Tim Barefoot, co-chairman of the Recreational Fishing Alliance-North Carolina (RFA-NC) and owner of Barefoot Fishing Gear in Wilmington, explained that the non-coastal waters mean all waters inside the inlets and asked the concerned authority to put ban of all mobile and fixed net gear from the state’s sounds, bays, estuaries and creeks. According the group mainly demand to ban the use of gillnets, otter trawls and dredges as these gear scrapes the bottom, disturbing critical habitat for fish and have bycatch problems. He said that the ban would now apply to cast nets.
Barefoot indicates that the group might not seek a ban on commercial pound nets. Michael Peele. Commercial fisherman in Hatteras, said that a net ban in Pamlico Sound would eliminate a whole segment of the fishing industry and literally shut us down. According to him many of the men who work in the sound are older fishermen and use small, traditional skiffs.
Sean McKeon, president of the North Carolina Fisheries Association (NCFA), a commercial fishing trade organization, comment that state has created a recreational fishing license, the next step is a net ban. Commenting on net ban proposal NC Senate Pro Tempore Marc Basnight said the state has the largest system of shallow inner waters in the country, and its fishery supports itself very well, producing fish, crabs and shrimp for a large population of people.
RFA-NC co-chairman Barefoot said both the net ban and plan to increase domestic seafood production will go simultaneously as the group does not want to put commercial fishermen out of business. However, he refused to throw more light on the issue but said that the net ban will not affect the commercial fishermen as there are sufficient opportunities available though buyout programs, retraining, and aquaculture to invalidate the excuse that commercial fishermen will be put out of business.
