03-19-2005, 02:33 AM
Draft Addendum II to the Atlantic Sturgeon FMP Approved for Public
Comment/Addendum Explores Commercial Aquaculture in North Carolina
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Atlantic Sturgeon
Management Board approved Draft Addendum II to Amendment 1 to the
Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Sturgeon for public
review and comment. The Draft Addendum provides exemptions to Amendment
1 to allow a commercial aquaculture operation in North Carolina.
Specifically, the exemptions will permit importation of Atlantic
sturgeon from Canadian sources and allow possession, production and sale
of cultured fish by a private company in North Carolina.
Amendment 1 establishes a moratorium on harvest and possession of
Atlantic sturgeon to allow for recovery of spawning stocks to population
levels that will provide for sustainable fisheries and viable spawning
populations. The target of the Amendment is to have at least 20
protected age classes of females in each spawning stock, which may take
20 to 40 years from initiation of the moratorium. Historically, the
United States supported a large market for Atlantic sturgeon products.
Draft Addendum II seeks to reestablish part of that market by providing
a domestic product through an environmentally and socially sound
aquaculture operation.
Copies of Draft Addendum II are available via the Commission's Web site
at
www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at
(202) 289-6400. Public comment will be accepted no later than 5 p.m.,
April 29, 2005, and should be forwarded to Braddock Spear, Fishery
Management Plan Coordinator, 144 Eye Street, NW, Sixth Floor,
Washington, DC 20005; (202) 289-6051 (fax) or comments@asmfc.org
(subject line: Atlantic Sturgeon).
For questions, contact Public Affairs Specialist Tina Berger at (202)
289-6400 or e-mail her at tberger@asmfc.org.
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Comment/Addendum Explores Commercial Aquaculture in North Carolina
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Atlantic Sturgeon
Management Board approved Draft Addendum II to Amendment 1 to the
Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Sturgeon for public
review and comment. The Draft Addendum provides exemptions to Amendment
1 to allow a commercial aquaculture operation in North Carolina.
Specifically, the exemptions will permit importation of Atlantic
sturgeon from Canadian sources and allow possession, production and sale
of cultured fish by a private company in North Carolina.
Amendment 1 establishes a moratorium on harvest and possession of
Atlantic sturgeon to allow for recovery of spawning stocks to population
levels that will provide for sustainable fisheries and viable spawning
populations. The target of the Amendment is to have at least 20
protected age classes of females in each spawning stock, which may take
20 to 40 years from initiation of the moratorium. Historically, the
United States supported a large market for Atlantic sturgeon products.
Draft Addendum II seeks to reestablish part of that market by providing
a domestic product through an environmentally and socially sound
aquaculture operation.
Copies of Draft Addendum II are available via the Commission's Web site
at
www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at
(202) 289-6400. Public comment will be accepted no later than 5 p.m.,
April 29, 2005, and should be forwarded to Braddock Spear, Fishery
Management Plan Coordinator, 144 Eye Street, NW, Sixth Floor,
Washington, DC 20005; (202) 289-6051 (fax) or comments@asmfc.org
(subject line: Atlantic Sturgeon).
For questions, contact Public Affairs Specialist Tina Berger at (202)
289-6400 or e-mail her at tberger@asmfc.org.
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