Hunting, Trapping, Fishing Proposals to Get Public Review in New Bern

(Jan. 14) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will hold a public hearing on Jan. 23, at 7 p.m., at the courthouse in New Bern for comments on proposed changes to 84 hunting, fishing and trapping regulations. 
 
After collecting and reviewing all public comments, the 19 members of the state Wildlife Commission will meet in March and vote whether to adopt the new or revised rules. If approved, these rules will go into effect July 1, 2008.
 
Deer hunters may want to comment on a proposal that would reduce the Eastern Season buck bag limit from four to two bucks per season, creating a uniform bag limit throughout the state.
 
A proposed regulation on striped bass may be of interest to anglers fishing the Neuse, Tar, Pungo, and other coastal rivers and their tributaries, excluding the Roanoke and Cape Fear rivers, that reduces their creel limit in inland fishing waters from three to two fish per day and establishes a season open to harvest from Oct. 1 through April 30 in inland and joint fishing waters.  In addition, no harvest of striped bass would be allowed from the Cape Fear River to help conserve this depleted population. 
 
Other proposed hunting, trapping and fishing rules changes include:

• Opening a bear season in Greene, Lenoir and Pitt counties from the second Monday in November to the following Saturday;


• Decreasing the creel limit of American shad on the Roanoke River from 10 to one fish per day;


• Clarifying the definitions of natural and artificial bait when used in public mountain trout waters; 


• Eliminating regional trapping seasons for mink, muskrat, nutria, otter, skunk, weasel, bobcat, opossum, raccoon, coyote and groundhogs and establishing one statewide season, Nov. 1 through the last day of February, with exceptions;


• Adding several species to the state’s list of Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern species while removing others from the list.

• Attending a public hearing;


• Mailing comments to 1701 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1701;


• Visiting the Commission’s Web site, www.ncwildlife.org.

DATE


DISTRICT


CITY


LOCATION




Tues, Jan. 15


8


Morganton


Morganton Municipal Auditorium




Wed, Jan. 16


9


Sylva


Southwestern Community College




Thurs, Jan. 17


7


Boonville


Starmount High School




Tues, Jan. 22


1


Edenton


Swain Auditorium




Wed, Jan. 23


2


New Bern


Craven County Courthouse




Thurs, Jan. 24


3


Louisburg


Annex Building,

District Court Room