On October 11, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed AB 1052, an amendment to the Fish and Game Code concerning the Bay-Delta Sport Fishing Enhancement Stamp. This legislation repealed the requirement for anglers to have the stamp on a license or as a validation, and the collection of related fees, beginning in 2010.

The Bay-Delta Sport Fishing Enhancement Stamp Program was established in 2004 to benefit Bay-Delta sport fisheries. The law currently in effect requires anglers to obtain a Bay-Delta Sport Fishing Enhancement Stamp before sport fishing in the tidal waters of the San Francisco Bay Delta and the mainstem of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, including major tributaries, below the most downstream dam. The stamp requirement is still in effect for the remainder of 2009.

The cost of the stamp changes annually (it cost $6.30 this year) and fees received by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) are deposited into a separate account within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. The funds currently in the account will still be spent on appropriate projects in the Bay Delta.

“As a member of ICCAT, the United States has a responsibility to work with other countries to end illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and implement strong management measures that will end overfishing and help rebuild the stocks.

“The status quo with respect to eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin is neither sustainable nor acceptable. Conservation of this species depends on science-based management and effective compliance with the rules on both sides of the ocean.

“I believe that to be most effective, the long-term management of the species must be led by ICCAT. I urge ICCAT to do the right thing – follow the science and implement strong new measures to protect the bluefin. I look to ICCAT for strong and definitive action at this week’s meeting.”

Background:

ICCAT, an international body of 47 nations and the European Community, is responsible for the management of Atlantic bluefin tuna. The United States has repeatedly urged ICCAT to heed the scientific advice and adopt measures that will end overfishing in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean and put bluefin tuna on the path to recovery. This includes measures setting responsible, science-based quotas, stronger enforcement of those quotas, and closures during spawning periods.

The United States delegation to ICCAT travels to Brazil this week for the body’s annual meeting. This year, as in years past, the United States is seeking the strongest possible management for the conservation of Atlantic bluefin tuna.

On October 14, the United States announced its support of Monaco’s proposal to list Atlantic bluefin tuna on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to prohibit international trade of the species. The final U.S. decision on whether to vote for Monaco’s proposal at the 2010 CITES Conference of Parties will take into account whether or not ICCAT adopts strong management and compliance measures at this week’s meeting.

For further background, please see October 14 release: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20091014_bluefintuna.html

One of the committees will assist the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries in updating the Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River portion of the state’s Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan. The other will assist in updating the section of the plan that pertains to the central and southern waters of the state.

The commission uses fishery management plans as guides for implementing regulations and other management measures.

Individuals interested in serving as an adviser should be willing to attend meetings at least once every two months and actively participate in the committee process. Advisers will be reimbursed for travel and other expenses incurred in relation to their official duties.

Applications are available online at http://www.ncdmf.net/mfc/advisorforms.html, at Division of Marine Fisheries’ offices or by calling (252) 808-8022 or (800) 682-2632. Applications should be returned by Dec. 1 to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557, Attention: Kelly Mullen.

From this study, biologists hope to learn how frequently bass are caught and harvested. They also hope to learn more about the size range of fish caught. 

Beginning this month, biologists are tagging largemouth bass with small, yellow tags along the back of the fish just below the dorsal fin. These tags carry a printed telephone number, e-mail address, tag number and reward value.  Anglers should carefully examine all bass caught in Florida lakes for reward tags, as biologists will tag fish in numerous lakes throughout the state.

Biologists encourage anglers to remove these tags by cutting them as close to the fish as possible and then treat the fish as they would normally. Once anglers remove a tag, they should immediately report it to the FWC Angler Tag Return Hotline at 800-367-4461 or e-mail TagReturn [at] MyFWC [dot] com. 

Anglers participating in the study will receive a reward for each largemouth bass tag they return to the FWC. When reporting the tag, anglers should provide the following information:

• the species of fish,
• tag number, fish length,
• date and time of capture,
• name of the lake where the fish was caught, and
• whether the angler kept or released the fish.

Anglers should mail the tags to:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Attn: LMB Tagging Study
601 W. Woodward Ave.
Eustis, FL 32726 

To learn more about FWC research projects, visit http://research.MyFWC.com.      

