Photo by Capt. Jerry Dilsaver The Red Drum Fisheries Management Plan has been one of the most successful fishery rebuilding plans ever implemented by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission.

MOREHEAD CITY -- Want to learn more about cutting-edge fisheries research or share ideas for improving fisheries management in North Carolina? Well here is your chance.

The Marine Fisheries Commission and North Carolina Sea Grant will host the 2006 Fisheries Forum on Tuesday, March 14 at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center beginning at 9 a.m. All MFC advisors, along with any interested public, are encouraged to attend this important meeting.

The morning's program will highlight results from projects representing the N.C. Fishery Resource Grant Program and the N.C. Blue Crab Research Program. Both programs are funded by the N.C. General Assembly and administered by North Carolina Sea Grant. Both programs strive to combine the research ideas from those in the fishing community with the research and analysis skills in the academic community.

The afternoon focus will be on public perception issues facing the Marine Fisheries Commission and the Division of Marine Fisheries. The group will explore criticisms and commendations of the state's coastal fishery management process.

Input will be solicited from meeting participants on ways to continue improving the flow of communication between the public, fishermen and fisheries managers.

The forum will end with a discussion of the Coastal Recreational Fishing License.

Meeting participants will again be asked to provide ideas on ways the license revenues could be spent to manage, protect, restore, develop, cultivate, conserve and/or enhance North Carolina's marine resources.

To register for the forum, please contact Jennifer Aniskoff, N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries at jennifer.aniskoff@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.

2006 Fisheries Forum Agenda March 14, 2006 New Bern Riverfront Convention Center

9 a.m. Registration

9:30 a.m. Welcome Ron Hodson, N.C. Sea Grant Mac Currin, N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission

9:45 a.m. Fishery Resource Grant and Blue Crab Research Presentations

FRG presenters:
* Elaine Logothetis: Bycatch in the Southeastern N.C. Shrimp Fishery
* Eugene Ballance: Updating Winslow's Oyster Bed Survey
* Teresa Thorpe: Effects of Gillnet Tie-Downs in the Flounder Fishery
* Roger Rulifson: Mortality in the Spiny Dogfish Fishery

Blue Crab presenters:
* Donna Wolcott: Sperm Limitation
* Elaine Logothetis: Offshore Populations
* Dan Rittschof: Chicken as Bait Potential
* Paul Rudershausen: Cull Ring Sizes

12:30 p.m. Catered Lunch/Poster Presentations

1:30 p.m. Public Perception Issues
*Introduction - Mac Currin, Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman
* Role of Media in Information Dissemination - Alison Davis, EPA
* Round Table Discussion - Charlie Adams, Marine Fisheries Commission

3:30 p.m. Coastal Recreational Fishing License Status--Preston Pate, N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries

5 p.m. Adjourn

o register for the forum, please contact Jennifer Aniskoff, N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries at jennifer.aniskoff@ncmail.net or by calling 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632.