I am a recreational saltwater fisherman. There is currently a bill in the North Carolina state House of Representatives titled  “AN ACT TO DESIGNATE THE RED DRUM AND SPOTTED SEA TROUT AS COASTAL AS GAME FISH “. (HB 918)

Gamefish status would prohibit all commercial take of trout and drum in North Carolina. This means that two forms of highly sought after seafood would no longer be available to the citizens of this state and only available to the elite few recreational fishermen who are able to come to the coast and catch them.

This isn’t about the resource. This isn’t amount the status of the stocks. This is about a small user group attempting to allocate these two sources of seafood to themselves and ban everyone else access to these fish.

According to Dr. Louis Daniel, Director of the NC Division of Marine Fisheries, the bulk of mortality for spotted sea trout is caused by the recreational sector. The Red Drum Fishery Management Plan for recovery has been declared a success. It makes no logical sense to ban the commercial take of these fish and allow the very group that is the primary cause of the problem to have them all to themselves.

The recreational take of these fish ends with that one recreational fishermen. The commercial take avails these fish to all citizens of North Carolina.

Often times groups like the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) and the newly formed Coastal Fisheries Reform Group (CFRG) attempt to show recreational fishermen as more of an economic asset than commercial fishermen to the state. They attempt this by comparing expense/tourism related dollars of the recreational fishermen to the dockside value of the commercial catch. Unfortunately these lobbying groups fail to mention the expense of the commercial fishermen or the tourism dollars they bring from people coming to the coast of North Carolina for fresh, local seafood. They also fail to mention to mention NC commercial caught fish employ in terms of local seafood markets, restaurants, fish houses, trucking companies, etc.

According to NOAA, on average every US citizen consumes over 16 pounds of seafood a year. The US ranks third in the world with the amount of seafood it eats. Currently 84 % of the seafood is imported with that percentage growing. H918 would help to increase our dependency on foreign product.

H918 is counter-productive to H1163, “The Sustainable Local Seafood Policy“. The state of North Carolina is trying to find ways to identify, support and grow local foods and food producers. Gamefish status would eliminate certain seafoods from the tables of North Carolinians. Gamefish status does the exact opposite of what H1163 and the state of North Carolina are attempting to accomplish.

Finally the supporters of the CCA and CFRG have long desired to ban all nets in North Carolina waters. Their failure to do so has been the motivating factor in advocating Gamefish Status. They couldn’t ban the net so they are attempting to ban the fish the net catches.

Please vote NO to H918 and keep these fish available to all citizens of the state of North Carolina

To buy or not to buy, that is the question!

By: Bill Hitchcock

Is now a good time to buy real estate? That is the most common question and hotly debated subject of the day. Only 3% of all homes listed this past January Along the Crystal Coast actually sold. Average sales for that month are around 15%.  During 2005, the biggest sales year ever here had January sales at 20%.

So with sales so poor, does that mean it’s the wrong time to purchase real estate?

I came up with a saying many years ago that best describes buyers and what they tend to do wrong. “Buyers buy when all the other buyers are buying which is the worst time to buy”. Yep, it’s a brain twisting saying but happens to be very accurate.

Buyers need to feel like they have made the right decision. Their purchase is justified when properties around them are getting bought. It justifies the decision of the financier too. Banks and mortgage companies require “comparables” before they authorize a loan. A comparable is a home similar in size and style that has been recently purchased and is located near-by. The more comparables sold in the in the area the better! Well, the better for the loan approval and the seller. Unfortunately, as sales increase, inventory will decrease and price goes up.

Let’s get back to the question, is now a good time to buy real estate?  As of February 1, 2009, the Crystal Coast had built up a 33 month supply of inventory. At no other time have we had so much to choose from. To put this into perspective a normal stable market is said to have only a 6 month supply. In 2005 when everyone was buying there was just a 5 month supply of inventory. So right now you as the buyer have the greatest selection of all times along the Crystal Coast.

A big supply of inventory usually means a lot of properties have been for sale for a long time. Frequent sales drives up price but the lack of sales drives price down.  Sellers lower prices to counter the extended days their property have been on market. They also tend to negotiate down towards the buyers demands.

Does a glut of  inventory and days on market really affect price? Well, All I can only tell you is what has happened. This past January the average sold price for a residential property along the Crystal Coast averaged $189,000. In 2005 the sold average price was $323,000. (Prices rounded up to the nearest $1,000). So which do you think was a better time to buy? In 2005 with a small inventory and high price or right now with historically high inventory and low prices?

And while I’m talking about historically low numbers I can’t over-look 30 year fixed mortgage rates. Already this year North Carolina lenders have offered rates as low as 4.25%. The national average has been consistently under 6%.

Hamlet asked, “To be, or not to be”.

I asked, “To buy or not to buy.

I’ll let you determine if you want to, “suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune “.

Talking About Christ

By: Bill Hitchcock

Have you ever had the opportunity to talk about Christ but didn’t? Have you ever felt apprehensive or timid when the time arose to speak of the Lord?  Do you feel that you just don’t know enough about the Bible to say anything?

Well, you’re in good company. Moses felt the same way. God wanted Moses to tell the people of Israel that “I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex 3:8 KJV)

You would think that Moses would be very excited about being charged with such a task, but he wasn’t. His response to God was, “O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”

Moses only concern was that he couldn’t speak very well. Do you feel the same?

