Source: NCDENR, 6/1/21
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting public comment
on proposed management changes to further reduce bycatch of non-target species
and minimize ecosystem impacts. Draft Amendment 2 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan contains
a suite of management options that range broadly from status quo to a complete
closure of all inside waters, including Pamlico Sound, to shrimp trawling. They
include:
- Area
closures to protect submerged aquatic vegetation or oyster beds;
- Shrimp
management of Special Secondary Nursery Areas;
- Creating
permanent or seasonal closures in the Pamlico Sound region;
- Shrimp
trawl gear modifications; and
- Shrimp
trawl effort limitations.
Draft Shrimp Amendment 2 also
includes a shrimp trawl bycatch information paper which discusses data needs to
estimate the amount of bycatch from the shrimp trawl fishery, methods for
estimating bycatch reduction and impacts on common bycatch species. Additionally,
one objective of the plan is to evaluate and address nursery area designations
through the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan.
The public may comment on Draft Shrimp
Amendment 2 in three ways:
- Sign Up to Speak at an Advisory Committee
Meeting – Public comment will be accepted at the three Marine
Fisheries Commission Advisory Committee meetings listed below. Those who
wish to speak at the meetings must register by 5 p.m. the day before the
meeting.
- Submit Online Comments – Public comments will be accepted through an online form until 5 p.m. on June 30. Click here to submit comments online.
- Mail Comments – Written comments may be mailed to Draft Shrimp FMP Amendment 2 Comments, P.O Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557. Comments must be received by the division 5 p.m. on June 30.
Emailed comments will not be
accepted. Five Marine Fisheries Commission Advisory Committees are scheduled
to review and accept public comment on Draft Shrimp Amendment 2. The committees
will meet by web conference as follows:
Joint Northern and Southern Regional Advisory Committees
June 15 at 6 p.m.
Register to speak by 5 p.m. June 14
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Joint Shellfish/Crustacean and Finfish Advisory Committees
June 16 at 6 p.m.
Register to speak by 5 p.m. June 15
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Habitat and Water Quality Advisory Committee
June 17 at 6 p.m.
Register to speak by 5 p.m. June 16
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Meeting links and agendas are available on
the Marine Fisheries Commission Advisory Committees Meetings webpage.
More specifics on the Draft Shrimp Amendment 2 can be found on the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan Amendment 2 Information webpage.
The Marine Fisheries Commission is scheduled to consider public
comment and advisory committee input and select its preferred management
measures for departmental and legislative review at its August business meeting
and give final approval of the amendment in November 2021. For more information contact division biologists Chris Stewart (Chris.Stewart@ncdenr.com) at 910-796-7291, Jason Rock (Jason.Rock@ncdenr.com) at 252-808-8091, or Daniel Zapf (Daniel.Zapf@ncdenr.com) at 252-946-6481.
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