H867 - Coastal Fisheries Conservation and Economic Development Act of 2017

• Establishes marine and estuarine resources as public trust resources that must be managed for long-term conservation and benefit of all North Carolina citizens.

• Requires the Marine Fisheries Commission to implement new coastal fishery management standards including biological benchmarks, threshold and target biomass levels, ecosystem buffers, minimum size limits allowing 75% juvenile survival, and allowable catch limits with accountability measures.

• Mandates fishery management plans include measures to end overfishing within 2 years and achieve full conservation within 10 years, with authority for the Fisheries Director to close fisheries if overfishing continues.

• Requires management measures to minimize bycatch mortality of non-targeted species and establishes a Marine Fisheries Resources Advisory Council to assist in fishery management plan development.

• Appropriates $750,000 in recurring funds for commercial fishing license buyback programs, derelict fishing gear removal, and aquaculture expansion to support transitioning commercial fishermen impacted by new conservation rules.