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Commercial fishermen urge Marine Fisheries commissioners to reject early flounder reallocation in Amendment 4
Summary
Three commercial fishermen told the Marine Fisheries commissioners during public comment that Amendment 4’s proposed early reallocation of southern flounder to the recreational sector has no scientific basis and would harm commercial fishing, while speakers also raised concerns about striped bass and crab management approaches.
Gregory Judy, a commercial fisherman from Washington, N.C., told the Marine Fisheries commissioners he is “100% opposed” to increasing the recreational allocation for southern flounder a year ahead of schedule as proposed in Amendment 4. "There's no scientific reason to do this," Judy said, arguing that rewarding recreational fishers after quota overages would shift harm onto commercial harvesters.
Judy said the southern flounder fishery management plan (FMP) calls for reducing a sector's quota in the year following an overage, and he accused some commission members of trying to "placate their recreational fishing buddies" by expediting a 50% recreational allocation he said would be granted "ahead of schedule." He referenced "North Carolina general statute 1 43 b dash 2 89.52" in urging fair regulation between recreational and commercial sectors.
Tim Hergenraider of Pamlico County told commissioners that striped bass populations are under stress along the East Coast and argued managers should not restore commercial nets to rivers. "Wildlife Resources Commission biologists attributed striper cryptic mortality decimating their numbers to nets," he said, warning that returning nets to rivers would reverse any progress and could lead to continued legal challenges.
Joe Romano, owner of Seaview Crab Company and a commercial fisherman, criticized the overall rulemaking process, calling it top-down and sometimes predetermined. Romano urged simpler, enforceable measures — such as slot limits to protect large mature females and controlled seasons — rather than complex rules without peer-reviewed assessments. He said crab proposals lack collaborative science and local context and blamed a 2010 legislative change he identified as "house bill 17 13" for imposing rigid rebuild timelines that, in his view, boxed managers into poor choices.
Speakers repeatedly framed the comments as concerns about science, fairness between sectors, and the economic impacts on working waterfronts. Romano said the system "loves complexity" and urged more local collaboration and transparency in management decisions.
The chair closed the public comment period after the scheduled speakers and announced the commission will reconvene the next morning at 09:00.
Next steps: The speakers' remarks were delivered during the public comment period; the transcript does not record any commission responses, motions, or votes on Amendment 4 during this session.
