The budget bill authorized the Division of Marine Fisheries to spend up to $20 million to buy waterfront property or otherwise protect or improve public and commercial waterfront access.
Commercial waterfront property has become scarcer as its value for residential development has soared. Commercial fishermen, meanwhile, have been fighting high fuel prices, tougher catch restrictions and foreign competition. Fishermen and fish houses -- the wholesale operations that buy seafood from the fishermen and often provide them with dock space -- have been going out of business.
A recent tally by fisheries experts found that 41 fish houses had closed in the state over the last five years, leaving 95. Fishing piers, which typically operate on modest budgets, are being replaced by homes at a similar rate. Also, a News & Observer study in 2006 found that more than 100 subdivisions and more than 34,000 homes were planned for the state's "inner coast" of sounds and river mouths.
The director of the Division of Marine Fisheries will control the new money. Before spending anything, though, the division must report to the Joint Legislative Committee on Seafood and Aquaculture.
Money to protect waterfront access was one of several recommendations in April by a study committee the legislature established to examine the problem of dwindling access.
Committee member Ernie Foster, who owns three charter boats based in Hatteras Village, pronounced himself delighted.
"It's long overdue, and I'm very encouraged by it," Foster said. "It's a good thing that the legislature seems to be serious about it and aware of the need."
The best use of the money, said another committee member, Mac Currin, would be to attract matching money from local governments on the coast, which would be in a good position to identify the most important property.
Alone, the money would only be enough for a few projects and have little impact.
"As much money as $20 million is, when you're talking about buying development rights, or coastal property, it wouldn't go that far," said Currin, who also is chairman of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission.
The legislature also is considering a measure that would allow owners of working waterfront property to voluntarily defer part of their property taxes.
They would pay taxes at the property's value for its current use rather than its value for homes, which could be much higher. They could have to pay back the difference if the property were later used for something else.
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