Some B-Roll from Redfish Can't Jump

The Great Outdoors

Thanks to Gary Clark of the Tryon Daily Bulletin for our fist published review of Redfish Can't Jump. Click on the picture below to read the article.

Redfish Can't Jump World Premiere-Wilmington, NC

It’s finally here. The long awaited completion of our documentary film Redfish Can’t Jump happened this past week. The date has been set for January 21st for a couple months now and we had been working hard to wrap up shooting and begin editing this film to make sure we hit this deadline. We had a pre-screening January 20th for close friends and the crew. I finally finished editing at about 1:30am January 20th (the night before the first screening). I got a few hours of sleep, woke up at 5:30 and began the 2 hour trek to Wilmington. We had a photo shoot at Wrightsville Beach that morning for the Lumina News Paper. We spent the rest of that day planning and setting up for the Premiere Night (21st).
(Link to Story: http://luminanews.com/article.asp?aid=5701&iid=202&sud=30)

We had a great turnout for the show. We estimated it to be 300+ people. In fact, there were so many people we had to offer a second screening. Jason Andre opened the show with four songs and really got everyone fired up. (Jason wrote several of the songs exclusively for the film and a few others songs of his were used from his new album). Also, a huge thanks goes to the other musicians/bands that allowed their music to be a part of our film; Josh Garrels, Giants, and Unlearn.


We’ve gotten some great responses from the film so far and our team really appreciates everyone’s support. The store on our website is up and running now so please go and pre-order your DVD or buy yourself some swag at: www.redfishcantjump.com

If you missed us in Wilmington we'll be offering two screenings in Charlotte, NC at the Fly Fishing Show this January 29th-30th. Friday's screening is at 3pm and Saturday's screening is at 2pm. For more information on The Fly Fishing Show in Charlotte contact them here: http://www.flyfishingshow.com/Charlotte__NC.html

A special thanks to our sponsors and donors for raffle items, thanks Scott Fly Rods, Great Outdoor Provision Co, Charter Lakes Marine Insurance, CCA NC, Beavertail Skiffs, Yeti Coolers, Cliff Fly Boxes, Home Waters Clothing, Dana Eddings Watercolors and Chuck Arkell.

Luke Pearson~

Redfish Can't Jump World Premiere Jan 21st 8 pm Wilmington NC

Good Morning Friends and Anglers,

This has been a long awaited premiere and an incredible journey as our crew has worked to capture the essence and the controversy surrounding North Carolina's State Fish. We've made a lot of new friends in the last three years of filming and traveling and met some incredible people who are more dedicated to this resource than you can imagine. I would like to thank all of you who supported us and were patient with us as we completed this project. I would also like to thank our sponsors and families and the recreational fishing public for this film would not be possible without your help.

We are really excited about the upcoming premiere:

January 21st at 8pm $3 admission

Level 5 located at 21 N. Front Street in historic downtown Wilmington, NC

Please come out and join us for a great film event and support the cause. Level 5 is a rooftop bar (enclosed and heated:) with Theatre. http://www.citystageatlevel5.com/ Come grab a cold one and join us for the debut screening of Redfish Can't Jump the Movie.

Check out the latest interview about the film in this month's issue of http://www.thisisfly.com/ on pg. 65! If you would like to hear our radio interview with Fishing Florida Radio from Sat. Jan 9th click on this link: http://www.stevecgraphics.com/capt_seth_rcj_radio_interview.mp3

Hope to see you at the premiere!

Capt. Seth Vernon~

NC Sea Turtles tow the line in fight against gill nets...

There has always been a lot of speculation over the future of North Carolina's fisheries. In large part this speculation has existed solely in the minds of the concerned recreational anglers, sportsmen and wildlife rehabilitation experts and conservation groups that have been entrenched in the battle to remove gill nets from North Carolina's coastal waters.

Interestingly enough gill nets are illegal in North Carolina's fresh waters or inland waters as they are referred to. In the last decade many angler conflicts have arisen between commercial and recreational fishermen as the competition for fish in coastal waters has increased. The long standing argument is that gill nets not only take the fish they are targeting they also reap a lot of bycatch including finfish, (red drum, striped bass, sea trout etc.), waterfowl (ducks, geese and shorebirds), and last and most importantly sea turtles, (kemp ridleys, hawksbill, green and loggerhead) and sturgeon, both of which are protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Since the late 90's North Carolina's commercial gill netters in the Pamlico Sound have operated under the protection of Permit no. 1528 which grants these commercial fishermen the right to fish so long as they don't kill or interfere with more than 120 sea turtles in a three year period. Permit 1528 is basically a waiver on the ESA which comes up for review in Dec of 2010.

For the first time in the fisheries history the Pamlico Sound Gill Net fishery was officially closed for the season due to an exceptionally high number of Green Sea Turtle interactions with gill nets in the 4 week season.

