GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1999

SESSION LAW 2000-139
HOUSE BILL 1562

AN ACT TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF GILL NET AUTHORIZED FOR USE UNDER A RECREATIONAL COMMERCIAL GEAR LICENSE AND TO DIRECT THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON SEAFOOD AND AQUACULTURE TO STUDY ISSUES RELATED TO THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF GILL NET THAT SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED FOR USE UNDER A RECREATIONAL COMMERCIAL GEAR LICENSE.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 113-173(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Authorized Commercial Gear. –
(1)	The Commission shall adopt rules authorizing the use of a limited amount of commercial fishing equipment or gear for recreational fishing under a RCGL. The Commission may authorize the limited use of commercial gear on a uniform basis in all coastal fishing waters or may vary the limited use of commercial gear within specified areas of the coastal fishing waters. The Commission shall periodically evaluate and revise the authorized use of commercial gear for recreational fishing. Authorized commercial gear shall be identified by visible colored tags or other means specified by the Commission in order to distinguish between commercial gear used in a commercial operation and commercial gear used for recreational purposes.
(2)	A person who holds a RCGL may use up to 100 yards of gill net to take fish for recreational purposes.  Two persons who each hold a RCGL and who are fishing from a single vessel may use up to a combined 200 yards of gill net to take fish for recreational purposes.  No more than 200 yards of gill net may be used to take fish for recreational purposes from a single vessel regardless of the number of persons aboard the vessel who hold a RCGL."
Section 2.  The Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture shall study issues related to the appropriate amount of gill net that should be authorized for use under a Recreational Commercial Gear License.  The Commission shall report its findings and recommendations, including any legislative proposals, to the 2001 General Assembly.
Section 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 13th day of July, 2000.

s/	Marc Basnight
President Pro Tempore of the Senate

s/	James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives

s/	James B. Hunt, Jr.
Governor

Approved 2:22 p.m. this 21st day of July, 2000