To the Editor:

Gamefish and greed go hand in hand. – A concerned fisherman. My concern is for our public trust coastal fisheries resources in North Carolina, and our public right to use it.

There are two sport fishermen organizations called coastal fisheries reform group, and coastal conservation association. They are pushing for a gamefish bill to make our red drum and speckled trout a gamefish in our joint and coastal waters. I cannot support this bill. Why? Our public trust coastal fisheries resources belong to all North Carolinians and the marine species that live in its waters. This bill will not affect our sport fishermen. They are allowed to catch and eat these two species of finfish that are caught in our joint and coastal waters. Our public which is unable or don’t have the opportunity to go fishing, and depend on commercial fishermen for their seafood are affected. This bill stops commercial fishermen from selling these two finfish species to our public.

Commercial fishermen are not allowed to eat these fish. Why? They can’t eat what they can’t keep. Commercial fishermen are not allowed to have drum or speckled trout in their possession while fishing commercial gear. If they catch a trout or drum, they have to discard it immediately in waters where caught, regardless of the condition. I believe this gamefish bill H-918 threatens our public right. The public should have the same right to eat these two species of finfish from our public trust resources that is given to sport fishermen. There is no conservation in this bill to protect resources, just the sport fishermen. Commercial fishermen and the public, who don’t fish and love to eat these fish, need to call their representatives and put a stop to this greed bill.

DALLAS R. ORMOND

Bath