See NCDMF Statement attached:

FLOUNDER SEASON CLOSES TO PROTECT SEA TURTLES

MOREHEAD CITY – Waters in Pamlico Sound will close Thursday to the use of large-mesh gill nets. The intent of the closure is to protect threatened and endangered sea turtles.

The estimated number of live green sea turtles caught in flounder nets this season will surpass the maximum number allowed by a special permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service.

North Carolina manages the large-mesh gill net fishery in Pamlico Sound under a federal permit authorized by Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act, which went into effect after numerous sea turtle strandings in Pamlico Sound in 1999 and 2000. Investigations identified the deep-water, large-mesh gill net fishery for southern flounder as the primary source for the sea turtle interactions and subsequent mortalities.

The permit authorizes a limited shallow water fishery along the Outer Banks and mainland side of Pamlico Sound and mandates observer coverage and weekly reporting. The permit also requires a season closure when the number of sea turtle take estimates reaches pre-set thresholds established by NMFS.

As of Friday, estimates of live green sea turtle interactions were at 111. The Section 10 Permit requires closure of the fishery when the estimated takes exceed 120 live green sea turtles.

Additionally, six more takes of green sea turtles were documented by Tuesday, which when extrapolated, will surpass the threshold for estimated green sea turtle takes.

The closure starts at 6 p.m. Thursday and will prohibit the use of gill nets with larger than 4 ¼-inch stretched mesh. It will remain in effect for the rest of the 2009 southern flounder season.

The closure does not prohibit the use of small mesh gill nets (smaller than or equal to 4 ¼-inch stretched mesh), and observations of the small mesh fishery will continue.

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The crew of Redfish Can't Jump are glad to see the closure and at the same time disappointed that it took this type of loss of marine life to achieve this seasonal closure. An intent to sue the NCDMF and the NCMFC was filed yesterday by the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital in Topsail, NC and we support their effort and courage they have put forth to protect these and many other important marine species here in North Carolina's coastal waters.

More to come...

Filming Continues as Gill Net season heats up in NC...

Luke, Josh and I have been diligently recording events as they unfold on the water here along the Cape Fear Coast. Since late August there have been thousands of yards of large mesh gill net set in the coastal waters of North Carolina. While I have seen a lot of dead red drum discards, once a commercial fishermen has his 7 fish for the day he has to discard the rest of his red drum catch dead or alive, it's a sobering experience... I haven't always had the luxury of Luke and his camera on board. Ironically it's not something we want to find but it is something we need on film as evidence of the wanton waste of this fishery.

While there have been plenty of lows involved in the recent increase in seasonal commercial gill nets in our home waters including dead waterfowl, redfish and sea turtle carcasses hidden in the marsh we are seeing progress towards a resolution to this situation from many conservation groups in our area. Some of the lows this month include my digital Nikon SLR being stolen from my car, which was vandalised, in my driveway while I was asleep. I made a police report the next morning on my way to Topsail with Luke to film the last Sea Turtle release of 2009 by the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital of Topsail, NC.

Luke captured some amazing footage and interviews during the release of some 9 rehabilitated sea turtles on the beach at Topsail. There were over 300 people in attendance and media from all over. Luke even made the front page of the paper the next day in a photograph of a loggerhead being released. I would like to personally thank Jean Beasley for her encouragement and her open invitation to access her staff and her hospital. There are some amazing things going on and they are constantly in need of support. If you would like to get involved to donate, volunteer or raise money please visit their website at www.seaturtlehospital.org/ for more information.

We are beginning to chip at the tip of the iceberg and are looking forward to sharing the finished product with everyone that has helped and encouraged us along the way. Please email us or call us if you would like to get involved or help in any way.

Regards,
RFCJ Crew

NCDMF Covering their Backs...

I have found it interesting that as conservation issues arise and or intensify between the public and the people that are responsible for making and enforcing regulations it is the standard practice of regulatory bodies to dodge conflict. I've been attending our local North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission Meetings and have been amazed at some of the antics I have witnessed. From commissioners voting on topics before the final scientific data is reviewed to making inflammatory statements about recreational fishermen I never cease to be surprised by the carnival like atmosphere that is present in our bureaucracies.

Recently I received a letter, pictured here, from the NCDENR Division of Marine Fisheries proclaiming that the Pamlico Sound Gill net restricted area will not open on Sept. 1 on schedule due to the concern over the probability of too many sea turtle interactions. Is it possible that Dr. Louis Daniel the Director of the NCDMF is warning commercial fishermen to be careful of their actions this year? Is it possible there will be more observers in the fishery documenting sea turtles interacting with gill netters and their gear? Why would the Director warn the commercial fishermen of a closure possibility unless they fear the sea turtle interactions in the Pamlico Sound Gill net restricted area will draw too much attention to what NC is doing with Permit 1528?

We are all watching with baited breath as this story unfolds...