Untended net kills red drum
One of the major problems for sportfish in North Carolina
waters continues to be untended nets.
During certain times of the year,
home-owners at coastal creeks sometimes can’t leave their docks because their
access to main bodies of water is blocked by gill nets.
Recently a
Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina member who was fishing for
drum encountered a gill net registered to J.P. Darna in Pierce Creek, a
tributary of the Neuse River. The net hadn’t been attended for days.
The
CCA member counted more than 25 red drum decaying in the net while many more
other species struggled to escape.
From the net location, within one hour
of a complaint to the Division of Marine Fisheries, a marine officer called the
complainant and said he would contact the net owner and, after serving him with
papers, get him to remove the net within 24 hours.
Failing that, the
officer said he would return the next day, remove the net and track down the
owner.
The complainant said he was pleased that DMF enforcement responded
immediately.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/1/prweb194227.htm