Commercial shrimpers will have to add second bycatch device on June 1

N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission tries to reduce bycatch of small finfish

Shrimp fishermen will be required to use an additional bycatch reduction device in their trawl nets beginning June 1, and they will have a wider range of certified bycatch reduction devices to choose from than in the past.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission approved the new requirements as part of Amendment 1 to the N.C. Shrimp Fishery Management Plan.

A bycatch reduction device is a fishing-gear modification designed to reduce the catch of finfish that do not meet the size limits or are too small to market.  Currently, North Carolina requires shrimp fishermen to use one state-certified bycatch reduction device in shrimp trawls and skimmer trawls.  Beginning June 1, shrimp fishermen will also be allowed to use any federally certified bycatch reduction device.

The new regulations will also require shrimp fishermen to use a second bycatch reduction device in shrimp trawls and skimmer trawls, in addition to a state or federally certified bycatch reduction device. Fishermen may use any of the following bycatch reduction devices as a second device:

• Any state certified bycatch reduction device;

• Any federally certified bycatch reduction device;

• A T-90 or square mesh tailbag or other applications of square mesh panels, such as a skylight panel;

• Reduced bar spacing in a turtle excluder device.

Fishermen who are already using a second Florida fish eye, a square-mesh application or a turtle-excluder device with reduced bar spacing of  3 inches or less are already compliant and will not need to make any further changes.