As North Carolina tackles the many challenges that face our great state, I want to remind you that our sounds and estuaries are in deep trouble. Every year, trawlers travel to North Carolina from other states where inshore shrimp trawling is prohibited, invading our waters with heavy chains that drag nets across a sea floor already stripped bare from years of this destructive practice. Using these nets results in significant bycatch – unintended species that are caught, killed, and discarded in our waters. 80% of inshore shrimp trawling bycatch may include marine life such as southern flounder, grey trout, and blue crab. Banning inshore shrimp trawling and moving trawlers offshore will not impact the shrimp on our plates. North Carolina is the only shrimping state that still authorizes large-scale, inshore shrimp trawling to devastate its coastal waters. This greatly depletes the population of several different fisheries and damages the already fragile ecosystem. I encourage you to prioritize this issue as you address the countless other challenges facing North Carolina. We must put a stop to inshore shrimp trawling as soon as possible to prevent further, irreversible damage to one of North Carolina’s most valuable resources. Thank you for considering this important issue. I look forward to seeing you take action on this matter.

As North Carolina tackles the many challenges that face our great state, I want to remind you that our sounds and estuaries are in deep trouble. Every year, trawlers travel to North Carolina from other states where inshore shrimp trawling is prohibited, invading our waters with heavy chains that drag nets across a sea floor already stripped bare from years of this destructive practice. Using these nets results in significant bycatch – unintended species that are caught, killed, and discarded in our waters. 80% of inshore shrimp trawling bycatch may include marine life such as southern flounder, grey trout, and blue crab. Banning inshore shrimp trawling and moving trawlers offshore will not impact the shrimp on our plates. North Carolina is the only shrimping state that still authorizes large-scale, inshore shrimp trawling to devastate its coastal waters. This greatly depletes the population of several different fisheries and damages the already fragile ecosystem. I encourage you to prioritize this issue as you address the countless other challenges facing North Carolina. We must put a stop to inshore shrimp trawling as soon as possible to prevent further, irreversible damage to one of North Carolina’s most valuable resources. Thank you for considering this important issue. I look forward to seeing you take action on this matter.

As North Carolina tackles the many challenges that face our great state, I want to remind you that our sounds and estuaries are in deep trouble. Every year, trawlers travel to North Carolina from other states where inshore shrimp trawling is prohibited, invading our waters with heavy chains that drag nets across a sea floor already stripped bare from years of this destructive practice. Using these nets results in significant bycatch – unintended species that are caught, killed, and discarded in our waters. 80% of inshore shrimp trawling bycatch may include marine life such as southern flounder, grey trout, and blue crab. Banning inshore shrimp trawling and moving trawlers offshore will not impact the shrimp on our plates. North Carolina is the only shrimping state that still authorizes large-scale, inshore shrimp trawling to devastate its coastal waters. This greatly depletes the population of several different fisheries and damages the already fragile ecosystem. I encourage you to prioritize this issue as you address the countless other challenges facing North Carolina. We must put a stop to inshore shrimp trawling as soon as possible to prevent further, irreversible damage to one of North Carolina’s most valuable resources. Thank you for considering this important issue. I look forward to seeing you take action on this matter.

As North Carolina tackles the many challenges that face our great state, I want to remind you that our sounds and estuaries are in deep trouble. Every year, trawlers travel to North Carolina from other states where inshore shrimp trawling is prohibited, invading our waters with heavy chains that drag nets across a sea floor already stripped bare from years of this destructive practice. Using these nets results in significant bycatch – unintended species that are caught, killed, and discarded in our waters. 80% of inshore shrimp trawling bycatch may include marine life such as southern flounder, grey trout, and blue crab. Banning inshore shrimp trawling and moving trawlers offshore will not impact the shrimp on our plates. North Carolina is the only shrimping state that still authorizes large-scale, inshore shrimp trawling to devastate its coastal waters. This greatly depletes the population of several different fisheries and damages the already fragile ecosystem. I encourage you to prioritize this issue as you address the countless other challenges facing North Carolina. We must put a stop to inshore shrimp trawling as soon as possible to prevent further, irreversible damage to one of North Carolina’s most valuable resources. Thank you for considering this important issue. I look forward to seeing you take action on this matter.