The recreational harvest and possession of vermilion snapper is prohibited beginning Nov. 1 in all Atlantic waters off Florida.  Recreational harvest of Atlantic vermilion snapper will reopen on April 1, 2010.

For spotted seatrout, all harvest and possession is prohibited from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 in all waters south of the Flagler-Volusia county line in the Atlantic and south of a line running due west from the westernmost point of Fred Howard Park Causeway, which is 1.17 miles south of the Pinellas-Pasco county line in the Gulf of Mexico.

The recreational harvest of spotted seatrout will remain open until February in northeast and northwest Florida waters.

More information regarding Florida recreational saltwater fishing regulations are available at MyFWC.com/Rules.

“Winter angling pressure has been consistently higher than open-water fishing pressure, making the adjustment back to the 17- to 26-inch protected slot limit for the winter season a necessity,” said Gary Barnard, Bemidji area fisheries supervisor for the DNR. “Anglers still will have good success because walleye abundance remains high and there are good numbers of fish smaller than 17 inches.”

The change from the open water 20- to 26-inch protected slot limit to the winter 17- to 26-inch protected slot limit that begins Tuesday, Dec. 1, will continue through Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010.

The estimated open-water walleye harvest from state waters of Upper Red Lake for 2009 was 147,000 pounds. That harvest level is 21,000 pounds below the threshold that would trigger a more conservative three-fish limit.

Regulations for the 2010 open water fishing season will be determined later this winter and announced in advance of the walleye opener on Saturday, May 15, 2010.

The National Marine Fisheries Service closed recreational amberjack fishing on Oct. 24 after announcing the recreational quota of 1.368 million pounds had been reached. The

losure will remain in effect through the end of the year.

Although amberjack fishing remains open in state waters, anglers holding federal permits for amberjack are required to adhere to the federal closure, according to TPWD officials.

RALEIGH, N.C. 

Under delayed-harvest regulations, no trout can be harvested or possessed from these waters between Oct. 1, 2009, and one half-hour after sunset on June 4, 2010.  No natural bait is allowed, and anglers can fish only with single-hook, artificial lures.  An artificial lure is defined as a fishing lure that neither contains nor has been treated with any substance that attracts fish by the sense of taste or smell.

Delayed-harvest waters are:

Ashe County

Trout Lake

Helton Creek (Virginia state line to New River)

Burke County

Jacob Fork (Shinny Creek to lower South Mountains State Park boundary)

Caldwell County

Wilson Creek (game lands boundary downstream of Lost Cove Creek to Phillips Branch)

Haywood County

West Fork Pigeon River (Queen Creek to the first game land boundary upstream of Lake Logan)

Henderson County

North Fork Mills River (game land portion below the Hendersonville watershed dam)

Jackson County

Tuckasegee River (N.C. 107 bridge at Love Field to the Dillsboro dam)

Macon County

Nantahala River (Whiteoak Creek to Nantahala hydropower discharge canal)

Madison County

Big Laurel Creek (N.C. 208 bridge to the U.S. 25-70 bridge)

Shelton Laurel Creek (N.C. 208 bridge at Belva to the confluence with Big Laurel Creek)

McDowell County

Curtis Creek (game land portion downstream of the U.S. Forest Service boundary at Deep Branch)

Mill Creek (U.S. 70 bridge to I-40 bridge)

Mitchell County

Cane Creek (N.C. 226 bridge to N.C. 80 bridge — also classified as Mountain Heritage Trout Waters, please refer to the Commission’s Regulations Digest for additional information)

North Toe River (U.S. 19E bridge to N.C. 226 bridge — also classified as Mountain Heritage Trout Waters, please refer to the Commission’s Regulations Digest for additional information)

Polk County

Green River (Fishtop Falls Access Area to the confluence with Cove Creek)

Surry County

Mitchell River (0.6 mile upstream of the end of S.R. 1333 to the S.R. 1330 bridge below Kapps Mill Dam)

Transylvania County

East Fork French Broad River (Glady Fork to French Broad River)

