NC is plotting to totally close our River Herring fishery and I was told SC is about to do the same thing. Does anyone on here fish for River Herring or know anything about a possible closure?
I fish recreationally for them. Mid march through late May we get a good run up the Cooper River.
“The problem that infuriates you the most is the one you are meant to solve.”
Have you heard anything about SC closing your fishery? Do you think SC’s River Herring fishery is in decline, stable, or rebuilding?
I fish for them commercially. Last year they were thick in the cooper and santee. Once they showered up it was real easy to get the limit. 45 min was the longest it took me this past season. I think that closing the river fisheries is a huge cop out to fixing the real problem with the fishery. Until they fix the amount of herring caught in the northern trawl fisheries they won’t come back. What a couple guys with cast nets catch in a season is chump change compared to what one boat catches accidentally up there.
So they are plotting to close your commercial and recreational herring fishery in SC also? Do you guys have any kind of herring festival there? I am working with the NC River Herring Festival coordinators to keep our fishery open. Maybe we could coordinate efforts to keep both states open.
I haven’t heard anything about them shutting us down. I also don’t think anywhere around here has a festival.
Some NC fishery managers told me SC would be closing your herring fishery next year based on an Atlantic States Fishery Management Council ruling. I will do some more checking on this and let you know what I learn. Please let me know if you find out anything about a proposed closure in SC. Thanks and good herring fishing to you this spring.
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Originally posted by freefish7NC is plotting to totally close our River Herring fishery and I was told SC is about to do the same thing. Does anyone on here fish for River Herring or know anything about a possible closure?
There has been a moratorium in NC since 2007. No plotting going on.
There has been a very short season with a 4,000 pound quota that was supposed to supply data and herring for the NC River Herring Festival. There was little or no communication between fishermen, dealers, festival coordinators, and DMF to use any of the herring landed for the festival or data collection. Based on this lack of communication NCDMF officially supports a total closure while some fishery managers say DMF does not want the closure. I am simply trying to coordinate efforts with the few people involved in this fishery to make sure everyone does what they are supposed to this year in the hope we can keep the fishery alive.
Just got confirmation that SC’s herring fishery is NOT scheduled for closure as a NC fishery manager indicated. I am happy to hear your herring fishery is safe for now.