CATCH INFO: Shellfish Cultivated in Newport River, NC
Growers: David “Clammerhead” Cessna & Niels Lindquist
WILD PONIES
SALINITY: moderately high
SIZE: Small
CUP: moderate
COLTS
SALINITY: moderately high
SIZE: X-small, cocktail size
CUP: deep
>> PRESS: Growing Better Bivalves: Science, local knowledge enhance N.C. business
BOTTOM LINE: If this bill were to pass, it would be the first step in eradicating commercial fishing from our public trust waters…and unless you go to the coast yourself and catch it, you won’t be able to enjoy NC seafood any longer. We already have an effective management system that our tax dollars pay for, and if anything, we need to build on this system, not gut it altogether. We should be using good science from from our state biologists and the vast university system that we already have in place…not ignoring it because it doesn’t agree with one’s beliefs.
MORE INFO: NC’s Fisheries Reform Act of 1997 was and is the gold standard for fisheries management which other states have tried to emulate. According to the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, commercial fishing is the 7th most regulated industry in the US and state officials want regulations that make sense and achieve protection of fish stocks while allowing sustainable harvest.
House Bill 867 seeks to gut the act by changing many of the keystones of the legislation. It aims to change sustainable harvest to conservation but doesn’t say precisely how that would work or what it even means.
Three years of study, public meetings and development of the act was overseen by a panel made up of commercial and recreational fishermen, scientists and environmentalists. They crafted a comprehensive plan that includes peer-reviewed science as the basis for the creation of Fisheries Management Plans for individual species. To ensure decisions based on a broad array of knowledge and first hand experience, five advisory panels comprised of recreational and commercial fishermen and scientists review plans and give feed back to the Marine Fisheries Commission.
House Bill 867 would remove the advisory panels and replace with a council with no dedicated seats, thus allowing the exclusion of scientists, commercial fishermen or others with knowledge and experience.
via Western Wake Farmers’ Market: How to fillet a whole fish. Purchasing whole fish gives you more options for your weekly menu and is usually less expensive than purchasing fillets. I bought this fish from Locals Seafood. It’s important to buy fish from vendors you know and trust, and every Saturday Locals is at Western Wake Farmers Market – Morrisville.
CATCH INFO: Shellfish Cultivated in Ocracoke, NC
Grower: Fletcher O’Neal
Cultivation Method: Floating Bags
SALINITY: moderately high, sweet finish
SIZE: Medium
CUP: moderate
HINGE: strong
At Locals Seafood, we are driven by our passion to deliver the freshest possible seafood caught by North Carolina fishermen to our friends and neighbors inland.
We are looking for hardworking, motivated, responsible people to join our seafood crew. The ideal candidate is a well-rounded individual ready to dive into a variety of tasks including but not limited to the following:
Requirements
Full-Time and Part-time positions available. Hourly pay + commissions (sales staff)
If interested, email resume to info (at) localsseafood.com
CATCH INFO: Shellfish Cultivated in Jarrett Bay (Smyrna, NC)
Grower: Adam Tyler
Cultivation Method: Floating Bags
SALINITY: moderately high
SIZE: Small/Medium
CUP: moderate
“It was love at first bite with this oyster. Good salt, clear liquor. Excellent for eating Raw.” – Kent (Locals Staff)
>> VIDEO: Raw Oyster Shucking Techniques
The Fisheries Reform Act is the most significant fisheries legislation in NC history.
In 1994, the NC General Assembly approved a moratorium on the sale of new commercial fishing licenses and established the 19-member Fisheries Moratorium Steering Committee to oversee study of the state’s entire coastal fisheries management process and to recommend changes to improve that process. The Moratorium Steering Committee included legislators, fisheries managers, scientists, commercial fishermen, and recreational fishermen. The committee commissioned six research studies and reviewed a broad range of issues, including fishing licenses, fishing gears, habitat protection, agency organization, and law enforcement. The committee issued a draft report in late summer 1996, held 19 public meetings across the state, and adopted a final report in October 1996 that formed the basis for the Fisheries Reform Act. Governor James B. Hunt signed the Act into law on August 14, 1997.
