OYSTER REHABILITATION, RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT IN NORTH CAROLINA NC DIVISION OF MARINE FISHERIES March 2014 EFTA00788580

6,000 5,000 4,000 5 13,000 I 2,000 t000 0 Dredging began 2.5 inch size limit on rock oysters 4 Shell-planting legislation 4 1894 estimated landings 120,000 lbs 4 Dredging area greatly reduced; sail only allowed 4 Hurricane damage 114I ,Winslow oyster 4, World War I Power dredging ;bottom survey 4 World War II • Shellfish franchises 'authorized Shellfish leases Typhoid began4 je33 S orm Heavy oyster began mortalrty report outireak treat depression lir Depression 4 4 Oyster Harvest Trends 3- inch size limit on rock oysters 4 Dredge area expanded: sail only allowed 4 Oyster Rehabilitation ■ Dredge weight limit 100 lbs w (no poor limit) Restrictions on power V boats dropped 4Daily limit of 75 bushels (no prior limit) Heavy oyster n Hahrty ,epos Shellfish license moratorium; Lease production documentation «•quileil 2.5 inch size limit on coon oyjers 4 S bushel hand; 15 bushel dredge harvest limits 3-inch size limit on all coon oyste4rs Oyster Rehabilitation Program expanded 4 Severe winter freeze Hicicane Ginger Oyster disease 4 Hurricane Isabel (flooding g hie.h vain's) Hurricane Alex (cynic oil note, l:mks) Hurricane Irene ifloodinR& high winds) Hurricanes Dennis & Floyd iikayy [loading) 1887 1897 1907 1917 1927 1937 1947 1957 1967 1977 1987 1997 2007 EFTA00788581

Implementation • Cultch Planting: 150,000 - 300,000 bus. annually • Oyster Sanctuaries: ■ 12 permitted - 228 acres -138 acres developed ■ 3 funded and in process (design, permit, EA, etc.) EFTA00788582

Cultch Planting • Deployment of materials (shells or limestone marl) providing a hard substrate for oyster larval recruitment • Statewide program — Roanoke Island to NC/SC border • Modern era began in 1970 with dedicated staff and vessels • Program has evolved and currently has 6 specialized vessels: ■ 2 small barges (32' & 36') designed for the small shallow estuaries south of White Oak River ■ 2 medium sized barges (50' & 63') designed for the bays and rivers around Pamlico Sound ■ 1 shallow draft barge with O/B power (40') designed to reach areas inside the reef behind the outer banks and the shallow bays as needed ■ 1 converted surplus LCU (135') operates in Pamlico Sound, deeper portions of rivers and bays EFTA00788583

R/V Stones Bay and R/V Cape Fear Wilmington, NC EFTA00788584

R/V Crab Slough Wanchese, NC EFTA00788585

rum R/V Shell Point South River, NC EFTA00788586

M/V Jones Bay South River, NC EFTA00788587

WV West Bay South River, NC EFTA00788588

Oyster Sanctuaries • Program began in 1996 in collaboration with UNC — IMS, DMF's Shellfish Rehabilitation and Artificial reef programs • DMF has partnered with various state and federal agencies and NGO's (NOAA, TNC, NC DOT, NCCF, CWMTF, US Navy & APNEP) • Primary function: is to provide a protected broodstock population in key locations that may provide oyster larvae to areas that will support settlement, growth and survival • Site selections: ■ based on historical oyster presence ■ environmental conditions conducive to oyster recruitment, growth and spawning ■ larval distribution patterns — provide larvae to key areas EFTA00788589

North Carolina Oyster Sanctuaries Status (November 20. 2013) • Exisiting (12) Proposed (3) 1'; !" A IS 10 Mitt EFTA00788590

Cultch Planting 2013 • —149,300 bushels statewide: ■ 45,000 bushels limestone marl ■ 82,500 bushels purchased oyster shell ■ 21,800 bushels recycled oyster shells EFTA00788591

Oyster Sanctuaries 2013 • Gibbs Shoal: CRFL funded 4 year — 30 acre project using limestone rip rap, ultra reef balls and reef cubes • West Bluff: APNEP funded development project 1.3 acres using 10 ultra reef balls, 75 pallet reef balls, and 125 bay balls • Long Shoal: ■ US Navy/TNC funded development of 5 acres as mitigation for reactivation of the Long Shoal Bombing Range using 880 ultra balls ■ TNC funded development of 1.5 acres using 264 ultra reef balls EFTA00788592

Oyster Sanctuaries — in progress • Raccoon Island: CRFL funded development project 10 acres using 1169 ultra reef balls, 150 tons of crushed concrete and 150 tons of concrete pipe (98% complete) • Croatan Sound: DMF funded development project 1.5 additional acres of 7.7 acre site. Using 290 pallet reef balls • Pea Island: CRFL funded development project 10 acres - in design phase • Little Creek: US ACE funded development project - Environmental Assessment being developed EFTA00788593

Management • Oyster Fisheries Management Plan — 5 year review is starting • Oyster season by Rule is October 15 to March 31, but is managed by proclamation • Area restrictions for gear and harvest limits: ■ Upper portions of bays and smaller estuaries hand harvest only ■ Outer portion of bays mechanical is allowed for a six week period with harvest limit of 10 bushels per day • Sampling is conducted in mechanical harvest areas throughout the season — samples must exceed 26% legal (3") oysters • Two consecutive samples under the 26% threshold closes the area. Sampling continues and the area can reopen with oyster growth. EFTA00788594

Craig Hardy Chief, Habitat '& nhanc • ent Section North Carolina ision o arine Fisheries EFTA00788595