1997 North Carolina Fisheries Reform Act

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Barbara Garrity-Blake, Susan West

  • 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 made possible by the North Carolina Sea Grant Community Collaborative Research Grant Program.

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Interviewee Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
B.J. Copeland 1997 North Carolina Fisheries Reform Act

B.J. Copeland, born on November 20th, 1936, in a country home near Mannsville, has had a significant impact on the fisheries of North Carolina. He has an extensive educational background and has served in the Zoology Department at North Carolina State University. Copeland was initially appointed to the Marine Fisheries Commission in the 1980s under Governor James G. "Jim" Martin's "Egghead Commissions." Throughout his career, he has been involved in numerous public hearings and has worked to foster communication and interaction between different stakeholders in the fisheries sector.

 Mary Williford Bear Creek, NC Carolina Coastal Voices
Mac Currin 1997 North Carolina Fisheries Reform Act

Mac Currin, born in 1950 in Henderson, North Carolina, has had a diverse professional background, primarily centered around marine biology and fisheries. After completing his undergraduate studies, he began his career as a school teacher before transitioning to a research role at N.C. State University, where he worked with Dr. John Miller for approximately 16-17 years. During this time, he also earned his Master's degree. Currin's work focused primarily on research related to small marine fish.

 Sara Mirabilio Raleigh, NC Carolina Coastal Voices
Jess Hawkins 1997 North Carolina Fisheries Reform Act

Jess Hawkins is a seasoned Marine Biologist who has dedicated his career to the management and conservation of marine fisheries. Born and raised in Bath, North Carolina, Hawkins developed a love for the outdoors, fishing, and hunting from a young age. This passion led him to pursue a career in marine biology. Hawkins began his career as a Fisheries Biologist with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, initially working as a Field Biologist in Little Washington before transitioning to an administrative role in Morehead City.

 Barbara Garrity-Blake Morehead City, NC Carolina Coastal Voices
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