The Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina opposes proposed changes in North Carolina’s Red Drum Management Plan.
One of the proposed changes would increase the daily “incidental” commercial take of red drum from seven to 10 fish. Why has this proposal gotten consideration? It’s pretty simple — in fact, as simple as CCA-NC’s reason for opposing the idea.
By the 1990s, redfish had become a highly-prized menu item at many seafood restaurants. Everyone with a net or hook and line began catching red drum and selling them to meet the demand. By 1995, a N.C. gill-net fishery targeting red drum had developed.
Of course, with increased harvest pressure, it didn’t take long to deplete the state’s supply of redfish. Alarmed at the drastic decline, DMF scientists began a 1998 study of the fishery that culminated in the Red Drum Fishery Management Plan of 2001.
This FMP basically cut the commercial take to seven fish per trip and netters had to catch at least 50 percent of some other targeted species (to get red drum out of their crosshairs). The recreational angler limit dropped to one fish a day in a “slot” of 18 to 27 inches. Netters also couldn’t keep fish longer than 27 inches in their “incidental” catches of reds.
The slot limit was needed because red drum mature when they reach 30 inches in length, so the FMP protected adult spawners.
During the last seven years, with netting and hook-and-line fishing restricted, red drum spawned a lot and stocks increased. Even though restricted to one slot fish, recreational red drum anglers spent an estimated $50 million annually, far outpacing the commercial cash value ($173,040 in 2005) for netted-and-sold reds.
The increase in red drum (most recreational anglers release their drum after enjoying a tussle) apparently triggered the current request to give netters three more drum per day (for a total of 10).
It’s no wonder netters want more red drum, with the cost of fuel rising steadily toward $4 per gallon. Three hundred pounds of red drum sold at $1.50 per pound will fill a gas tank or two.
Interestingly, DMF biologists don’t want the Red Drum FMP to change, except to move gill nets away from nursery areas. That includes keeping small-mesh gill nets 200 yards from shore north of Core Sound and 100 yards from shore south of Core Sound May 1-Dec. 31, plus keeping unattended large-mesh gill nets at least 25 yards from the shore June 1-Oct. 31.
The Red Drum Advisory Committee’s proposals are not as restrictive and appear to favor netters. The trip limit would increase to 10 fish; “year-round attendance” of small-mesh gill nets would be required at nursery areas, but waters south of Core Sound and the Albemarle Sound Management area (most N.C. inshore waters) would be exempt; small-mesh nets would be set 200 yards from shoreline but only Oct. 1-Nov. 31 with areas south of Core Sound also exempt; and large-mesh gill nets could be set just 10 feet from shore instead of 25 feet.
Red drum experts know these fish often travel near shorelines, so the AC’s proposals don’t offer much protection.
The final vote will fall to the Marine Fisheries Commission. We pray they don’t try to fix something that isn’t broken.
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