A PETITION TO STATE LEADERS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA'S PIER FISHING HERITAGE

• by: James Smith, Doug Leister, Paul Graham
• recipient: North Carolina General Assembly

Much public discussion of beach access along the North Carolina coast is underway, including a year-long study called for by the NC General Assembly.  This is for good reason because public access routes and especially pier fishing recreation is rapidly disappearing.  It is time for public support for especially the preservation of our North Carolina pier fishing heritage to be preserved in a comprehensive and planned manner, quite probably taking several years to complete.

The arrangement begun in Nags Head whereby the NC Aquarium in Manteo with the help of the Clean Water Trust Fund and other state funding sources will eventually manage a new concrete pier at the Jennette's Pier site at Whalebone Junction is a tremendous start.  The Town of Emerald Isle on Bogue Banks has begun a petition and a hopefully successful project to save the Bogue Inlet Pier and site, perhaps also in conjunction with the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.  This NC Aquarium  management plan will hopefully extend to the Fort Fisher Aquarium as well.  We support those efforts.
 

But three State piers for the whole coast is inadequate.  At minimum there should be two state piers Hatteras and north (where 6 private piers still remain and, as yet, the situation is not as critical although Kitty Hawk Pier was sold to the Hilton Hotels), two on Bogue Banks, and two further south.  State officials should examine prospects as soon as possible for a second pier on Bogue Banks (Triple S is gone, Sportsmans is under sale process, Iron Steamer is gone, Indian Beach and Emerald Isle Piers were destroyed by storms) and sites on Bogue Banks are rapidly disappearing.  Sportsman's Pier officials estimate that 250,000 persons a year use the pier with all the associated commerce such visits bring.  Not only our pier fishing heritage, but also economic impact is a huge factor locally. 









We ask that a group of state officials be formed to talk with the remaining pier owners, first on Bogue Banks.