Top Ten Reasons to DENY PETITION to reclassify additional NC estuarine waters as permanent secondary nursery areas 1. This action would amount to a ban on all shrimp and crab trawling in NC estuarine waters. 2. The existing classification system relies on science-based criteria; the proposed action is based on personal opinion. 3. Shrimp and crab trawling are carefully controlled fisheries, managed via state-mandated fisheries management plans. 4. A recent scientific study comparing areas that are open and closed to trawling found that ecosystem productivity is greater in areas that are trawled (Deehr 2012). --> IMPORTANT RESEARCH. 5. This action would deny consumers access to wild-caught Pamlico and Core Sound shrimp, not to mention seafood markets and restaurants. 6. Commercial shrimpers have long employed Turtle Excluder Devices and Fish Excluder Devices / By-catch Reduction devices to minimize unwanted by-catch. --> CONSERVATION MEASURES ARE IN PLACE & CONTINUE TO EVOLVE. 7. Acting on this petition circumvents the FMP process and is contrary to the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act. 8. The Fisheries Reform Act mandates fair and equitable management of NC public trust resources to the benefit of all user groups. 9. Seafood industry jobs are an important component of our state’s economic engine, including tourism and local foods/seafood branding efforts growing in popularity and importance. 10. A trawl ban would hurt small businesses that support the working waterfront, such as gear suppliers, machine shops, mechanics, marine railways and docking facilities.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 11:25:55 +0000