YOUR ACCESS TO NC SHRIMP IS IN PERIL - ACT TODAY
What is House Bill 442?
House Bill 442 would ban shrimp trawling within ½ mile of the shoreline and prohibit ALL trawling in sounds, estuaries, and rivers. This is catastrophic because nearly 70% of North Carolina shrimp are caught in these very waters that would be off-limits. The bill would force North Carolina consumers to rely heavily on imported shrimp that often contain antibiotics, are produced using forced labor, frequently mislabeled, and subject to minimal conservation standards.
This legislation bypasses the state's collaborative, science-driven management plan, and if enacted, will take away your access to NC shrimp, cripple rural coastal communities across our state, and devastate small fishing families who have worked these waters for generations.
The Truth About North Carolina Shrimp Fishing
North Carolina leads the nation in responsible fisheries management with proven conservation measures already protecting our marine resources.
Nearly one million estuarine acres—almost half of our entire system—have been permanently closed to trawling since 1978 to protect critical nursery areas essential for healthy fisheries and ecosystems.
Our state prioritizes bycatch reduction, requiring more bycatch reduction measures than any other state, with two bycatch reduction devices per net. Recent gear improvements have cut bycatch by an additional 40-70% since 2019. Trawling is already banned from 9PM Friday to 5PM Sunday, removing 26% of weekly trawling opportunity.
North Carolina shrimping is not industrial-scale fishing. Only 294 shrimp boats worked in our waters in 2023. These are small family operations where commercial harvesters have lived in their communities for an average of 35 years and fished commercially for 25 years. Nearly half fish alone or with unpaid family members.
Restricting trawling to ocean-only waters isn't viable. Most North Carolina shrimp are harvested in our sounds, and nearly 80% of commercial fishing vessels are small boats under 38 feet that simply cannot safely operate in ocean conditions.
The Consequences of House Bill 442
If this bill passes, North Carolina will lose approximately 70% of our shrimp harvest, severely limiting access to safe, fresh, local shrimp for families across our state. Unregulated imported shrimp with known contamination and labor issues will dominate our markets. Coastal communities will face serious economic devastation, and restaurants will struggle with reduced access to local seafood.
This is about more than just shrimp—it's about preserving North Carolina's maritime heritage, supporting working families, and ensuring consumers have access to safe, sustainable, locally-caught seafood.
Take Action Now
Contact your state legislators immediately and urge them to OPPOSE House Bill 442.
Find your representatives here. To contact all NC Senators & House Members easily use this link.
Tell them to OPPOSE HB442 to protect North Carolina's shrimp industry, fishing families, and consumers' access to fresh, sustainable North Carolina shrimp.