The 1997 NC Fisheries Reform Act: An Oral History Perspective was a project made possible by the North Carolina Sea Grant Community Collaborative Research Grant Program. In 2016, a three-part podcast series was recorded to examine the state of NC Fisheries prior to and after the implementation of the Fisheries Reform Act. The first part of the series provides history prior to the act’s passage. Part two explore the path from moratorium to passage. The third part of the series highlights the shortcomings and successes of the reform act.
The interviews, podcasts, along with a discussion guide can be found at “Raising the Story: The 1997 Fisheries Reform Act.”
Piedmont welcomes Chef Karl Worley of Biscuit Love for a spring menu highlighting NC Seafood & iconic Southern Chefs
[Durham, NC, March 20, 2017] – As a longtime supporter of small, North Carolina growers, Piedmont has remained equally committed to being a good steward of the sea. Each season, Piedmont invites chefs, fisherman, and organizations supporting sustainable seafood to collaborate on their Seasons of the Sea dinner – a multi-course dinner showcasing the diversity and seasonality of fish and shellfish from our coast. This 4-part dinner series highlights North Carolina’s seafood in Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.
On April 25th, Piedmont’s Executive Chef John May welcomes Chef Karl Worley – whose Biscuit Love in Nashville, TN was featured in the latest issue of Garden & Gun Magazine. The magazine praised Worley, saying, “The magic in Worley’s food is not invention, but care. He makes everything 10 percent better than it needs to be, taking a dish already delicious and transforming it into something irresistible—via ingredient selection, or proportion, or sourcing, or a flavor tweak.” Worley and May will collaborate on a 5-course spring menu (below) featuring North Carolina seafood and paying homage to a wide range of iconic Southern Chefs. Look for dishes featuring sustainably caught North Carolina seafood from Locals Seafood. Piedmont’s relationship with Locals Seafood has enabled them to share fresh-caught fish from North Carolina’s coast throughout the year, and to be advocates for a robust North Carolina seafood economy. A percentage of every ticket purchased will fund North Carolina Catch. “Fresh seasonal seafood from our coast is top notch. NC Catch couldn’t be more pleased that Piedmont is presenting a special taste of the best that North Carolina has to offer,” explained NC Catch President Jimmy Johnson.
“These dinners give us an opportunity to bring like-minded chefs to the Piedmont table; we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Chef Karl Worley back to Durham.”
This dinner will be celebrated Tuesday, April 25th, at 6:30pm. The $65/ person 5-course menu is also available for $90, with General Manager Crawford Leavoy’s cocktail pairings which reflect a similar viewpoint.
Reservations can be made by contacting 919-683-1213. All special menus may be previewed in the Events section at www.piedmontrestaurant.com. Please also note Chef John May’s March Seasonal Ingredient 4-course Tasting Menu features Heirloom Rice.
Since its inception in February 2016, Piedmont has hosted Dean Neff, Ricky Moore, Jay Pierce, and Justin Burdett to highlight Shrimp, Black Bass, Snapper, Triggerfish, Flounder, Swordfish and Tuna from North Carolina.
Chef John May + Chef Karl Worley
in conjunction with Locals Seafood & NC Catch
first course
“John Egerton”
beaten biscuits and swordfish ham
the seelbach
bourbon, cointreau, champagne, bitters
second course
“Frank Stitt”
snapper tartare and vichyssoise
the ramos gin fizz
old tom gin, cream, orange
third course
“Bill Neal”
blackened rockfish, hot sauce and turnip gratin
the american orange punch
rye, porter, orange, nutmeg
fourth course
“Edna Lewis”
shrimp and grits
the mint julep
bourbon, mint, crushed ice
fifth course
“Sheri Castle”
the best biscuits and strawberry preserves
the brandy milk punch
brandy, milk, vanilla
$65 per person | $90 with cocktails
