15th Annual Fish Baron's Ball and NCFA Highliner Awards Ceremony

Fish folks came out of every swamp, bog, island and inlet in the Tar Heel state to attend the 15th Annual Fish Baron's Ball and 5th Annual Silent Auction. The New Bern Riverfront Convention Center played host to "ready to party" ball-goers who turned out for a world class dinner of fresh seafood presided over by NCFA Chairman Billy Carl Tillett, Vice Chair Sherrill Styron and NCFA President Jerry Schill and Congressman Walter Jones. 

The scene at the convention center could have easily been mistaken for a Hollywood movie premiere as some of the state's most successful fishermen, dealers and processors hung up their rubber coats and cozies for a night of festivities. Many of the guests began the evening bidding on silent auction items, donated by NCFA supporters. After dinner the friendly bidding had turned into a war of wills bidders with the strongest resolve took home the bounty. Ultimately the auction raised $7,100 for the association. 

Aside from friendly bidding, guests were hitting the dance floor where they kicked up their heels until 1 a.m. to the tunes and tones of musical group Heart and Soul. Fishery folks do things with a style that is all their own, whether whooping it up on the dance floor or rubbing elbows with VIPs. Oddly enough, area celebrities attending the ball- including Congressman Walter B. Jones Jr., Representative Jean Preston, Representative-elect Alice Underhill, Craven County Commissioners Don Phillips and Johnnie Sampson, UNC Sea Grant Director Ron Hodson and CMAST Director & NCSU Seafood Lab David Green-managed to escape the camera's eye while cutting their rugs. 

Presentations began with Jerry Schill reading the words on a plaque of appreciation for NCFA's former Communications Director, Maureen Donald, who could not attend the festivities due to a prior commitment. Donald also served as Editor of Tradewinds from 1997 until recently, and was recognized for bringing the commercial fishing journal to new heights of design and professionalism. She and her husband, Peter Darna, and son Pete, are the new owner/operators of the Hideaway Marina in Pamlico County.

2000 Highliner Awards

While the 15th Annual Fish Baron's Ball brought together a diverse group of fishery professionals to have a great time, they also took time to honor two heroes of their industry with the prestigious Highliner Award. Longtime NCFA member Jimmy Ruhle and NCFA President Jerry Schill each received the award for their years of dedicated service to the industry. 

Although neither recipient of the award knew beforehand that they were to be honored, Ruhle arrived at the ball with a well-prepared speech for his fellow fishermen. Ruhle made an impassioned plea to NCFA members to lend their experience on the water to the advisory boards that help determine quotas and legal fishing practices. 

Jimmy closed his remarks by telling the crowd to judge the association as much by what it has prevented from happening to the commercial fisherman as by the high profile battles the association has won in favor of the industry. Schill, who had helped orchestrate the ruse that delivered Ruhle to the galla affair, was caught off guard. For a moment many in the crowd thought the normally outspoken Jerry Schill might have been left speechless (for once). But Schill found inspiration in the words of long time friend, Ruhle, and reminded the crowd to enjoy themselves and be merry but to remember all those beloved members of the fishing community that had unexpectedly died leaving behind fond memories.