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2/18/15-And you wonder why there has always been a rift between North Carolina fishermen and North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries(NCDMF).... This is a copy of the letter(PHOTO) that some of us fishermen received that NCDMF mailed out on February 5th. First paragraph is why it was standing room only at today's fisheries meeting. The two of us in my truck didn't leave for a 10 hour round trip drive thinking that we were on our way to figure out how to implement a for hire log book. Those of us from the northern end of the state and all the guys from the southern end thought that we were going to a meeting to convince 5 out of 9 marine fisheries commissioners to vote a mandatory log book down. A mandatory log book that if not complied with, would subject us fishermen to a class 2 or 3 misdemeanor and revocation of our North Carolina For Hire Charter License. A mandatory log book that us fishermen are supposed to spend 15 minutes every evening during our personal family time without being compensated for. Filled out during the precious little bit of time that we have to spend with our spouses and children(7PM to 9PM). Without pay during periods of time when we are working as much as 80+hours(summer) a week. A log book for NCDMF that gives away our most private business information(GPS coordinate grids of where and how we catch out fish). A log book that if approved allows the North Carolina taxpayer funded NCDMF to come into $225,000.00 in federal fisheries money. Is there another occupation in America where a business owner is required to give his/her most proprietary information away on a daily basis without being compensated???

A funny thing happened three quarters of the way into our drive to the meeting. We spoke with two commissioners that indicated that the For Hire Log Book was already a law. We immediately made a call to Raleigh and to our surprise found out that yes it was already a law. Four of the marine fisheries commissioners that we had already spoken to during our drive did not know this. One being the chairman of the marine fisheries commission. This brings up a peculiar coincidence. Three of the four(one undecided) commissioners that did not know the For Hire Log Book was already a law(as late as this afternoon) had indicated that they were going to vote to kill the For Hire Log book that nearly 100% of the licensed captains in the state are against. In the days leading up to the meeting we spoke with a lot of licensed North Carolina Charter Captains and were unable to find one that was in favor of the Log Book. We finally found one the day of the meeting. Licensed For Hire Captain/Commissioner, Anna Beckwith, indicated to us during our phone conversation on the way to the meeting, that she was not going to vote with us. Commissioners Anna Beckwith, Chuck Laughridge knew ahead of time that it was already a law, while at least four of the division of Marine Fisheries Commissioners unbelievably did not, including Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman Sammy Corbett. Did Louis Daniel, director of fisheries know ahead of time that it was already a law?

To make matters worse, we learned upon our arrival, that Doug Mumford, head NCDMF biologist, had told the Cape Fear Captains Association that all of the Oregon Inlet Captains were �for� the log book at the two meetings prior to this one. How did we find this out? Two separate groups of charter captains from the southern end of the state did not exactly greet us with open arms inside the meeting room. The conversation went something like this: "We wouldn't be here if it was not for you guys. You guys from Oregon Inlet are the reason for this." Our response: What? Are you guys kidding? That could not be further from the truth. "Doug Mumford told us at the last two meetings that all of the Oregon Inlet Captains are for the Log Book." First we were dumbfounded. Then, once things were cleared up with the southern captains as to why us guys from Oregon Inlet had made the trip, every one of us, from all ends of the state, sat down for the meeting with a bad taste in our mouths.

Louis Daniel dropped the bomb on everyone in the room that had driven from all over the state, to start the meeting. Lots of jaws dropped as it was explained how this had become a law without any of us knowing. It was not debated on beforehand with those that it was going to affect. There was no public comment session before a Marine Fisheries Commission vote to make the Log Book a law. It was not voted on as an individual law as it should have been. It was snuck in with the budget as part of an omnibus bill. And guess who knew about this before the meeting?

How could the above letter be sent out on the 5th of February? A letter informing us to come to a meeting to that is supposed to be a discussion about whether or not to vote yes or no on creating a log book. How could this happen when a few of the above mentioned folks knew the log book was already a law. Either Louis Daniel knew when the letter went out that it was bogus and knowingly deceived us. Or, NCDMF under Louis Daniel's leadership was totally incompetent in sending the letter out. Either way, it has driven a huge wedge between us fishermen and NCDMF. There has always been some lack of trust between fisherman and NCDMF. Now there is a total lack of trust that is going to be extremely difficult for NCDMF to get back from us, as we feel like we were hoodwinked. The fisherman that made the drive with me had not been to a meeting in years as he said it had always been a waste of time in the past. � NCDMF public comment is just a formality for something that is already going to happen,� was how he put it. He was right�

Reason after reason was given by fisherman as to why we didn't want the log book during the public comment. The total dysfunction of how this happened was commented on multiple times as well. One-by-one every fisherman in the room expressed their frustration after learning how this had become a law. Most everyone of us these days are about fed up with how things work in Washington, D.C. We expect and deserve better here in North Carolina and do not want our politicians acting like those in D.C. And, finally, more public comment period was taken up by fishermen expressing their disgust in what had turned into a sham of a public comment session that was supposed to influence a vote on a proposed law.

Finally, at the end of the meeting Louis Daniel had the last word. He spent several minutes informing us that we could make this thing work. That we could work together, compromise and end up with a log book that would benefit all of us. Somehow, Louis Daniel did not get it. None of what had just been a disastrous meeting for NCDMF had sunk in. The standing room only crowd that had taken time from their families and work, and driven to Wilmington from all over the state had made their position very clear. We did not come all that way to Wilmington work on how to implement the logbook. We came to Wilmington to oppose the log book and make sure it never happens.

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries does not own the resource. The taxpaying folks of North Carolina own the resource. The North Carolina Divisions of Marine Fisheries is supposed to be working in the interest of the folks that live in North Carolina and not for the folks in Washington D.C.(NOAA/NMFS/ASMFC/CCA) that doll out the federal funds. Decisions made by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries that detrimentally effect the livelihood of its fishermen should not be influenced by federal funds that are going to sweeten things up for the department that pushes the federal agenda. Should folks that work for The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries be allowed the conflict of interest of holding paid positions within the Division and at the Federal level(NOAA)?

Thankfully, the multiple eleventh hour phone calls, texts, and e-mails to state legislators from fisherman made a difference as the Raleigh influence was enough to get the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries to vote to delay things. It is hard enough making a living in the charter fishing business these days with the bad economy, fuel prices, and current regulations. At what point is enough, enough? If you like fishing on a North Carolina Charter Boat and want to continue doing so, please help us by making phone calls, sending a texts, or sending e-mails to the folks in Raleigh in support of killing the For Hire Log Book. And, finally, if you know a charter captain that fishes in the Wilmington area and is part of the Cape Fear Captains Association, thank him or her as they are the folks that motivated everyone to get involved with this issue.