speaking of regs

Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
Understand your rights you and your family have enjoyed for all your years here Mommicked. I have no problem with the fishing in the sounds/ back creeks, etc. I have a boat and fish these waters too, and fish the specks/flounder mostly summer and fall, and catch my fair share too. But to what I have eluded to in the beginning of this discussion is the surf fishing has gone to pot for several years now ( Topsail / Surf City area) and every day during the fall the trawlers are lined up few hundred yards off the coast, turn around when they get to the Surf City pier, one behind the other, and you cannot catch enough mullet in the fall runs to eat. Was not like this few years ago and those boats were not that close in at that time. They raping the coast and you can go to the fish houses at Sneads Ferry and buy all the large mullet you want. Now that is not right, and hope something is done about it.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
My ancestors have been here since before the Revolutionary War. For those historically challenged, that was started in 1776. We were here before that. Both sides of my family.


well for the historically challenged,,,the war started in 1774/5,,,,,heck some historians say it actually started in 1765 when the first boycotts of British taxes happened,,,,,,,,,,,,,but not here to argue history with the uninformed,,,,,,,

it's a good thing your original forefathers (on both sides mind you) had the gumption to migrate/immigrate/flee to the colonies (or did they come over with the Vikings?),,,,,,cause from what you say, the generations after that would have stayed right there in Europe waiting for something to happen,,,,,,,,

anyhow - back to the fish and shrimp,,,,,,,

amazing what the Gulf Coast has done with their fisheries,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
 
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Bruiser

Old Mossy Horns
Is there any data out there that shows the weight of shrimp caught in the Pamlico that actually stays in NC vs being boxed up and trucked to the highest bidder??
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Is there any data out there that shows the weight of shrimp caught in the Pamlico that actually stays in NC vs being boxed up and trucked to the highest bidder??

thank you for that prompt,,,,,,,some interesting reading out there,,,,,,,

https://www.cefs.ncsu.edu/ncgt/analysis-of-nc-seafood-industry-national-and-state-perspective.pdf

The United States seafood industry has acquired a trade deficit of about $7.0 billion for much of the past decade (Neville, 2013). This is the result of exporting almost the entire domestic catch, and then importing seafood to largely satisfy domestic demand. Supply shortages overseas due to strong demand make prices from exporting more lucrative for U.S. fishing operators than selling domestically (Neville, 2013).


however on page 22 it speaks to NC specific markets for NC landed seafood and it's 34% to in-state dealers (doesn't mean it stays here, but a good sign), 26% out of state dealers, and the remainder to retail (stores), restaurants, and "other",,,,,,,,

from the read, it's mainly from a lack of processing capability here,,,losing it to real estate development and such,,,,,,,,,

fascinating read,,,,,,,,,,,,
 
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23mako

Ten Pointer
My ancestors DID come here before this was a nation, helped build such nation, and have inhabited this land ever since. You're just jealous! :D

As to having undisputed rights, every time commercial fishing comes up, someone who weekends here wants to TAKE AWAY the rights we have enjoyed for years. Why don't you get some scientists to work on a plan to help you catch more fish that doesn't take away the rights to use the public resource from someone else? That would be a good use of science.

No one is trying to take away commercial fishermen's rights to use the water. Just the right to kill millions if fish each year and destroy grass beds. Figuring out a way to get rid of bycatch would be a "good use of science".

Commercial fishermen should be tickled pink for the weekenders down there. Who do they think is buying their product?

Again, it doesn't matter when your ancestors got here. You can go see my ancestor's monument at Moores Creek Bridge if you want. Doesn't give me any more rights to do something than the next man.
 

23mako

Ten Pointer
thank you for that prompt,,,,,,,some interesting reading out there,,,,,,,

d,,,,,,,,,,,,

Interesting reading Moose. I would also encourage people to look at VA's mariculture industry vs NC's....really like night and day.

https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/ncseagr...omparative_study_va_nc_oyster_aquaculture.pdf

http://www.vims.edu/research/units/centerspartners/map/aquaculture/docs_aqua/MRR2016-4.pdf

I will warn you it is frustrating to read these documents. When you see years like 1994 etc, you see how slow the pace of reform in North Carolina is with regards to fisheries management. Delay, delay, delay is the name of the game!
 

SharpShooter

Ten Pointer
Woodmoose NC harvest between 5 and 6 million pounds of shrimp annually. We consume 40 million pounds. Heck the petition as presented does not end shrimp trawling as their lobbiest would have you believe. It restricts it to 3 days per week and restricts the trawl opening to no more than 90' wide. This helps the little guy who shrimps on the weekends and part time compete with the big steel trawlers. It also restricts shrimp trawling to daylight hours.
 

Wanchese

Twelve Pointer
This helps the little guy who shrimps on the weekends and part time compete with the big steel trawlers.
Shrimping on the weekend is illegal until Sunday afternoon right before sunset.

Some people amaze me. Spouting off about something you don't even know the current regulations on and claiming to be looking out for the small time guys. Yeah right. These same "little guys" you are looking out for are the same ones that you all bitch about gillnetting, oystering and crabbing in the sounds. What would like to allow them to do? You push for the NCMFC to define a commercial fisherman as someone that makes the majority of their income for commercial fishing but at the same time want to stop everything they do. Pretty sure they would rather not have yall looking out for them.