The Apostle Paul wasted no time explaining to the people of Corinth that he wasn’t very good speaker either. Paul explained, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (1Cor2:1-2KJV)

Paul reveals two very important things with his statement. First, he recognizes that he is not a good speaker. He claims not to have any great knowledge. But what he does let us know is of the only thing that truly matters, “Jesus Christ, and him crucified”

We should not stop ourselves from speaking about Christ-Ever! We should not let what we feel as a lack of knowledge of scriptures to become a stumbling block.

I often times marvel at the ability of some who seem to be able to recite a plethora of scriptures at will. They always seem to know the right verse for the right moment. It can get down-right frustrating when the Pastor brings to light a message from a verse that I have studied, but have somehow missed the meaning of it. When great knowledge is revealed by others it can be easy to feel like we are not qualified to speak.

Scribes were public speakers during the time Jesus was here on earth. “They were extremely accurate and minute in all matters appertaining to the law of Moses”, according to the website ChristianAnswers.net.

The term scribe and lawyer were interchangeable. Scribes were also Pharisees who were “noted for their self-righteousness and their pride”.

People learned the word of God from an articulate, educated, accurate, sanctimonious lawyer. Now that would give just cause for timidity wouldn’t it? A scribe would be a “hard act to follow”. After all, how could you and I compare to someone such as this? What would give us the right to speak of God?

“And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Mat 7: 28-29 KJV)

Jesus “astonished” the people. They were flabbergasted by what he had to say. Why? Was it because of his great formal education? Was it due to his status in the community? 

“And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?” (Mat 13: 54-55 KJV)

Jesus spoke from the heart, with passion. He spoke what he inherently, innately and naturally knew, not from some formal education or social stature. The Apostle Paul spoke in the same fashion. This is how you should too. Speak of Christ from the heart. Your heart, it’s your story.

Speaking of Christ to others is a show of faith. Speaking of Christ can also be a test of faith so never worry about what to say. As God told Moses, “And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. (Ex 4:11-12 KJV)

Did you notice that God did not say I will tell you what thou say. He said I will “teach thee what thou shalt say”. He is going to teach us. God is always teaching us. The only way I know how to learn is by doing and going through a process of try, fail and adjust.

But there is no failure when you speak of Christ, even if you think you put your foot in your mouth or if you get a less than positive reaction from the listener. Remember, speaking of Christ is a show of faith, your faith. Speaking of Christ can also be a test of your faith. So regardless of the outcome, speaking of Christ to others will always be a victory in the eyes of the Lord.

Seven Times

By: Bill Hitchcock

You’d probably be “all ears” If someone said to you seven times to listen to what they were about to say. And you would probably remember it if what they did say was also said seven times.

This is exactly what Jesus does in the Book of Revelations. In the second and third chapters Jesus says a total of seven times, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches”.  Jesus is telling Christians to, “Listen Up! If you have the ability to hear then you better hear what I have to say!”

I think it’s safe to assume that Jesus wants our undivided attention. So what could be so important?

Jesus wants us to overcome. “To him that overcometh” is proclaimed seven times by Jesus. But overcome what? The Blue Letter Bible Lexicon and Strong’s Concordance define overcometh as: “……of Christians, that hold fast their faith even unto death against the power of their foes, and temptations and persecutions”.

Jesus cares so much about our salvation that he tells us seven times to pay attention to what he has to say. Then Jesus tells us seven times to have faith and to overcome. But he doesn’t stop there. Jesus proceeds to tell us what will happen when we do overcome

Revelation Chapter 2

-7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

-11) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

-17) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

-26) And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:  27) And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 28) And I will give him the morning star. 29) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation Chapter 3

-5) He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

-12) Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

-21) To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Each and every day our faith is challenged-Sometimes obviously, sometimes not so obviously. Do not waive what is rightfully yours. Hold fast your faith. This is what Jesus wants you to do. This is why he said to listen to what I have to say seven times. This is why he went on to repeat his message seven times. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Revelation 21:7

Barry Nash Hand out from the North Carolina Seafood Marketing Workshop held on February 3 at the Duke Marine Lab.

carteretcatch

The second largest bluefin ever tagged off North Carolina during Tag-A-Giant Conservation series occurred Jan. 3, 2009. TAG has been coming to NC for fourtens years.

The real estate market can not correct itself when there is a continuous infusion and intervention from the government. The real estate market can only react to what the government does which puts it (the real estate market) in a perpetual state of flux.
Free market and government can not co-exist.
Bill Hitchcock

Crystal Coast Real Estate: Documenting the past six years of listings, new inventory and actual sales

By: Bill Hitchcock

- In 2003, 71% of everything listed got sold that year. In 2008 that number fell to 26% of everything listed being sold.

- During the spike year of 2005, 82% of everything on market was “new inventory”, or properties that were listed for the first time that year. In 2008 that number lowered to 62% was new inventory. Or in other words-38% of everything on the market in 2008 was originally listed in the prior year(s).

What will 2009 bring? I think it best at this point in time to reserve judgement. We have a new President and a new administration about to take office-Let’s see what they do (As oppossed to say!).

In the meantime-World class bluefin tuna fishing is going on right off the beach of the Crystal Coast. I was fortunate to be on board with the Tag-A-Giant Bluefin Tuna Conservation researches when a 700 pound bluefin tuna was caught, tagged and released.