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2008 North Carolina proposals


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#1 Guest_Gambusia_*

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Posted 19 December 2007 - 06:15 PM

http://www.ncwildlif...ing_booklet.pdf

Here are the ones I think are of most interest to folks like us:


F18. Allow non-trout species to be harvested from Delayed-Harvest Trout Waters
during the catch-and-release trout season.

Justification: This proposal will allow other fish species, such as smallmouth
bass, to be harvested during this period.


American Shad
F25. Roanoke River—Decrease the creel limit from 10 to one fish per day.

Justification: This proposal will conserve the migratory spawning population
during restoration efforts, while allowing a minimal harvest.

Other
F32. Define and designate spawning areas for anadromous fishes in inland
fishing waters.

Justification: This proposal provides additional recognition of important
spawning and nursery areas for anadromous fishes.


F33. New River (Onslow County), White Oak River (Onslow and Jones counties),
and Northeast Cape Fear River (Pender County)—Designates sections
of these rivers as inland primary nursery areas.

Justification: This proposal is an editorial change of a rule that was approved
last year.


F31. Disallow the use of automobile tires as an authorized special fishing device.

Justification: Abandoned tires create litter problems in public waters.


N36. Clarify language in the current collection license regulation to specify
that an individual can collect less than five reptiles and less than 25 amphibians
without a license ANNUALLY. Also, set a limit on the number of snapping
turtles a licensed individual can collect within a calendar year to 100 turtles,
but no more than 10 per day. Apply these same limits to mud and musk turtles
(10/day, 100/year).

Justification: This regulation change will allow people with collection licenses
to continue to collect the above turtles without allowing for largescale
commercial exploitation.

N37. Add these animals to the state’s list of federally endangered species:
• James spinymussel (freshwater mussel)
• Tan riffleshell (freshwater mussel)
• Roanoke logperch (fish)

Justification: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has declared these
species to be endangered. North Carolina state law requires the Commission
to recognize all federally endangered species that occur in our state.

#2 Guest_Gambusia_*

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Posted 19 December 2007 - 06:19 PM

N38. Add these animals to the list of state-endangered species:
• Bennett’s Mill Cave water slater (freshwater crustacean)
• Robust redhorse (fish)


Justification: Bennett’s Mill Cave water slater is extremely rare, known to
exist in two caves in the Carolinas. The Robust redhorse can no longer be
found in the entire Pee Dee River basin above Blewett Falls Dam and is exceedingly
rare in the main river below that dam. Since the initial capture of
a single specimen in 1985, no further captures occurred until 2000, despite
extensive surveys of the lower Pee Dee by Progress Energy biologists and
other agencies. The Robust redhorse is listed as Federal Species of Concern.

N39. Remove the Bridle shiner (fish) from the state’s list of special concern
species and add it to the list of state-endangered species.

Justification: The Bridle shiner is apparently declining throughout its
range from the Northeast through Virginia. It is exceedingly rare in North
and South Carolina.

N40. Remove the Cutlip minnow (fish) from the list of state-endangered
species and add it to the state’s list of special concern species.

Justification: Surveys reveal that the Cutlip minnow is common in most
of the Dan River and its tributaries. It is persisting well globally.


N41. Add these animals to the list of state-threatened species:
• Broad River stream crayfish (crayfish)
• Yancey sideswimmer (freshwater crustacean)
• Blackbanded darter (fish)
• Sicklefin redhorse (fish)
• Carolina redhorse (fish)


Justification: The Broad River stream crayfish is known only to streams
in the Broad River basin of North Carolina and is relatively rare. The
Yancey sideswimmer is also rare, known to exist only in Mount Mitchell
State Park in Yancey County. The Blackbanded darter is a peripheral
species that is now isolated from downstream populations in Georgia by
Lake Jocassee Reservoir and thus has no opportunity for recolonization if
it disappears in North Carolina. Both redhorses are relatively rare and
known to exist in only a portion of their former ranges.


N43. Remove these animals from the state’s special concern list and add them
to the list of state-threatened species:
• Carolina madtom (fish)
• Turquoise darter (fish)


Justification: Available research shows the Carolina madtom to occur in
only about half its historic range. The Turquoise darter also has a limited
range and is isolated from other populations.

