The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries is asking fishermen* to keep a close eye on the progress of Hurricane Florence and to start getting ready for the storm now.
Governor Roy Cooper has declared a State of Emergency for North Carolina and is urging North Carolinians to prepare for the storm.
Fishermen should remove fishing gear from the water well before the storm’s arrival. Crab pots and gill nets, especially, are prone to damage and displacement during storms.
Vessel owners should check their safety equipment to ensure all is in working order and plan to remove their boats from the water or take them to safe harbor as the storm approaches.
Fishermen should monitor NOAA Weather radio for storm updates and channel 16 on their marine radios for the latest US Coast Guard emergency broadcasts.
Information about other hurricane preparations, as well as a free mobile app, can be found on the NC Division of Emergency Management’s website at www.ReadyNC.org.
Source: Patricia Smith, NC Division of Marine Fisheries
*Fishermen/women
