Save Our Sounds

Our shallow North Carolina sounds are in deep trouble – and they need your help.

Inshore shrimp trawling, an extremely destructive fishing method that is only allowed in North Carolina, is causing irreparable damage to hundreds of different species and the fragile ecosystems that they rely on for food, protection, and the proper conditions for growth.

One of the biggest consequences of shrimp trawling is bycatch, the unintended part of the catch that is killed and discarded. In efforts to minimize the threat to southern flounder and other fisheries that are common targets of bycatch, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries has announced that the 2024 recreational flounder season will be canceled. While this may aid in curbing the depletion of southern flounder, a greater benefit for all our fisheries comes from putting a stop to inshore shrimp trawling in North Carolina.

Take action and message your representative today to emphasize the importance of North Carolin’s marine life, and ensure that North Carolina joins its coastal state neighbors in banning this harmful practice and saving our sounds.