DRAFT North Carolina Shrimp Fishery Management Plan Amendment 2
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DRAFT –DRAFT SUBJECT TO CHANGE North Carolina Shrimp Fishery Management Plan Amendment 2 By North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries 3441 Arendelli Street P. O. Box 769 Morehead City, NC 28557 DRAFT – SUBJECT TO CHANGE This document may be cited as: NCDMF (North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries). 2021. North Carolina Shrimp Fishery Management Plan, Draft Amendment 2. North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, Morehead City, North Carolina. 316 p. Disclaimer: Data in this Fishery Management Plan may have changed since publication based on updates to source documents. i DRAFT – SUBJECT TO CHANGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Amendment 2 to the North Carolina (NC) Shrimp Fishery Management Plan (FMP) was developed by the NC Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) under the auspices of the NC Marine Fisheries Commission (NCMFC) with the advice of the Shrimp Advisory Committee (AC). Deserving special recognition are the members of the Shrimp AC and the NCDMF Plan Development Team (PDT) who contributed their time and knowledge to this effort. Shrimp Advisory Committee John Costner Ward Ellis Frederick Harris Donald Ipock Dr. Wilson Laney Bruce MacLachlan Gary Nowell Clyde Phillips Shrimp Plan Development Team Alan Bianchi Kevin Brown Anne Deaton David Dietz Meghan Gahm Kimberlee Harding Daniel Ipock Cameron Luck Tina Moore (Mentor) Trish Murphey (APNEP) Jason Rock (Co-lead) Ami Staples Chris Stewart (Co-lead) Jason Walker Carter Witten Daniel Zapf (Co-lead) The following division staff were also invaluable in assisting with the development of this document: Kathy Rawls, Catherine Blum, Katy West, Corrin Flora, Thom Teears, and the many reviewers of the multiple drafts of this plan. Also grateful for the administrative support from Deborah Manley, Jennifer Lewis, Dana Gillikin, Mike Griffin, and Patricia Smith. ii DRAFT – SUBJECT TO CHANGE TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................ II TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... III LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... V EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ VI INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 7 FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN HISTORY ........................................................................ 7 MANAGEMENT UNIT ............................................................................................................... 7 GOAL AND OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................... 8 DESCRIPTION OF THE STOCK .............................................................................................. 8 BIOLOGICAL PROFILE ........................................................................................................... 8 STOCK STATUS ........................................................................................................................ 9 DESCRIPTION OF THE FISHERIES .................................................................................... 11 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ................................................................................................... 11 SUMMARY OF ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COMMERCIAL SHRIMP FISHING ............ 18 RECREATIONAL FISHERY................................................................................................... 20 SUMMARY OF ECONOMIC IMPACT OF RECREATIONAL SHRIMP FISHING ......... 22 BYCATCH ................................................................................................................................ 22 ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION AND IMPACTS .................................................................... 23 FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLANS ....................................................................................... 24 COASTAL HABITAT PROTECTION PLAN ...................................................................... 24 THREATS AND ALTERATIONS ........................................................................................... 27 RESEARCH NEEDS .................................................................................................................. 28 SHRIMP AMENDMENT 2 MANAGEMENT STRATEGY ................................................. 28 LITERATURE CITED .............................................................................................................. 29 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................. 38 APPENDIX 1. SHRIMP TRAWL BYCATCH ASSESSMENT ............................................. 38 APPENDIX 2. ISSUE PAPERS ............................................................................................... 57 APPENDIX 2.1. MANAGEMENT OF SHRIMP TRAWLING FOR PROTECTION OF CRITICAL SEA GRASS AND SHELL BOTTOM HABITATS .......................................... 57 APPENDIX 2.2. SHRIMP MANGEMENT IN SPECIAL SECONDARY NURSERY AREAS………….. ................................................................................................................. 96 APPENDIX 2.3. REDUCING SHRIMP TRAWL BYCATCH THROUGH AREA CLOSURES THAT INCREASE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN CLOSED AREAS ........ 121 APPENDIX 2.4. MANAGING EFFORT AND GEAR IN THE NORTH CAROLINA SHRIMP FISHERY TO REDUCE BYCATCH................................................................... 219 APPENDIX 3. MAPS OF CURRENT AREA CLOSURES ................................................ 298 APPENDIX 4. COMMERCIAL, BAIT, AND RECREATIONAL SHRIMP TRAWL REGULATIONS FOR SOUTH ATLANTIC AND GULF STATES MAY 2021 .............. 310 iii DRAFT – SUBJECT TO CHANGE APPENDIX 5. SUMMARY OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND NCDMF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ISSUE PAPERS IN THE AMENDMENT 2 OF THE SHRIMP FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN ..................................................................... 317 iv DRAFT – SUBJECT TO CHANGE LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Comparison of brown shrimp commercial landings in the months of June and July to the brown shrimp Estuarine Trawl Survey index of relative abundance in May and June (number per station), 1999-2019. .......................................................... 10 Figure 2. Comparison of white shrimp commercial landings in October to the relative abundance (number per station) of white shrimp in the Estuarine Trawl Survey in June, 1999-2019. ................................................................................................... 11 Figure 3. Schematic of otter trawl components. ................................................................... 12 Figure 4. Schematic of skimmer trawler components. ......................................................... 13 Figure 5. Schematic of channel net components. ................................................................. 14 Figure 6. Schematic of shrimp pound (A) and shrimp pot (B) components. ....................... 15 Figure 7. North Carolina annual shrimp commercial landings (pounds) and value ($), 1950- 2019....................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 8. Annual number of commercial trips reported for all three species by area, 1994- 2019. Data from the NCDMF Trip Ticket Program. ............................................ 17 Figure 9. Annual commercial shrimp landings (pounds) by area for all three shrimp species combined in North Carolina, 1994-2019. Data from the NCDMF Trip Ticket Program. ................................................................................................................ 17 Figure 10. Economic impact estimates to the state of North Carolina from commercial shrimp harvest, 2008-2019. Estimates are generated using IMPLAN economic modelling software, data from NOAA’s Fisheries Economics of the U.S. Reports, and NCDMF Trip Ticket data. Income impacts represent the total additional income generated in NC by the commercial shrimp industry (includes wages, benefits, and proprietor income). Value-added impacts represent the total value of the commercial shrimp industry’s economic production to NC. Sales impacts represents the output value of the commercial shrimp industry and is the closest proxy of the industry’s contribution to NC’s annual gross domestic product (value added through the production of goods and services). These various impact estimates are not additive and should be considered independently. Note: expenditure data from NOAA’s “Fisheries Economics of the U.S.” is only available beginning in 2008. ................................................................................. 19 Figure 11. The number of Recreational Commercial Gear License (RCGLs) issued 2001- 2019....................................................................................................................... 21 Figure 12. Annual number of shrimp harvested and trips taken from cast nets and seines for recreational purposes, 2012-2019. ........................................................................ 22 Figure 13. Effects of threats and alterations on water quality and coastal habitats and