Hyde Commissioners passed a resolution that issued A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN THE NC MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION read the resolution in it's entirety: "WHEREAS, this Vote of No Confidence by the Hyde County Board of Commissioners in the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission is an alternative method to bring forth serious concerns relative to their support of the Petition for Rulemaking submitted by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation; and WHEREAS, the shrimp fishery is North Carolina's most important fishery economically; and WHEREAS, the rules proposed in the Petition would close the internal coastal waters and near-shore oceanic waters of North Carolina to trawling unless opened by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), and restrict the taking of shrimp to daylight hours and three days per week; and WHEREAS, the proposal will have a substantial economic impact on many small businesses, have significant negative effects on coastal communities and negatively impact the availability of North Carolina shrimp to consumers; and WHEREAS, the petition should have been denied because the cost factors described in the petition are clearly inadequately described. This omission is significant because the shrimp fishery is North Carolina's most important fishery economically; and WHEREAS, the petition will designate all coastal fishing waters not already designated as nursery areas as special secondary nursery areas, including the ocean out to three miles; and WHEREAS, the North Carolina General Assembly, through the Fisheries Reform Act, clearly desired that such comprehensive changes in management measures for important recreational and commercial species in NOrth Carolina be developed through Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) and these issues were recently discussed and addressed by the 2015 Shrimp FMP after two years of development; and WHEREAS, the Petition for Rulemaking has a component for potential regulation on property owners abutting these newly formed secondary nursery areas. Hyde County boasts some of the most beautiful waterfront properties in the state. The potential for regulations on these properties not only negatively affect one of Hyde County's greatest assets, but also has a negative impact on all citizens because of the potential loss of tax revenue; and WHEREAS, the Petition for Rulemaking could also prove to be a hindrance to any needed and necessary dredging along our shoreline; and WHEREAS, the Hyde County Board of Commissioners represent the people of Hyde County with a collective history of approximately 300 years of fishing experience, submitted a letter and corresponding resolution to the NC Marine Fisheries Commission in January of 2017 recommending that they deny the Petition for Rulemaking submitted by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation that proposes to designate the internal coastal and near oceanic waters of North Carolina special secondary nursery areas; and WHEREAS, at the January 15, 2017 hearing meeting in New Bern, there were five advisory boards in attendance; those five boards were comprised of 40 members, 32 of those members recommended to the Commission that they not enforce this new trawling ban and that the petition be denied; and WHEREAS, on February 16, 2017, the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission met in Wilmington and against the advice of their advisory groups granted this petition which has significant economic implications for Hyde County; and WHEREAS, while the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission did not violate the law and it is within their parameters to make such decisions, their decision was not within the spirit of the Fisheries Reform Act which calls for science to make decisions and not political science; and WHEREAS, this Resolution is no reflection on the dedicated people that work in that Division; no criticism of thee biologists; and no criticism of the Fisheries Reform Act; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hyde County Board of Commissioners stand steadfast in their resolve outlined in their January 3, 2017 resolution, and stand behind and in support of our fishing industry within Hyde County; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by a unanimous vote of those Commissioners present, that this action by the Hyde County Board of Commissioners shows a Vote of No Confidence in the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission because they clearly demonstrated that they do not have the objectivity to make sound decisions on this issue Adopted this the 6th day of March, 2017."