Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 6, September 16, 2024
(a) It shall be
unlawful to possess aboard a vessel while using a trawl net in Internal Waters
more than 500 pounds of finfish from December 1 through March 1, and 1,000
pounds of finfish from March 2 through November 30.
(b) It shall be unlawful to use trawl nets:
(1) in Internal Waters from 9:00 p.m. on
Friday through 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, except:
(A) from December 1 through March 1 from one
hour after sunset on Friday to one hour before sunrise on Monday in the areas
listed in Subparagraph (b)(5) of this Paragraph; or
(B) for a holder of a Permit for Weekend
Trawling for Live Shrimp in accordance with
15A NCAC
03O .0503;
(2) for the taking of oysters;
(3) in Albemarle Sound, Currituck Sound, and
their tributaries, west of a line beginning on the south shore of Long Point at
a point 36° 02.4910' N - 75° 44.2140' W; running southerly to the north
shore on Roanoke Island to a point 35° 56.3302' N - 75° 43.1409' W;
running northwesterly to Caroon Point to a point 35° 57.2255' N - 75°
48.3324' W;
(4) in the areas
described in
15A NCAC
03R .0106, except that the Fisheries Director
may, by proclamation, open the area designated in
15A NCAC
03R .0106(1) to peeler crab
trawling;
(5) from December 1
through March 1 from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise in the
following areas:
(A) in Pungo River, north of
a line beginning on Currituck Point at a point 35° 24.5833' N - 76°
32.3166' W, running southwesterly to Wades Point to a point 35° 23.3062' N
- 76° 34.5135' W;
(B) in
Pamlico River, west of a line beginning on Wades Point at a point 35°
23.3062' N - 76° 34.5135' W, running southwesterly to Fulford Point to a
point 35° 19.8667' N - 76° 35.9333' W;
(C) in Bay River, west of a line beginning on
Bay Point at a point 35° 11.0858' N - 76° 31.6155' W, running southerly
to Maw Point to a point 35° 09.0214' N - 76° 32.2593' W;
(D) in Neuse River, west of a line beginning
on the Minnesott side of the Neuse River Ferry at a point 34° 57.9116' N -
76° 48.2240' W, running southerly to the Cherry Branch side of the Neuse
River Ferry to a point 34° 56.3658' N - 76° 48.7110' W;
(E) in New River, all waters upstream of the
N.C. Highway 172 Bridge when opened by proclamation; and
(6) in designated pot areas opened to the use
of pots by Rule .0301(a)(2) of this Subchapter and described in
15A NCAC
03R .0107(a)(5), (a)(6), (a)(7),
(a)(8), and (a)(9) within an area bound by
the shoreline to the depth of six feet.
(c) Mesh sizes for shrimp and crab trawl nets
shall meet the requirements of
15A NCAC
03L .0103 and
03L .0202.
(d) The Fisheries Director may, with prior
consent of the Marine Fisheries Commission, by proclamation, require bycatch
reduction devices or cod end (tailbag) modifications in trawl nets to reduce
the catch of finfish that do not meet size limits or are unmarketable as
individual foodfish by reason of size.
(e) It shall be unlawful to use shrimp trawl
nets for recreational purposes unless the trawl net is marked by attaching to
the cod end (tailbag) a floating buoy, any shade of hot pink in color. Buoys
shall be of solid foam or other solid buoyant material no less than five inches
in diameter and no less than five inches in length. The gear owner's last name
and initials shall be identified on the attached buoy by using an engraved buoy
or by attaching engraved metal or plastic tags to the buoy. If a vessel is
used, the identification shall also include one of the following:
(1) gear owner's current motor boat
registration number; or
(2) gear
owner's U.S. vessel documentation name.
(f) It shall be unlawful to use shrimp trawl
nets for the taking of blue crabs in Internal Waters, except that it shall be
permissible to take or possess blue crabs incidental to shrimp trawling in
accordance with the following limitations:
(1)
for individuals using shrimp trawl nets authorized by a Recreational Commercial
Gear License, 50 blue crabs per day, not to exceed 100 blue crabs if two or
more Recreational Commercial Gear License holders are on board the same vessel;
and
(2) for commercial operations,
crabs may be taken incidental to lawful shrimp trawl net operations provided
that the weight of the crabs shall not exceed the greater of:
(A) 50 percent of the total weight of the
combined crab and shrimp catch; or
(B) 300 pounds.
(g) The Fisheries Director may, by
proclamation, close any area to trawling for specific time periods consistent
with the requirements of this Rule.
Authority
G.S.
113-134;
113-173;
113-182;
113-221.1;
143B-289.52;
Eff.
February 1, 1991;
Amended Eff. August 1, 1998; May 1, 1997; March
1, 1994; February 1, 1992;
Temporary Amendment Eff. July 1,
1999;
Amended Eff. May 1, 2017; April 1, 2014; April 1, 2009;
September 1, 2005; August 1, 2004; August 1, 2000;
Readopted Eff.
August 23, 2022.
