From the President's desk
​If you have any questions or suggestions on a certain event, topic, or pressing issue, please email us at ncwuinfo@gmail.com
2025 LEGISLATIVE DINNER
The North Carolina Watermen United provided the catering for the Hyde County Legislative
Dinner & Duck Hunt for our fourth consecutive year. This is an annual event for invited
members of the North Carolina state Senate, House and staff that includes dinner followed by a
guided duck hunt the following morning in Hyde County. Elected officials from the Dare & Hyde County Board of Commissioners were also in attendance.
The dinner allows our NCWU Board of Directors to meet with our Legislators to discuss the current issues facing our hard-working watermen in a unique and informal setting. We are proud to say almost the entire Board made the trek to Fairfield to ask the decision makers for assistance on specific obstacles facing our fishermen. It is in our best interest when all our statewide office holders are aware of state legislation and regulations that restrict our local watermen. The need to have the ability to harvest this public trust to provide fresh local seafood is imperative to promote a healthy socio-economic environment for all of North Carolina’s coastal communities.
The NCWU would like to thank the following donors for their generosity in providing all the
seafood for the banquet: Capt. Neill’s, Coastal Heritage Seafood, Fresh Catch Seafood, Jeffrey’s
Seafood, Little Star Oyster Farm, O’Neal’s Sea Harvest, and Savage Inlet Oysters.
We would also like to express our appreciation for their tireless efforts to ensure a successful
dinner and evening of fellowship to Tara Carawan, Bo Owens, Ben Simmons, Mike Johnson and Ches McDowell.
Picture left to right:
Capt. Ernie Foster, NCWU Board member; Bobby Hanig, NC State Senator; Woody Joyner, NCWU Board President;
Bob Woodard, Chair of Dare County Board of Commissioners, and Carson Creef, Dare County Commissioner.
2024 NEWSLETTER
FIRST QUARTER
- Hyde County Legislative Duck Hunt Dinner… catered event for our State Legislators.
- Change in our Social Media outreach program to be published in house without outside media consultant.
NC Marine Fisheries Commission (NCMFC):
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Worked with local bait & tackle shop owners to offer in-person public comment on Striped Mullet FMP
Amendment 2.
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Voiced opposition to proposed NEW False Albacore Management.
NOAA
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Proposed Amendments to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Limit Public Comment.
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC):
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Board members attended SAFMC Dolphin shareholder meeting.
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Offered Public Comment on proposed control date for federal charter vessel/headboat migratory pelagics.
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Assisted in arranging King & Spanish Mackerel Port Meetings in Manteo & Hatteras.
SECOND QUARTER
NCMFC
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Facilitated meetings on Observer Trip Scheduling Public Outreach Meetings in Barco and Hatteras.​
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NOAA
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Board members Greg Mayer and Woody Joyner participated in personal teleconferences with the President’s Office of Management & Budget on the Proposed Amendments to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Limit Public Comment.
NCMFC
Attended Spring Business Meeting in Beaufort:
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Striped Mullet Amendment 2- final vote…offered in-person Public Comment.
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Spotted Trout Amendment 1.
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Voiced opposition to proposed Bonita Fishery Management Plan.
THIRD QUARTER
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NOAA Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule…continuing outreach. Working with Southeastern Legal Foundation in effort to
prevent proposal from being enacted.
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Attended meeting with the NC Towers Outreach & Engagement Offshore Wind Roundtable to garner information on the status of the Kitty Hawk & Long Bay areas.
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Joined the first Webinar on the For-Hire / Recreational Committee – Regional Fund Administrator on how to disperse
funds to private watermen to possibly off-set economic loss due to wind towers.
NC Department of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF)
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Facilitated meetings on Mandatory Harvest Reporting FOR-HIRE shareholder meetings in Manteo & Hatteras
- Assisted the Delmarva Fishing Association, Chesapeake area, on the Supreme Court’s overturning the Chevron Act.
- Hatteras Village Day at the Docks…NCWU provided a tent to highlight our fishery efforts.
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
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met officials via Webinar to discuss Renewable Energy Leasing Process for Atlantic 2 Call Zones.
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Sat with other shareholders from southern New Jersey to the North Carolina/South Carolina line on possibility of
new wind tower leases in addition to the Kitty Hawk and Long Bay areas.
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Offered Public Comment to acquire data before making any future lease locations and to include the charter-for-hire sector in all calculations.
SAFMC
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Public Comment on the Snapper/Grouper 2 for 1 permitting.
FOURTH QUARTER
SAFMC
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Public Comment on the Snapper/Grouper 2 for 1 permitting
BOEM
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Virtually attended the Renewable Energy Leasing Process seminar
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC)
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Virtually attended quarterly meeting held in Dewey Beach, FL
- OBX Seafood Festival, Manteo – NCWU joined as a sponsor for the Fishing Village & Educational Area to showcase the
organization. NCWU Board members sit on the OBX Seafood Festival Board
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NOAA
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Public Comment on the Red Snapper litigation and proposed Secretarial Amendment
- NCWU ANNUAL MEMBER MEETING IN WANCHESE…OPEN TO ALL.
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Members of the North Carolina Watermen United are represented by our Board on the following local & federal
commissions:
o Oregon Inlet Task Force
o Dare County Waterways Commission
o SAFMC – Dolphin/Wahoo Advisory Panel
The North Carolina Watermen FOUNDATION “Relief Fund” is the philanthropic arm of the NCWU.
The FOUNDATION is federally filed non-profit which allows our organization to offer financial
assistance to our fellow watermen in need.