There is great debate this Christmas about a species of fish we enjoy catching.

After years of
declining populations, finally the speckled trout have been classified as
overfished.

On November 4, the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission lowered the daily creel limit of these fish from six to four.

They increased the minimum size limit from 12 to 14 inches.

These rules apply to the recreational fisherman.

Commercial fishermen also are affected by the new rules.

They are now allowed 75 speckled trout per trip. Before the new rule, commercial fishermen had no creel limit.

Now, their fish also have to be 14 inches long to be kept legally.

Commercial fishermen are not allowed to set gill nets on the weekends and cannot possess speckled trout for sale on the weekends. This rule keeps most recreational fishermen and commercial fishermen apart.

Believe me, there is a lot of bad blood between the two user groups.

The new proposal to help save the speckled trout was passed by a 4-3 vote, with commissioner Anna Beckwith abstaining.

She explained she had not had enough time to think about the problem. Here we have a person on the commission who could not take enough time to even think about saving one of the more important fish species in our state.

Millions of dollars are spent by recreational fishermen annually to pursue this species. Speckled trout are important to North
Carolina.

My friends and I have seen a decline in the population of speckled trout for the past two years.

Two winter cold kills have taken place, commercial fishermen have greatly overfished and there is tremendous recreational pressure on these fish.

Why can’t a commissioner recognize there is a problem?

This lady might be one of the greatest people in the world, but she is not doing her job, in my opinion.

The new rules are designed to help the speckled trout make a comeback.

They should help, but only time will tell.

During the summer, we did find many small speckled trout in different places.

Most of these fish were around 12 inches and should spawn next spring.

If the new rules do not increase the population of speckled trout, it will be February of 2014 before further measures are taken.

They include reducing the daily recreational creel limit to three, implement a December 15 through January 31 recreational closure, a reduction of the commercial trip limit to 25 fish and the elimination of commercial closures.

Also, Dr. Travis Daniel, director of the N.C.D.M.F. has been given the power to issue proclamations further reducing the taking of speckled trout as new data is received.

Oddly enough, the commission is blaming recreational anglers for most trout deaths.

Fish hooked deep in their throats rarely survive.

Live shrimp baits are the main culprit, because trout love live shrimp and swallow them very quickly.

There is some mortality among commercial fishermen and their non-selective gill nets. Most of us recreational fishermen feel otherwise, but data seems to confirm the numbers. What we see on Pamlico Sound blows this data out of the water.

Where are the commission members when we are observing gill netters on the sound?

The commission remains hopeful these new rules will bring the speckled trout back to good numbers.

Speckled trout do lay a bunch of eggs, and with a good spring spawn, and a lot of good luck, maybe that will be a good start.