SH-1-2019

PROCLAMATION

RE: SHRIMP TRAWL BYCATCH REDUCTION DEVICE REQUIREMENTS – PAMLICO SOUND AND PORTIONS OF THE PAMLICO AND NEUSE RIVERS

This proclamation supersedes proclamation SH-2-2015 dated May 12, 2015. This proclamation establishes specific bycatch reduction device requirements for taking shrimp with trawls (except as described in Section IV.) in Pamlico Sound and the Pamlico and Neuse rivers where up to 220 feet of combined headrope is allowed.

Stephen W. Murphey, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M. Monday, July 1, 2019 the following restrictions apply to shrimp trawls (skimmer trawls are exempt):

I. SUSPENSION OF A PORTION OF N.C. MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION RULE 15A NCAC 03L .0103
The following portion of North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission Rule 15A NCAC 03L .0103 is suspended effective at 12:01 A.M., Monday July 1, 2019:
Section (a)(1), which reads:

(a) It is unlawful to take shrimp with nets with mesh lengths less than the following:
(1) Trawl net – one and one-half inches;

II. AREA DESCRIPTIONS:
It is unlawful to take shrimp with trawls, except as described in Sections III and IV, in the areas listed below:

(1) Pamlico Sound south of the 35° 46.3000' N latitude line and north of a line beginning at a point 34° 59.7942' N - 76° 14.6514' W on Camp Point; running easterly to a point 34° 58.7853' N -
76° 09.8922' W on Core Banks;
(2) Pamlico River downstream of a line from a point 35° 18.5882' N - 76° 28.9625' W at Pamlico Point; running northerly to a point 35° 22.3741' N - 76° 28.6905' W at Willow Point; and
(3) Neuse River northeast of a line from a point 34° 58.2000' N - 76° 40.5167' W at Winthrop Point on the eastern shore of the entrance to Adams Creek; running northerly to a point 35° 01.0744' N - 76° 42.1550' W at Windmill Point at the entrance of Greens Creek at Oriental. See Map 1.

III. GEAR RESTRICTIONS:
In the areas described in Section II, it is unlawful to take shrimp with trawls with mesh lengths less than one and three-quarter inches and without authorized North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRD) properly installed and operational in the tail bag/cod end of EACH net as described below (Figure 1):

A. Double Federal Fisheye (Figure 1, Table 1):

1. Description: The Double Federal Fisheye BRD is two Federal Fisheye BRDs placed inline as described below. The Fisheye BRD is a pyramid-shaped rigid frame constructed from aluminum or steel rod of at least 1⁄4 inch (6.35 mm) diameter, which is inserted into the tail bag/cod end to form an escape opening. Minimum construction and installation requirements stated below.
2. The Federal Fisheye is a four-sided pyramid and has a minimum escape opening dimension of 6 inches (15.2 cm), minimum leg length of 12 inches (30.4 cm), and a minimum total escape opening area of 36 in2 (91.4 cm2) [inside dimensions, not bar lengths] (Figure 1).
3. The Federal Fisheye shall be installed on the outside of the trawl. The webbing of the trawl attached to the Fisheye cannot cover more than 50% of the Federal Fisheye.
4. When the Federal Fisheye BRD is installed, no part of the lazy line attachment system (i.e., any mechanism, such as elephant ears or choker straps, used to attach the lazy line to the tail bag/cod end) may overlap the Federal Fisheye escape opening when the Federal Fisheye is installed aft of the attachment point of the tail bag/cod end retrieval system. The escapement opening shall remain unobstructed at all times.
5. The aft Federal Fisheye BRD must be installed at the top center of the tail bag/cod end of the trawl to create an escape opening in the trawl facing the direction of the mouth of the trawl no further forward than 65% of the functional tail bag/cod end length measured from the tail bag/cod end tie-off rings (Table 1).
6. Placement of the apex (narrow end) of the Federal Fisheye shall be toward the headrope of the trawl (forward).
7. The second Federal Fisheye BRD can be installed no further forward than 5 meshes from the apex of the primary Federal Fisheye BRD with the apex of the second Federal Fisheye BRD facing the headrope of the trawl.

B. Virgil Potter BRD and one Florida Fish Excluder (Figures 2, 3 and 4, Table 1):

1. Virgil Potter BRD
Description: The Virgil Potter BRD is a radial escape section constructed of large mesh webbing hung on the square. Minimum construction and installation requirements stated below.

a. The radial escape section shall be constructed of a minimum of 8 ½ inch stretch mesh that is five meshes long installed between the TED extension and the cod-end, and includes a funnel constructed of 1 ½ inch stretch mesh (Figure 2, 3).

2. Florida Fish Excluder (FFE) (Figure 4 and Table 1):
Description: pyramid-shaped rigid frame constructed from aluminum, steel, or stainless-steel round bar or tubing which is inserted into the tail bag/cod end to form an escape opening. Minimum construction and installation requirements stated below.

a. The FFE shall be installed on the outside of the trawl. The webbing of the trawl attached to the FFE cannot cover more than 50% of the FFE.
b. The escapement opening of the FFE shall be diamond in shape and shall remain unobstructed at all times. Diamond shaped FFE shall measure at least 5 1/2 inches x 6 1/2 inches or 6 inches x 6 inches, inside diameter (see Figure 4).
c. Placement of the apex (narrow end) of the FFE shall be toward the headrope of the trawl (forward).
d. A FFE shall have at least three (3) legs and no more than four (4) legs and measure at least 12 inches in length (see Figure 4).
e. The opening of the FFE shall be installed on the outside of the tail bag/cod end of the trawl no further forward than 65% of the functional tail bag/cod end length measured from the tail bag/cod end tie-off rings (Table 1).
f. The center of the FFE escapement opening shall be installed no more than 19 meshes from the top centerline of the tail bag/cod end.
g. A FFE shall be constructed from aluminum, steel, or stainless-steel round bar or tubing.
h. When the FFE BRD is installed, no part of the lazy line attachment system (i.e., any mechanism, such as elephant ears or choker straps, used to attach the lazy line to the tail bag/cod end) may overlap the FFE escape opening when the FFE is installed aft of the attachment point of the tail bag/cod end retrieval system.