Do you love fresh-caught local shrimp? Of course you do! The sweet, succulent crustaceans are hands-down the nation’s most popular seafood, and North Carolina is one of the top-producing shrimp states for brown shrimp, white shrimp (greentails) and pink shrimp.
According to North Carolina Sea Grant, shrimp is the second-most commercially harvested seafood in the state and contributes nearly $300 million in value and 5,500 jobs to the state's economy.
Yet, despite the huge popularity of North Carolina shrimp and the industry’s valuable contribution to state and local economies, the state’s shrimping industry is under an immediate threat.
A senator representing five inland counties has introduced an amendment to House Bill 442 to prohibit shrimp trawling in all of North Carolina’s inland waters and within a half-mile of the Atlantic Ocean shoreline.
According to N.C. Senator Bobby Hanig (R-Currituck), who opposes the amendment, eliminating that range would cut the number of shrimp caught in North Carolina by 75 percent, as three-quarters of the state's shrimp are caught in inland waters.
If passed with this amendment, House Bill 442 would severely impact the Outer Banks shrimping industry, not only limiting access to fresh shrimp on our dinner tables, but also harming the local economies. Commercial shrimpers, seafood packaging facilities, seafood retailers and restaurants will face a huge hit, and many say they will be driven out of business.
Outer Banks legislators, leaders, business owners, locals and visitors are speaking up in opposition to the amendment, which was hastily inserted into House Bill 442 on Tuesday, June 17 – the day before it was scheduled for a vote in the Senate. Dare County, Hyde County and the six Outer Banks municipalities have passed resolutions in opposition to the amendment.
Those in favor of the amendment say that it addresses the impact shrimp trawling in inland waters has on collapsing fish populations. They argue that shrimp trawling produces too much finfish bycatch and disturbs the estuary and that moving it offshore is the way to solve that problem.
But commercial shrimpers and other opponents say that North Carolina’s shrimp trawl fishery is already managed responsibly and, in fact, is the most strictly managed in the nation. They have countered with the concern that the bill would override shrimping industry rules the Marine Fisheries Commission has already put in place.
North Carolina law currently requires shrimpers to use two bycatch reduction devices per net – more than any other state. The state’s strict gear rules for shrimpers, implemented in 2019 and 2022, cut bycatch by 40% to 70%. Additionally, half of the state’s waters are already permanently closed to trawling, and another 200,000+ acres are closed seasonally. In seasons when shrimp trawling is allowed, trawling is banned from 9 pm on Fridays to 5 pm on Sunday, removing 26% of trawling opportunity each week.
If additional shrimp regulations are needed, local resolutions argue that “they should be developed in cooperation with regulatory agencies, the scientific community, and the fishermen whose livelihoods depend on these waters, rather than through an immediate and outright ban.”
The Senate passed the Second Reading of the amended House Bill 442 on June 18, with a vote of 41 yeas to 4 noes. The no votes came from coastal Republicans: Bob Brinson (R-Craven), Bobby Hanig (R-Currituck), Michael A. Lazzara (R-Onslow) and Norman W. Sanderson (R-Pamlico).
On June 19, the North Carolina Senate passed the bill with the amendment to restrict shrimp trawling. The measure moves next to the North Carolina House of Representatives.
If this bill passes, it will shut down a huge portion of the commercial shrimping industry in North Carolina. Then what? We all eat cheap farm-raised shrimp imported from countries that do not regulate the product. No thank you. Believe me, it does not taste anywhere near as good as fresh North Carolina shrimp caught by local fishermen who care very much about sustainable fishing because their livelihood depends on it!
If this is an issue of concern for you, please speak up!
Contact North Carolina legislators immediately to oppose any changes to House Bill 442 that would restrict shrimp trawling in N.C. inland waters and within a half-mile of the ocean shoreline. Due to the number of emails flooding to legislators, if you email, be sure to make your subject line very specific, in case the email is not fully read in time. For instance, if you oppose the amendment, your subject line could be “I Oppose the Amendment to House Bill 442 to Ban shrimp trawling in NC inland waters and a ½ mile offshore.” Phone calls are beneficial as well.
Here are the state legislators for Dare County:
• Senator Bobby Hanig: Bobby.Hanig@ncleg.gov, (919) 715-8293
• Representative Ed Goodwin: Edward.Goodwin@ncleg.gov, (252) 482-8168
• Representative Keith Kidwell: Keith.Kidwell@ncleg.gov, (919) 733-5881
For a full list of the legislators in the North Carolina General Assembly, go to ncmegaphone.com. Email all of the members of the House if you have time because this is more than a coastal issue.
For more in-depth stories, check Outer Banks Voice, The News & Observer and NC Coastal Review.
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
