COASTAL 



TIDINGS 



Some N.C. Fish Stocks Improving 



The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries' 

 (DMF) annual stock status report has good 

 news about North Carolina fisheries — two 

 populations have been upgraded to "recovering." 



Each year, DMF evaluates the health of the 

 state's important coastal fisheries. This year's 

 report card highlighted several successes, as well 

 as areas needing improvement. 



Striped mullet, important to both 

 commercial and recreational fishers, was 

 upgraded to "recovering" based on a recent state 

 assessment indicating the stock has not been 

 overfished since 1998. 



Sharks, a popular recreational target, were 

 upgraded from "overfished" to "recovering." 

 A recent National Marine Fisheries Service 

 assessment determined the overall large coastal 

 shark stock has improved since 1998. 



Summer flounder was downgraded from 

 the "viable" category to the "concern" category. 

 This change resulted from the most recent 

 assessment by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 



Commission (ASMFC), indicating the 

 stock is being overfished. The impacts of 

 this assessment could result in additional 

 harvest restrictions on summer flounder. 



Southern flounder, a major 

 commercial species, remains in the 

 "overfished" category. 



Weakfish was downgraded from 

 "viable" to "overfished" based on the 

 latest ASMFC assessment. 



The long-term goal of DMF is to have 

 all 40 of the state's major species move to the 

 "viable" or "recovering" categories. 



Fish and shellfish stocks considered viable 

 include: Adantic croaker, black sea bass north 

 of Cape Hatteras, striped bass in the Albemarle 

 Sound and the ocean, dolphin/wahoo, gag, king 

 and Spanish mackerel, Atlantic menhaden, spot, 

 spotted seatrout (speckled trout) and shrimp. 

 Another six species are recovering. 



For a full report, visit the DMF online at 

 www.ncfisheries.net. -E.S. 



Piping Plovers Fledge on Hatteras 



piping plover 

 chicks that 

 closed part 

 of Hatteras 

 Island this past 

 summer have 

 finally fledged. 



Listed as 

 a "threatened 

 species" under 

 the Endangered 

 Species Act 

 (ESA), the small, sand-colored shorebirds 

 caused a big stir when the National Parks Service 

 temporarily closed areas of Hatteras Spit and 

 Cape Point to pedestrians, boat landings and off- 

 road vehicles during peak tourist season. 



Piping plover nests, breeding pairs and 

 fledglings on Hatteras have declined since 1 998, 

 when 20 chicks were hatched and 1 2 fledged. 



In 2004, 

 four piping 

 plover chicks 

 hatched, 

 but none 

 fledged. 

 Chicks 

 typically 

 fledge at 

 25 to 35 

 days of age. 



The tiny 

 birds forage 



for invertebrates during all hours of the day and 

 in all tidal zones. When faced with a threat, the 

 chicks adopt a defensive, motionless crouch, 

 making them difficult to see — and susceptible 

 to death by wayward car tires or footsteps. 



Hatteras Spit reopened to the public in 

 latejuly, and Cape Point reopened in August. 



-K.A. 



"Flamenco" is from Kim Ellen Kauffman's "Florilegum" 

 collection. "Flamenco" is an example of the unique artwork 

 on display in the Nature Gallery. 



Natural Sciences 

 Museum Events 



The N.C. Shell Club will bnng its 

 shell show to the North Carolina Museum 

 of Natural Sciences, Sept. 30 through Oct. 

 2. The show will include shells found in the 

 state and around the world. Some shells 

 will be for sale. 



While at the museum, check out the 

 Nature Gallery housed in the Museum 

 Store. The Nature Gallery features artwork 

 by regional artists depicting nature scenes 

 of North America. 



New exhibits are featured in the 

 gallery every two months. Past exhibits 

 have included abstract photographs of 

 beachscapes and palmettos. Botanical 

 artwork is featured in the gallery through 

 Oct. 2. Upcoming artists will include 

 photographer Mark Bashista, whose 

 collection of prints includes North 

 Carolina landscapes. 



All artwork in the gallery is for sale. 

 Prices vary depending on the medium 

 and size of the piece. The gallery is open 

 Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., 

 and Sunday, noon until 4:45 p.m. 



Check the museum Web site 

 for details on upcoming events: www. 

 naturalsciences.org. —E.S. 



COASTWATCH 3 



