gop proposal would repeal obx ban on plastig bags [br][br].(Y)

By Erin James | The Virginian-Pilot

raleigh

Two Outer Banks controversies have spilled over to the state level and into the hands of North Carolina legislators: plastic bags and commercial fishing restrictions.

When it comes to plastic bags, of course, this isn't the first time.

Five months after it went into effect in parts of three coastal counties, the ban on single-use plastic bags faces repeal. Twelve Republicans, whose party now controls the General Assembly, are backing the Senate bill introduced to the Legislature on March 10.

The senators contend the law, which prohibits retailers from supplying plastic bags to customers in parts of Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties, is ineffective and burdensome to businesses. None of the senators sponsoring the repeal hails from counties affected by the ban.

The brainchild of former Dare County Democrat Sen. Marc Basnight - who served nine terms as Senate president pro tempore before resigning from his seat for health reasons in January - the ban seeks to protect the coastal environment from plastic-bag pollution. Outer Banks stores of all sizes have since switched to paper bags. Customers can decline paper bags and transport goods with their own reusable bags.

But, according to language in the repeal bill, businesses have reported less than 1 percent of transactions involve a reusable shopping bag.

Economics are at the center of another coastal dilemma that could soon be settled by legislators.

This past week, a bipartisan group of representatives introduced a House bill that would prohibit commercial fishermen from catching and selling three species of fish, including striped bass. None of the bill's sponsors represent Currituck, Dare or Hyde counties. The bill's language does not indicate a reason for the change.

Fishermen on commercial trawlers were heavily criticized earlier this year after being accused of dumping large numbers of dead striped bass back into the ocean - a spectacle caught on video and widely circulated on the Internet. Recreational fishermen sounded the alarm on the mass fish kills.

Anglers would still be allowed to reel in striped bass, spotted sea trout and red drum with hook and line if the bill passes.

Dewey Hemilright, a commercial fisherman out of Wanchese, said the restrictions would mean a loss of jobs and income for the for-profit fishing fleet - which is already struggling to compete in a strained economy under complicated government regulations.

"It'd be different if there was something wrong with these stocks," Hemilright said. "There ain't."

Together, in terms of pounds, those three species accounted for 1.2 percent of the total commercial fishing catch in 2009, said John Hadley, an economics program manager for N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.

In terms of value, the species sold for about $1.6 million - which was 2.1 percent of the state's total commercial catch value that year.

Most of that $1.6 million came from the sale of striped bass, and the majority of those landings came through Oregon Inlet, Hadley said.

Erin James, (252) 441-1711,

erin.james@pilotonline.com

[br][br]

CAPTION(S):

[br][br]