THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 2, 1995 TAG: 9503020481
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
A year-old program that encourages fishermen to help researchers develop new, more efficient fishing methods may be headed for the chopping block before lawmakers and fisheries regulators can gauge its success.
State lawmakers in Raleigh are targeting the state's fisheries research grant program for budgetary cuts even as a panel of scientists and fisheries managers in Morehead City was considering the merits of applications for the first of $1 million in grants to be funded under the program.
A committee of scientists and fisheries managers on Wednesday began a two-day review of nearly 145 applications for research projects that total more than $8.6 million.
The state Marine Fisheries Commission is scheduled to consider the review committee's recommendations and award its first grants when that panel meets March 17 and 18 in New Bern.
But members of a Senate and House appropriations subcommittee reviewing budgets for natural and economic resource agencies questioned on Monday whether the grants were just a give-away program for the state's fishermen.
``Why is this such a high priority,'' asked Rep. Rex Baker, a Stokes County Republican, during the appropriations subcommittee meeting Tuesday. ``I'd like to flag the entire amount until we understand what we're getting for it.''
As part of his 1995-97 budget recommendations to the General Assembly, Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. is seeking about $200 million in staff reductions and cuts in existing programs, including four staff cuts in the Division of Marine Fisheriesfor a savings of $137,505.
But Sen. Robert L. Martin, a Pitt County Democrat and a co-chairman of the appropriations subcommittee, said on Tuesday that state lawmakers may need to find an additional $100 million in cuts to pay for tax cuts and new program requests now before the General Assembly.
He said that may translate to a 3 percent reduction in budgets for natural and economic resource agencies under the subcommittee's purview.
While Hunt has recommended that the $1 million appropriation for the fisheries grant program be continued each year during the 1995-97 budget, the program has been targeted for a possible 50 percent cut by state lawmakers in their budget discussions.
Fishermen ``are going through a terrible time in our area of the state,'' said Rep. W.C. ``Bill'' Owens Jr., D-Pasquotank, a subcommittee member. ``And certainly they need the help.''
Any program cuts would not affect this year's grant applicants but would affect the number and amount of grants that could be awarded in coming years.
State fisheries managers and regulators said in interviews after the appropriations meeting that although the program is not the top priority for the Division of Marine Fisheries, it could provide valuable research for the agency.
Robert V. Lucas, chairman of the state Marine Fisheries Commission, said on Wednesday that the program is too new for fisheries managers and state lawmakers to know whether it will help restore the state's coastal fish populations, but that it would be a shame for state lawmakers to cut or eliminate the program before fisheries see whether it will work.
``My feeling is, let's see what the quality of the research is and if it's not helpful, then don't fund it,'' he said. ``It won't take long to find out.''
The grant program, established by the General Assembly in 1994, was the brainchild of Senate leader Marc Basnight, a Manteo Democrat, and was designed to improve the state's coastal fisheries resources by encouraging fishermen to participate in fisheries research and management, much like agriculture research projects that involve farmers in field tests.
Basnight said Wednesday it would take only a couple of successful ideas to pay for the program, and he said it should not be dropped without a fair trial.
The Division of Marine Fisheries and Sea Grant, a coastal research arm of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, held the first workshops last fall for fishermen and others who were interested in applying for the first research grants.
Before the workshops, fisheries and Sea Grant officials handling the new program questioned whether or not they would receive enough research grant requests from fishermen to use all of the money from the program - the first of its kind in the state.
The state received applications for 143 research projects from commercial and sports fishermen, conservation groups, coastal community colleges and others that seek money for research to reduce the catch of unwanted fish, for aquaculture projects to increase oyster and clam production, for artificial reef design and construction, for fish-tagging projects, and new crab-processing techniques, among others. by CNB