)(Division Chlorophyta);
(iii) Sargassum sp., Dictyopteris sp.,
Zonaria sp. (Division Phaeophyta);
(iv) sponges (Phylum Porifera);
(v) hard and soft corals, sea anemones
(Phylum Cnidaria), including fire corals (Class Hydrozoa), and Gorgonians, whip
corals, sea pansies, anemones, Solengastrea (Class Anthozoa);
(vi) Bryozoans (Phylum Bryozoa);
(vii) tube worms (Phylum Annelida), fan worms
(Sabellidae), feather duster and Christmas treeworms (Serpulidae), and sand
castle worms (Sabellaridae);
(viii)
mussel banks (Phylum Mollusca: Gastropoda); and
(ix) acorn barnacles (Arthropoda: Crustacea:
Semibalanus sp.).
(f)
"Nursery areas" means areas that for reasons such as food, cover, bottom type,
salinity, temperature, and other factors, young finfish and crustaceans spend
the major portion of their initial growing season. Primary nursery areas are
those areas in the estuarine system where initial post-larval development takes
place. These are areas where populations are uniformly early juveniles.
Secondary nursery areas are those areas in the estuarine system where later
juvenile development takes place. Populations are composed of developing
sub-adults of similar size that have migrated from an upstream primary nursery
area to the secondary nursery area located in the middle portion of the
estuarine system.
(g) "Shellfish
producing habitats" means historic or existing areas that shellfish, such as
clams, oysters, scallops, mussels, and whelks use to reproduce and survive
because of such favorable conditions as bottom type, salinity, currents, cover,
and cultch. Included are those shellfish producing areas closed to shellfish
harvest due to pollution.
(h)
"Strategic Habitat Areas" means locations of individual fish habitats or
systems of habitats that provide exceptional habitat functions or that are
particularly at risk due to imminent threats, vulnerability, or
rarity.
(i) "Submerged aquatic
vegetation (SAV) habitat" means submerged lands that:
(i) are vegetated with one or more species of
submerged aquatic vegetation including bushy pondweed or southern naiad (Najas
guadalupensis), coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), eelgrass (Zostera marina),
horned pondweed (Zannichellia palustris), naiads (Najas spp.), redhead grass
(Potamogeton perfoliatus), sago pondweed (Stuckenia pectinata, formerly
Potamogeton pectinatus), shoalgrass (Halodule wrightii), slender pondweed
(Potamogeton pusillus), water stargrass (Heteranthera dubia), water starwort
(Callitriche heterophylla), waterweeds (Elodea spp.), widgeongrass (Ruppia
maritima), and wild celery (Vallisneria americana). These areas may be
identified by the presence of above-ground leaves, below-ground rhizomes, or
reproductive structures associated with one or more SAV species and include the
sediment within these areas; or
(ii) have been vegetated by one or more of
the species identified in Sub-item (4)(i)(i) of this Rule within the past 10
annual growing seasons and that meet the average physical requirements of water
depth, which is six feet or less, average light availability, which is a secchi
depth of one foot or more, and limited wave exposure that characterize the
environment suitable for growth of SAV. The past presence of SAV may be
demonstrated by aerial photography, SAV survey, map, or other documentation. An
extension of the past 10 annual growing seasons criteria may be considered when
average environmental conditions are altered by drought, rainfall, or storm
force winds.
This habitat occurs in both subtidal and intertidal zones
and may occur in isolated patches or cover extensive areas. In defining SAV
habitat, the Marine Fisheries Commission recognizes the Aquatic Weed Control
Act of 1991 (G.S. 113A-220 et. seq.) and does
not intend the submerged aquatic vegetation definition, of this Rule or
15A NCAC
03K .0304 and
03K .0404, to apply to or
conflict with the non-development control activities authorized by that
Act.
(5) licenses, permits, leases and franchises,
and record keeping:
(a) "Assignment" means
temporary transferal to another person of privileges under a license for which
assignment is permitted. The person assigning the license delegates the
privileges permitted under the license to be exercised by the assignee, but
retains the power to revoke the assignment at any time, and is still the
responsible party for the license.
(b) "Designee" means any person who is under
the direct control of the permittee or who is employed by or under contract to
the permittee for the purposes authorized by the permit.
(c) "For hire vessel", as defined by
G.S.
113-174, means when the vessel is fishing in
State waters or when the vessel originates from or returns to a North Carolina
port.
(d) "Franchise" means a
franchise recognized pursuant to
G.S.
113-206.
(e) "Holder" means a person who has been
lawfully issued in the person's name a license, permit, franchise, lease, or
assignment.
(f) "Land" means:
(i) for commercial fishing operations, when
fish reach the shore or a structure connected to the shore.
(ii) for purposes of trip tickets, when fish
reach a licensed seafood dealer, or where the fisherman is the dealer, when
fish reach the shore or a structure connected to the shore.
(iii) for recreational fishing operations,
when fish are retained in possession by the fisherman.
(g) "Licensee" means any person holding a
valid license from the Department to take or deal in marine fisheries
resources, except as otherwise defined in
15A NCAC
03O .0109.
(h) "Logbook" means paper forms provided by
the Division and electronic data files generated from software provided by the
Division for the reporting of fisheries statistics by persons engaged in
commercial or recreational fishing or for-hire operators.
(i) "Master" means captain or operator of a
vessel or one who commands and has control, authority, or power over a
vessel.
(j) "New fish dealer" means
any fish dealer making application for a fish dealer license who did not
possess a valid dealer license for the previous license year in that name. For
purposes of license issuance, adding new categories to an existing fish dealers
license does not constitute a new dealer.
(k) "Office of the Division" means physical
locations of the Division conducting license and permit transactions in
Wilmington, Morehead City, Washington, and Roanoke Island, North Carolina.
Other businesses or entities designated by the Secretary to issue Recreational
Commercial Gear Licenses or Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses are not
considered Offices of the Division.
(l) "Responsible party" means the person who
coordinates, supervises, or otherwise directs operations of a business entity,
such as a corporate officer or executive level supervisor of business
operations, and the person responsible for use of the issued license in
compliance with applicable statutes and rules.
(m) "Tournament organizer" means the person
who coordinates, supervises, or otherwise directs a recreational fishing
tournament and is the holder of the Recreational Fishing Tournament
License.
(n) "Transaction" means an
act of doing business such that fish are sold, offered for sale, exchanged,
bartered, distributed, or landed.
(o) "Transfer" means permanent transferal to
another person of privileges under a license for which transfer is permitted.
The person transferring the license retains no rights or interest under the
license transferred.
(p) "Trip
ticket" means paper forms provided by the Division and electronic data files
generated from software provided by the Division for the reporting of fisheries
statistics by licensed fish dealers.
Authority
G.S.
113-134;
113-174;
113-182;
143B-289.52;
Eff.
January 1, 1991;
Amended Eff. March 1, 1995; March 1, 1994; October
1, 1993; July 1, 1993;
Recodified from
15A NCAC
03I .0001 Eff. December 17, 1996;
Amended Eff. April 1, 1999; August 1, 1998; April 1, 1997;
Temporary Amendment Eff. May 1, 2000; August 1, 1999; July 1, 1999;
Amended Eff. August 1, 2000;
Temporary Amendment Eff. August 1,
2000;
Amended Eff. May 1, 2015; April 1, 2014; April 1, 2011; April
1, 2009; October 1, 2008; December 1, 2007; December 1, 2006; September 1,
2005; April 1, 2003; April 1, 2001;
Readopted Eff. June 1,
2022.