6.9 Other Statewide Conservation Partners and Initiatives
6.9.6 Cape Fear Arch Conservation Collaborative (CFACC) Te Cape Fear Arch is a region distinguished by unusual geology and the greatest biologi- cal diversity along the Atlantic Coast north of Florida. It is located between Cape Lookout in North Carolina and Cape Romain in South Carolina, and extends inland beyond Fayetteville to the Sandhills region of the Carolinas. In North Carolina, the Cape Fear Arch includes the watersheds of the lower Cape Fear and Waccamaw rivers. Te area is under great development pressure, which requires infrastructure that often eliminates habitat for important wildlife species. CFACC is a nonproft partnership of organizations and individuals created in 2006 to enhance cooperation and communication regarding regional conservation issues within the CFA landscape. Te participating organizations represent a broad spectrum of land managers and land conservation advocates with difering missions. All are dedicated to sustainable natural resource management, providing for human needs while retaining the natural heritage of the region. A conservation plan was developed in 2009 that identifes, evaluates, and prioritizes an interconnected network of essential core ecosystems in the Cape Fear Arch region and identifes gaps in the existing network for protection and restoration priorities. Te Cape Fear Arch Conservation Plan was published in 2009 and is a tool for informing planning at regional and local levels. Additional information about CFACC is available from its website (http://capefeararch.org). 6.9.7 Cape Fear River Partnership (CFRP) Te Cape Fear River Partnership was formed in 2011 to restore and demonstrate the value of robust, productive, and self-sustaining stocks of migratory fsh in the Cape Fear River. Te partnership includes key federal, state, local, academic, and other organizations in the region that are working together on a multi-year action plan to provide long-term, habitat-based solutions for the most pressing challenges for migratory fsh. Te Cape Fear River Basin Action Plan for Migratory Fish, published in 2013, outlines problems related to the health of migratory fsh stocks and recommends actions to restore fsh passage and improve habitat and water quality to revitalize fsh populations and improve overall condi- tion of the river. Te partnership evaluates its eforts through goals and objectives associated with: increased fsh populations (as measured by catch-per-unit eforts, improved age struc- ture, and other techniques); increased recreational fshing success for Shad, Striped Bass, and River Herring (as measured by creel surveys); and a reopened native Striped Bass and River Herring harvest in the Cape Fear River. Te partnership successfully got
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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