Little River (confluence of Lake Dense to 100 yards downstream of Hooker Falls)

Watauga County

Watauga River (adjacent to intersection of S.R. 1557 and S.R. 1558 to N.C. 105 bridge and S.R. 1114 bridge to N.C. 194 bridge at Valle Crucis)

Wilkes County

East Prong Roaring River (mouth of Bullhead Creek downstream to Stone Mountain State Park boundary line)

Stone Mountain Creek (from falls at Alleghany County line to confluence with East Prong Roaring River and Bullhead Creek)

Reddies River (Town of North Wilkesboro water intake dam to confluence with Yadkin River)

For more information on delayed-harvest regulations, weekly stocking updates or trout maps designating fishing regulations in effect on specific streams, visit the Commission’s Web site, www.ncwildlife.org/fishing.  

Get N.C. Wildlife Update – news including season dates, bag limits, legislative updates and more – delivered to your Inbox from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Go to www.ncwildlife.org/enews.

The two meetings, to be held next week in San Diego and Newport Beach, will allow the public an opportunity to provide comment on potential regulation changes related to the to the physical dimensions of hoop nets and how many hoop nets may be used at a given time. The changes are under consideration by the Fish and Game Commission.

The first meeting will be held Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Outboard Boating Club at the Shelter Island Boat Ramp facility, 2210 Shelter Island Drive in San Diego. This is an outdoor venue. Parking is available at the boat ramp facility and along Shelter Island Drive.

The second meeting will be held Thursday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, 600 Shellmaker Road in Newport Beach. Parking is available on the premises and adjoining streets, and participants are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.

Participants are encouraged to bring their hoop nets to both events.

The specific changes under consideration can be found online at www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/new/2009/29_80isor.pdf.

These two-year old trout are noticeably bigger than the 10-11 inch trout typically stocked in the spring. This is the 4th consecutive year that Fish & Wildlife has stocked bigger trout for the fall season. In addition to the 20,000 standard production fall trout, another 1,000 exceptionally large rainbow trout broodstock, measuring 17 – 20 inches, and weighing 3 – 5 pounds, are also mixed in with each truckload of fish. 

Waters stocked during the first week of fall stocking are the 16 large streams and rivers in northern and coastal areas, such as the Big Flatbook, Pequest River, South Branch Raritan River, Musconetcong River, and the Manasquan and Tom’s Rivers. All fall-stocked waters may be fished as soon as they are stocked (no “closed waters” during fall stocking).

During the second week, 16 ponds and lakes in the central and southern portions of the state were stocked. Some of the more popular waters are Farrington Lake, Oak Pond, Greenwich Lake, and Mary Elmer Lake.

The complete list of fall-stocked waters and the stocking schedule is available at www.njfishandwildlife.com/flstk.htm or through the Trout Stocking Hotline 609-633-6765. If you need help finding one of these trout-stocked waters, refer to the list of fishing access locations linked below for driving directions.

Other waters offer fine trout fishing opportunities even though they are not stocked in the fall. The Holdover Trout Lakes, like Lake Aeroflex and Lake Wawayanda, provide year round trout fishing opportunities. The landlocked salmon stocking program at these two lakes, now in its 3rd year, is starting to yield harvestable size salmon (12 inches). Our two Trophy Trout Lakes, Round Valley and Merrill Creek Reservoirs, are also great trout fishing destinations. Shoreline fishing on Round Valley is particularly popular in the fall, as big rainbows cruise the shallows (See the current Freshwater Digest for special area regulations.) Also, sea run brown trout begin returning to freshwater in the Manasquan River during the fall and early winter.

A distinctly different trout-fishing experience awaits anglers who fish the wild trout streams scattered across north Jersey. These small streams are not stocked with trout and anglers can expect to catch small, colorful trout, with most measuring less than ten inches.

Thirty-six streams are managed under special regulations to provide anglers with opportunities to catch stunning, stream-bred trout (see the current Freshwater Digest for information). All trout captured from designated Wild Trout Streams, from September 16, 2009 to April 10, 2010 at 8 a.m. must be released, and be sure to leave the bait buckets home – these streams are artificials only.

