N.C. Crab, 

 Shrimp Harvests 

 Decline 



In 2004, North Carolina's 

 two largest commercial fisheries 

 — blue crabs and shrimp — 

 experienced declines in harvests 

 while oyster harvests increased, 

 according to the N.C. Division 

 of Manne Fisheries (DMF). 



The 2004 commercial 

 harvest offinfish and shellfish 

 totaled 134 million pounds, 

 valued at $79.7 million — an 

 1 1 percent decrease from the 

 previous five-year average of 

 149 million pounds, DMF reports. 



Landings fluctuate for a variety 

 of reasons — availability of wild stocks, 

 weather, market demand, prices, low-cost 

 imports, the number of people fishing and 

 harvest restrictions, according to DMF. 



The top species was blue crab, valued 

 at $20.2 million, followed by shrimp at $9.4 

 million, the report says. 



The state's oyster harvest was 69,479 

 bushels — 24,81 4 bushels more than the 

 previous five-year average of 

 44,666 bushels, according to 

 DMF. The increase in oysters is 

 likely attributed to higher levels 

 of rainfall than in previous 

 years, which created better 

 growing conditions. 



In 2004, the number of 

 recreational fishing trips in 

 coastal waters continued to 

 expand, resulting in a record 

 high catch. 



The number of estimated 

 hook-and-line fishing trips in 

 North Carolina coastal waters 

 increased to 7 million in 2004, a 7 percent 

 increase over 2003. The additional trips 

 contributed to increased catch estimates 

 totaling 24.5 million pounds — the highest 

 recreational catch estimate on record. 



For more information on harvest 

 statistics by species, visit the DMF Web site: 

 www.ncdmf.net/statistics/index.html. — A.G. 



COASTAL 



TIDINGS 



Possible Blackbeard Shipwreck 

 Opens to Diving 



Be 



beginning 

 this summer, the 

 state will permit 

 limited recreational 

 scuba diving on 

 what many believe 

 is the wreckage 

 of Blackbeard's 

 famous pirate ship, 

 the Queen Anne 's 

 Revenge, sunk in 

 1718. 



The "Dive 



Down" program will allow 320 divers per year 

 to visit the shipwreck for a $500 fee. Dive shops 

 will organize trips to the 25-foot-deep wreck, 

 located off Beaufort Inlet near Adantic Beach. 

 Divers must attend a two-day educational 

 program that includes classes on archeology, 

 history, marine ecology and coastal geology. 



"Participants will get a whole perspective 

 on shipwrecks and what they mean in the 



maritime environment," says Mark Wilde- 

 Ramsing, manager of the state's Queen 

 Anne 's Revenge Shipwreck Unit. 



State officials hope that opening the 

 wreck to supervised diving will increase 

 tourism and awareness about North 

 Carolina's rich maritime history. 



Since its discovery in 1996, the wreck 

 — which once may have been the largest 

 pirate ship to sail in North American or 

 Caribbean waters — continues to provide 

 archeologists with a gold mine of cultural and 

 material artifacts. 



Much of the wreck is encrusted with 

 marine growth, but divers likely will be 

 able to identify major features like cannons, 

 anchors and barrel hoops from their obvious 

 sizes and shapes, according to the N.C. 

 Maritime Museum's exhibit on Blackbeard 

 and the Queen Anne 's Revenge. More 

 obscure features will be detailed to divers via 

 submersible MP3 players. - K.A. 



NOAA's Atlantic Hurricane Outlook 



National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

 Administration (NOAA) hurricane forecasters are 

 predicting another above-normal hurricane season for 

 the Atlantic region. 



"NOAA's prediction for the 2005 Atlantic 

 hurricane season is for 1 2 to 1 5 tropical storms, with 

 seven to nine becoming hurricanes, of which three 

 to five could become major hurricanes," according 

 to retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, 

 undersecretary of commerce for oceans and 

 atmosphere and NOAA administrator. 



NOAA's Atlantic hurricane outlook reflects an 

 expected continuation of above-average activity that 

 began in 1 995. Since that time, all but two Atlantic hurricane seasons have been above normal. 



Hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30. Although it is too soon to predict where and 

 when storms may hit, NOAA officials caution the public to be prepared. 



"Impacts from hurricanes, tropical storms and their remnants do not stop at the coast," 

 explains retired Brig. Gen. David L.Johnson, director of NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS). 



While preparing for another highly active season, the public should remember that these 

 storms carry severe weather — such as tornadoes and flooding — while moving inland, he adds. 



For more information about hurricanes, visit the NWS National Hurricane Center Web site: 

 www. nhc. noaa.gov. —A.G. 



4 HIGH SEASON 2005 



