Tag Archives: commercial shrimp fishing
Jan. temps put summer shrimp haul at risk. What’s behind SC’s decision to help?
Jeff Brunson, the state Department of Natural Resources’ crustacean fisheries manager, said the general trawl zone will close at 7 p.m. Wednesday, except for certain provisional areas located at the outer edge of inshore state waters, which will close Jan. 31. Shrimpers can still fish in deeper federal waters. The reason for the closure of the inshore state waters is cold water brought on by continued below-average temperatures. “As water drops, they migrate out farther to areas where it’s a little warmer,” Brunson said. “We’re trying to protect those overwintering shrimp and their migration this time of year is largely driven by water temperature.” Protecting these young shrimps is critical because they develop into adult white roe shrimp up to 8 inches long. And it’s those adult shrimps that make up the valuable spring and summer harvest. The value of the state’s entire shrimp harvest averaged $8 million between 2019 and 2023. “It’s our highest value fishery,” Brunson said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:57
Moratorium on fishing Maine shrimp to continue through 2025
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section is maintaining the current moratorium on northern shrimp fishing through the 2025 fishing year. That makes 11 years of no commercial shrimp fishing in Maine. That action followed the 2024 Stock Assessment Update, “which indicates the northern shrimp stock has been at low levels of biomass for over the past decade despite the fishery being under a moratorium since 2014,” said the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in a Dec. 13 news release. The Update found no improvement in stock status and 2023 summer survey indices of abundance, biomass, and recruitment were the lowest in the 1984-2023 time-series. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:32
Carteret County board blasts MFC “draconian measures,” in resolution
Carteret County will join supporters of the commercial shrimp fishing trade, voicing opposition to the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission’s decision to pursue tougher restrictions for shrimp trawling, accusing the MFC of putting politics ahead of good management. Commissioners passed a resolution Monday during their February meeting, casting a unanimous vote of “no confidence” on the MFC decision. “There’s some significant economic implications for Carteret County and for all of the tidewater (through granting this petition),” Commissioner Jonathan Robinson said in an impassioned speech in the county boardroom. He accused members of the MFC of politicizing the issue, rather than relying on scientific findings for rulemaking. “When you go in the face and eyes of all your advisers and take that kind of authoritative action, they’ve clearly demonstrated they don’t have the objectivity to make sound decision on this issue,” Mr. Robinson said. continue reading the article here 09:20