Trout fishing will really heat up once fall stocking gets underway. The line-busting, bragging-size trout being stocked in October will test the skills of anglers fishing with lightweight tackle, leaving some anglers with fond memories, to last a lifetime, about the big one that got away. Whether you chose to fish for stocked or wild trout, there are plenty of trout-fishing opportunities in the Garden State. So take the time from your busy schedules to enjoy trout fishing during the splendor of fall.

The lionfish (Pdf file) is a native of Pacific coral reefs and now inhabits much of the Bahamas, Caribbean and the Southeast coast including South Carolina. It’s thought to have escaped from the aquarium trade in Florida in the early 1990’s. Lionfish have 18 venomous spines that contain a neurotoxin capable of causing extreme pain and possibly nausea, paralysis and convulsions although they weigh only about a pound as adults.  Anyone stung by a lionfish should seek immediate medical treatment.

Lionfish have invaded many of South Carolina’s offshore artificial reefs, but S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) divers report only small numbers on most reefs built in more than 70 feet of water.  No lionfish have been observed near beaches or in inshore waters. Natural live bottoms farther offshore provide more stable water temperature and support somewhat larger populations of lionfish.

Lionfish are voracious predators and can greatly reduce native fish, which may hinder efforts to rebuild depleted stocks of valuable bottom fishes such as snapper and grouper.  Lionfish probably have few natural predators, especially in local waters.

Although divers and anglers have called for efforts to eradicate or at least control lionfish in offshore waters, Mel Bell, director of the Office of Fisheries Management for the Marine Resources Division, considers any such measures expensive and probably not effective. “Unfortunately, like other invasive species, lionfish are here to stay, and while we could reduce their population in specific areas, we could never completely eradicate them,” Bell said. “At the moment they do not present a major problem but it may take years before we know the full-scale environmental impact of lionfish in offshore waters.”

Bell knows of only two people in the state who have been stung by lionfish and while they reported the experience as “very painful and unpleasant” both fully recovered.

DNR will be working with the National Marine Fisheries Service and other agencies to collect more information on lionfish and to study ways to better control this invasive species.

South Carolina’s natural resources are essential for economic development and contribute nearly $30 billion and 230,000 jobs to the state’s economy. Find out why Life’s Better Outdoors.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will hold its 14th annual Salmon River Hatchery Open House and Family Days on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. Open house hours will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., held in conjunction with the celebration of “National Hunting and Fishing Day.”

There will be activities, seminars, and demonstrations throughout the day. Salmon River Corridor outdoor recreational opportunities will be highlighted in each program. Activities, programs and demonstrations will be geared towards hands on activities for youth and families. The open house will be held rain or shine, and admission is free.

The Salmon River Hatchery is located at County Route 22, Altmar, Oswego County.

On Friday evening, Sept. 25, there will be a special seminar featuring local guide Mike McGrath on “Fishing the Great Lakes Tributaries for Carp and Other Assorted Trophies.” The program will be held in the hatchery auditorium and starts at 6:30 p.m. with a social hour; the regular program begins at 7 p.m. Participation in Friday night’s activities will be limited to 75 persons; participants must register in advance. You may register by calling 315-298-760, by e-mailing fjverdol [at] gw [dot] dec [dot] state [dot] ny [dot] us or stopping at the Salmon River Hatchery and registering at the lobby desk.

On Saturday, there will be many opportunities for learning and fun. You can learn about the NYS Salmon River Hatchery by touring the facility with hatchery staff or you can learn about fishing for Pacific salmon with an on-stream demonstration. Inside the hatchery one can observe the rare and endangered fish exhibit. Bring the family and learn to cast a fishing rod, tie flies, fly cast and fly fish while enjoying the beautiful fall scenery of the Salmon River Corridor. Kids will enjoy participating in “Backyard Bass” and Hook and Ladders fishing programs. Families can learn about the heritage of hunting and shooting sports through the 4-H Shooting Sports Program, and they can participate in the highly popular Laser Shot Game. Children can learn about the living creatures of Beaver Dam Brook while persons of all ages will enjoy taking a nature walk at the Salmon River Falls. You can observe migrating salmon in the fish ladder through the ladder’s underwater camera, learn about cross country skiing, kayaking and canoeing opportunities and learn boater safety with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Tours of the Salmon River Hatchery will be given every half hour starting at 10:30 a.m. by hatchery fish culture staff. This is the one opportunity during the year where the public is able to access the working parts of the facility with a more up close and personal tour.