N44. Remove these animals from the list of state-threatened species and add
them to the state’s special concern list:
• Freshwater drum (fish)
• Striped shiner (fish)

Justification: The Freshwater drum is currently listed as threatened in
the state based on its limited occurrence in the French Broad River. However,
because populations occur in that river and Douglas Reservoir just
downstream in Tennessee, there should be continuous communication
with a source population and ample opportunity for immigration into the
North Carolina portion of the river. The Striped shiner is also currently
listed as threatened in the state, based on its limited occurrence. However,
contiguous populations occur immediately downstream of this area in
tributaries to the Nolichucky River in Tennessee, which provide opportunities
for eventual recolonization or restocking. Globally, this species is
abundant and relatively stable.


N45. Add the following animals to the state’s list of special concern species:
• American oystercatcher (bird)
• Black rail (bird)
• Cerulean warbler (bird)
• Golden-winged warbler (bird)
• Henslow’s sparrow (bird)
• Least bittern (bird)
• Painted bunting (bird)
• Vesper sparrow (bird)
• Wilson’s plover (bird)
• Carolina skistodiaptomus (freshwater crustacean)
• Carolina well diacyclops (freshwater crustacean)
• Graceful clam shrimp (freshwater shrimp)
• Blue Ridge sculpin (fish)
• Buxton Woods white-footed mouse (mammal)
• Coleman’s oldfield mouse (mammal)
• Eastern big-eared bat (mammal)
• Florida yellow bat (mammal)


Justification: The populations of the American oystercatcher, Cerulean warbler,
Golden-winged warbler, Henslow’s sparrow, Painted bunting and Wilson’s
plover are all in decline in North Carolina, primarily due to loss or alteration of
habitat. The populations of Black rails, Least bitterns and Vesper sparrows are
poorly understood in North Carolina. These three bird species are rare and
probably affected by the same habitat issues as the other listed birds.
The Carolina skistodiaptomus, Carolina well diacyclops and Graceful
clam shrimp are all very restricted in their ranges and susceptible to
changes in water quality and quantity.
The Blue Ridge sculpin has a very limited occurrence in North Carolina,
but it does have access to potential upriver source populations in adjacent
Virginia.

#3 Guest_Gambusia_*

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Posted 19 December 2007 - 06:24 PM

You can attend a hearing or submit comments to the NCWRC (North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission) on these proposals

#4 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 19 December 2007 - 06:44 PM

Very nice to see active management (looking in the mirror). The non-game folks over there are incredibly knowledgable. Many states (again looking in the mirror) should be jealous that NC has two non-game biologists per region (and there are 5+). Don't see much there that doesn't make common sense or isn't supported by what I know regarding some of the research out there.

#5 Guest_fritz_*

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Posted 19 December 2007 - 08:48 PM

Very nice to see active management (looking in the mirror). The non-game folks over there are incredibly knowledgable. Many states (again looking in the mirror) should be jealous that NC has two non-game biologists per region (and there are 5+). Don't see much there that doesn't make common sense or isn't supported by what I know regarding some of the research out there.

I fully support Matt's comments re the WRC nongame biologists. A great group of people - 2 of whom spoke at the 2007 Convention.

#6 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 19 December 2007 - 09:19 PM

I'll put it this way...I was a graduate studet a year behindh two of the current assistant regional biologists. I had as much or more prior experience than both of them and I was trying to get 6 month positions just to work there last spring. T.R. will never leave that position the lucky bastard.

Another note after I read all the accounts over again...Bridle shiner isn't just declining through Virginia, they haven't been found in Maryland for about 10+ years and are on there way to being considered extirpated.

#7 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 20 December 2007 - 06:53 PM

Those all look like good choices.
I've done a bit of collecting in NC, more herps, but some fish as well.
I've always thought they had a progressive nongame program. Balanced, reasonable and based on good science.
I was also very impressed with the game wardens I met in the field. For one thing, they were all incredably pleasent and polite [southern hospitality is an alien concept to us New Englanders]. More importantly, they were knowledgable about nongame animals [another alien concept for a New Englander]. One even gave me good directions on where to see a red cockaded woodpecker nest. :-D



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