I'm not a big fan of shrimping, my post in the past on here show that, but I am honest about why and what I think would help.
 
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darenative

Twelve Pointer
A simple headrope restriction would get us headed in the right direction without wiping out the mom and pop smaller operations. A 50-60' total headrope limit would limit the size of vessels participating in the fishery and put the big boats outside the inlet by default due to operating costs.
 

2boyz

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
A simple headrope restriction would get us headed in the right direction without wiping out the mom and pop smaller operations. A 50-60' total headrope limit would limit the size of vessels participating in the fishery and put the big boats outside the inlet by default due to operating costs.

Good post and logic, darenative. A level playing field in the Pamlico would be a start. The current situation is absolutely inconceivable in any other shrimping state and is unsustainable in NC. The political environment may be ripe for another step to strictly target the Pamlico.

I'm late to this discussion and hope to respond further.
 

2boyz

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
The clash between the shrimping industry and other user groups would basically be a non-issue except for two issues: 1. BYCATCH. For every ton of shrimp marketed, there are 5-8 tons of juvenile spots, croakers, trout, drum, whiting, mullets, crabs, etc dumped overboard...most are dead.

2. No other state except NC, with limited exceptions, allows inshore shrimping. (sounds, rivers, etc.). Same with gill nets.

IF shrimping was a vibrant, growing industry in the US, funding for further refinements in equipment to limit ecological damage and bycatch reduction would be an attainable priority. However, the growing aquaculture industry, primarily in Asia, provides the vast majority (90%??) of US shrimp and volume dictates the price. POINT: At some $$$ level, shrimping in the US is no longer profitable and significant refinement in equipment WILL NOT HAPPEN.

1. Tradition and 2. ON-GOING businesses: Personally, TRADITION or "my ancestors fished from the Mayflower" should carry NO weight in terms of being allowed unique access to a resource. The country has historically made exceptions primarily to indigenous groups. 2. That said, I have and will continue to strongly support a person's right to maintain and operate an on-going business. Thus the contrast.

The majority will ultimately rule when utilizing a resource infringes on other user groups. This will be the case with inshore shrimping unless both sides seek a solution.

I will go with the assumption that the large trawlers will be pushed out of the Pamlico through "majority rules"/legislation and the goal to simply creating a level playing field to include smaller users. The other issue will be the economics associate with a dwindling resource and/or the economic impact of foreign shrimp...i.e....shrimping may not continue to be profitable.

CONSIDER: Buyout of smaller commercial shrimpers and gill netters. The on-going commercial guys profiting from the Pamlico deserve fair treatment. The State of NC should have a VERY fair method of buyout to include compensation in both up-front and ongoing $$$, purchase of equipment, retraining and/or employment, and/or business opportunities including aquaculture. The ground-fishing industry off the New England coast is a precedent for compensation. Funding from state and federal coffers should be uniquely supplemented by recreational user groups that will benefit from the recovery of a resource.

That said, the real opportunity for the commercial users in the Pamlico is aquaculture. I have seen some example of shellfish in the Chesapeake and to an absolute extreme on Prince Edward Island. We have not even scratched the surface as we have spent too much time spewing words rather than seeking a solution. POINT: All parties can benefit from the resource and the opportunity exists for the relationship to be one of mutualism.

FUNDING: PAY TO PLAY. Recreational users should be a part of the solution to include significant $$$ towards the reduction in shrimping and gill netting and the associated development of new opportunities for the affected parties. Recreational users can drive the process.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
That said, the real opportunity for the commercial users in the Pamlico is aquaculture. I have seen some example of shellfish in the Chesapeake and to an absolute extreme on Prince Edward Island. We have not even scratched the surface as we have spent too much time spewing words rather than seeking a solution. POINT: All parties can benefit from the resource and the opportunity exists for the relationship to be one of mutualism. .



key points,,,,,,,most businesses go through changes as technology, society, and cultures change,,,,,,,,harking to tradition as the reason to not change does no one any good long term, especially the ones in the business as someone, eventually, will come along with a better business model and kick some butt,,,,,,,a business model that provides the product (in this case seafood) at a price and quality point that meets the needs,,,,,,tradition be danged,,,,,
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
I fish a lot all over the southeast. I will say every state but NC has SEVERE limits on commercial fishing. You go to Louisiana, Texas or Florida and their fisheries are healthy. It doesn't mean that you can catch and keep all you want. The problem is one simply of numbers. There's more and more people pursuing a dwindling number of fish in the coastal waters of NC. Gone and never to return are the days of keeping hundreds of spots and croakers and 10 or 15 trout. Just to many people fishing to allow that. Same thing with the offshore bottom fishing. I have spots that NO ONE knew about for years and years and they were incredible spots. You could catch big trigger fish, nice bee liners and some stud grouper and leave the fish biting. Not anymore. If we find a piec of bottom that is productive we guard it line it is gold. It's simply a numbers and technology game today. It's the same arguments here that occur in duck hunting circles and deer hunting circles. We honestly just are getting to many people here and our resources can't support the effort being put on them.


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bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
And the 500 pound gorilla in the room no one is talking about is water quality. It isn't due to agriculture, but it is due to every tom dick and harry going to Lowes and putting bag after bag of fertilizer on their yard twice or even 3 times a year. Those pretty green yards are one of the largest problems our rivers and bays face.


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