Tours of the Salmon River Falls will be conducted by the Sea Grants Salmon River Stewards program. You can register for a scheduled tour by e-mailing mp357 [at] cornell [dot] edu. Or sign up on the day of the open house at the Sea Grant table.

There will be fishing demonstrations at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm by Mike McGrath and Associates at the Lower Salmon River Reservoir. The sessions will highlight methods taught during the Friday night seminar on “Fishing for Great Lakes Carp and Other Assorted Trophies.” Sign up for the on stream demonstrations at the Friday night seminar, during the Saturday Open House at Mike McGrath’s booth, or by e-mail at fjverdol [at] gw [dot] dec [dot] state [dot] ny [dot] us.

Along with the scheduled program events there will be many conservation organizations and agencies on hand providing information about their role in the Salmon River Corridor and the Lake Ontario Ecosystem.

For more information contact Fran Verdoliva, NYSDEC Salmon River Coordinator, at 315-298-7605.

LAKE CONROE, Texas — The Toyota Texas Bass Classic, a Professional Anglers Association (PAA) sanctioned event, is only one month away from its debut on Lake Conroe. The October 16 — 18 competition benefits Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) efforts to introduce young people and urban families to fishing and the outdoors.

Lake Conroe is a showcase for TPWD’s fisheries and habitat management efforts. Native vegetation is being planted in the lake to improve water quality, prevent erosion and provide high quality habitat for fish and other wildlife. This habitat-food and shelter-for young bass is the cornerstone of largemouth bass production, increasing the survival and growth of fish that have the potential to become Toyota ShareLunkers, bass that weigh 13 pounds or more. During last year’s ShareLunker season, Lake Conroe produced four such fish, one a new lake record 15.93-pounder that was also the biggest bass caught in Texas last year.

 ”Our long-standing stocking, research and management programs, along with Florida largemouth bass, have been a huge success and have totally changed the landscape of bass fishing in Texas,” said Dave Terre, TPWD’s chief of management and research for inland fisheries. “At one time a 13-pound bass was a rare occurrence. To get in the Texas top 50 now takes better than a 15-pounder. That’s simply amazing.”

Terre continued, “I look at Texas as a crossroads where the science of fisheries management intersects with the needs and desires of anglers-and the Toyota ShareLunker program and the quality of fishing on Lake Conroe are great examples of that.”

One of the most important factors in developing a trophy bass fishery like Lake Conroe is letting bass grow to the age at which they can achieve maximum size. Anglers have almost complete control over this factor by proper handling of fish and by releasing them after the catch. The format of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic promotes bass survival by having all fish weighed in the boat as soon as they are caught, then immediately released. The only exception to this is that each angler may retain one fish 21 inches or longer to be brought to the weigh-in each day for a special big bass contest. These fish will be cared for by TPWD biologists and released following the weigh-in.

Daily weigh-ins at the tournament venue, Buffalo Springs Development in Montgomery, at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic will have special significance, because for the first time the tournament will produce a true world champion bass angler. The field will consist of 60 anglers. Twenty of the anglers qualified for the event by being a top 20 angler in the FLW Tour, FLW Series or BASS Elite. The other 40 anglers qualified by being in the top 40 of all three PAA Carrot Stix Tournament Series events in 2009. The field will compete head-to-head for the title of world champion as well as $500,000 in cash and prizes with the first-place winner getting cash and prizes worth $250,000.

“This is a very exciting development, as it positions the TTBC as the world championship of the newly-created PAA Tournament Series,” said TTBC co-founders Dan Friedkin and Donato Ramos. “These modifications make the TTBC one of the most prestigious titles in the world of professional bass fishing.”

