DATE: Thursday, April 10, 1997              TAG: 9704100390

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 

                                            LENGTH:   27 lines

COMMERCIAL FISH LANDINGS RISE 14 MILLION POUNDS

North Carolina officials have reported an increase of 14 million pounds in commercial fish landings over those in the previous year.

The Division of Marine Fisheries said North Carolina fishermen landed nearly 191 million pounds of seafood in 1996, valued at $105.5 million. The 1995 take was 176 million pounds of fish and shellfish.

Finfish landings in 1996 totaled 117.2 million pounds; shellfish totaled almost 73.8 million pounds.

Hard blue crabs topped the 1996 landings list, with 65.6 million pounds harvested, valued at $39.8 million. That makes 1996 a record year for crabbing - a 15.5 percent increase over 1994, the previous record year. Menhaden were second in number of pounds landed, followed by dogfish, sharks, croaker, thread herring and shrimp.

Landing statistics are gathered by the marine fisheries division's Trip Ticket Program, which collects data on North Carolina commercial landings and trips. The state requires seafood dealers to record each landing of fish and shellfish and submit copies of trip tickets monthly. The tickets include data on the species, the amount caught, the type of gear used, and the landing location.

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