North American Journal <>l Fishene.* Management 17:696-702. 1997 i' Copyright hy the American Fisheries Society 1997 Preliminary Characterization of the North Carolina Autumn Recreational Shrimp Trawl Fishery DAVID GRIFFITH Institute for Coastal and Marine Resources anil Department of Anthropology East Carolina University. Greenville, North Carolina 27858-4353. USA ROGER A. RULIFSON Institute for Coastal and Marine Resources and Department of Biology East Carolina University. Greenville. North Carolina 27858-4353. USA Abstract.—Several states in the USA have proposed or implemented new regulations to monitor recreational fishing more closely. One regulatory tool, the saltwater recreational fishing license, has been adopted in several states, yet in other states it is opposed heavily by fishers. One difficulty in developing new types of saltwater licenses in North Carolina is that part-lime fishers use commercial gear but straddle recreational and commercial fishing motives and behaviors. In North Carolina, over 20.000 people hold commercial fishing licenses, but fewer than 10^ of those (1.747) sell more than US$10.000 worth of seafood annually. North Carolina's undocumented recreational trawl fishery for shrimp (Penaeidae) often harvests significant fishery resources but has inadequate or loosely enforced restrictions. To investigate the nature of the recreational shrimp trawl fishery in coastal North Carolina waters, we conducted an intercept interview survey in the fall of 1995. Slightly more than half of those interviewed were recreational shrimpers, and the remainder were part-time commercial shrimpers. All were men, and most held skilled and semi-skilled technical jobs. Most limited their shrimping activities to local waters and had used other commercial gear including gill nets, clam rakes, scallop and oyster dredges, and crab pots. Part-time commercial shrimpers spent more time fishing, caught more shrimp, and had shrimped more in previous years than recreational shrimpers; however, only 18% of all shrimpers fished exclusively for shrimp. About one-third of part-time commercial shrimpers interviewed shrimped primarily for personal consumption, while about two-thirds sold all or part of their catch. Although about 90% of all gear was equipped with a bycalch reduction device (BRD). placement of the BRD was highly variable, which suggests a need to standardi/.c BRD placement to increase its effectiveness. In southeastern coastal states of the USA, dustry, especially those concerning the bycatch of shrimp in the family Penaeidae are important tar- unmarketable fish and shellfish, are being ad- get species for the coastal ocean and inshore fish- dressed at the state, regional, and federal levels ing industries (Maril 1983, 1984; Durrenberger (e.g., Murray el al. 1992; Perra 1992; Rulifson et 1996; Griffith 1996). In 1994, commercial shrimp al. 1992; McKenna and Monaghan 1993; Coalc et landings in the south Atlantic states totaled 28.9 al. 1994; Rogers et al. 1994; Slender and Barans million pounds with a dockside value of US$68.5 1994; Wallace and Robinson 1994). million (NMFS 1995). In North Carolina, 7.3 mil- North Carolina's recent experience in managing lion pounds of shrimp valued at $19 million were the state's fisheries has been similar to the expe- landed in 1994 (North Carolina Division of Marine ricnces of other states and regions along the east- Fisheries [NCDMF] statistics). In addition, an im- ern seaboard. Groundfish restrictions in New En- portant recreational shrimp fishery of unknown gland and the mid-Atlantic, and the inshore net magnitude exists in coastal North Carolina waters; ban in Florida are but two attempts to deal with little is known about its impact on the fishery be- real and perceived pressures on fishery resources, cause landings reports are not required for those Further, conflicts based on the allocation, conser- species intended for recreation or home use. vation, and preservation of fish stocks persist be- Brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus, white shrimp P. tween recreational and commercial fishers and be- setiferus, and pink shrimp P. duorarum are the spe- tween fishers and other groups, such as environ- cies harvested commercially and rccreationally in mentalists. One particular concern in North Car- North Carolina and in other coastal states. The olina is the increase in fishing effort al a time when relative contributions of each species to total land- catches by both commercial and recreational fish- ings varies seasonally and among states. Manage- ers remain constanl or decline, menl issues relaled to the commercial shrimp in- In response to these pressures, the North Car- 696