In addition to featuring the biggest names in professional angling, the Toyota Texas Bass Classic will also offer a full slate of family-oriented outdoor activities and entertainment. The Outdoor Adventure Area will feature an archery range, fishing activities, touch tank, ShareLunker display and other exhibits. There will be a variety of food and beverages available at the onsite concession stands, and the City of Montgomery will present a fireworks display and concert by the Kyle Hunt Band on the evening of Friday, October 16.

Activities at the Outdoor Adventure Area will continue all day both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday night’s concert will feature Texas country music legend Pat Green and rising star Zona Jones. Sunday’s weigh-in and crowning of the new world champion will take place between performances by Julianne Hough and Josh Turner.

CBS Sports will broadcast a one-hour special reprising the Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Saturday, November 21. It will feature highlights from the three tournament days with a focus on the crowning of the 2009 TTBC world champion.

Advance daily tickets are available for $10 each through the tournament web site, www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com. Onsite tickets purchased at the gate will be $10 for Friday and $20 each day Saturday and Sunday. Youth ages 17 and under will be admitted free with a ticketed adult.

A minimum of $250,000 from the event will go towards a donation to benefit Texas Parks and Wildlife Department programs.  “Our primary goal with this tournament is to raise funds and awareness for TPWD’s educational and conservation activities,” said Dan Friedkin, TTBC co-founder and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department commissioner. In the past two years the Toyota Texas Bass Classic has provided $500,000 to help fund TPWD programs like the Neighborhood Fishin’ Program, the Texas State-Fish Art Contest and other youth and urban fishing and outreach efforts.

Title sponsor for the event is Toyota. Tournament partners include Dick’s Sporting Goods, Audiovox, Evan Williams, MillerCoors, 100.3 KILT, SportsRadio 610, Phoenix Boats, Waste Management and the City of Montgomery. The tournament will be held on Buffalo Springs, a planned development in the City of Montgomery.

For additional information, please visit the official Toyota Texas Bass Classic Web site.

After receiving multiple complaints about allegedly illegal charter boat trips undercutting legal businesses, undercover agents with NOAA OLE’s southeast enforcement division and state special operations divisions from Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas chartered trips on vessels across the Gulf of Mexico and documented numerous violations for operating without federal charter boat moratorium permits.

NOAA’s Office of General Counsel has sent notices of violation and assessment to owners and operators of 15 charter boats, detailing alleged violations of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

“The goal of this type of investigation is not only to document illegal activity for prosecution, but also to protect law-abiding charter operations from unfair competition,” said Hal Robbins, special agent in charge of the NOAA division in St. Petersburg, Fla.

On June 16, 2003, NOAA’s Fisheries Service placed a moratorium on charter boat permits for both the Gulf reef fish and coastal migratory pelagics fisheries in an effort to maintain sustainability of the species there, including red snapper, one of the most over-fished resources in the Gulf of Mexico. Since this moratorium, the only way to obtain a permit is to purchase one from an existing holder, which has raised the value of the permits to between $8,000 and $10,000.

“Business is being taken away from legal charter boat companies because the illegal companies, who do not obtain permits, can charge much less for trips,” explained OLE special agent Charles Tyer of the Galveston, Texas, field office.

Also documented during the one-year operation were several other federal fisheries violations, including undersize fish, harvesting fish during a closed season, filleting fish at sea, concealing fish from enforcement, and failure to use venting tools, dehookers and circle hooks to fish for reef fish.

Multiple state and U.S. Coast Guard violations were detected as well.

“With the current status of the red snapper fishery, law enforcement plays an essential part ensuring that all participants play by the same rules,” said Robby Byers, executive director of Coastal Conservation Association of Texas. “It is unfortunate that there are always a few that feel the laws do not apply to them. Violating regulations only hurts the ones that are trying to do the right thing. CCA commends the special agents of NOAA that are tasked with catching those who jeopardize our public resources.”

The mission of NOAA OLE is to ensure compliance with the laws and regulations enacted to conserve and protect our nation’s marine resources. Anyone with information regarding illegal charter fishing should contact the national hotline at 1-800-853-1964.

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit http://www.noaa.gov.