15A NCAC 03L .0103      PROHIBITED NETS, MESH LENGTHS, AND AREAS

(a)  It shall be unlawful to take shrimp with nets with mesh lengths less than the following:

(1)           trawl nets: one and one‑half inches;

(2)           fixed nets, channel nets, float nets, butterfly nets, and hand seines: one and one‑fourth inches; and

(3)           cast nets: no restriction.

(b)  It shall be unlawful to take shrimp with a net constructed in such a manner as to contain an inner or outer liner of any mesh length. Net material used as chafing gear shall be no less than four inches mesh length, except that chafing gear with smaller mesh may be used only on the bottom one‑half of the tailbag. Such chafing gear shall not be tied in a manner that forms an additional tailbag.

(c)  It shall be unlawful to take shrimp with trawls that have a combined headrope of greater than 90 feet in Internal Waters in the following areas:

(1)           north of the 35° 46.3000' N latitude line;

(2)           Core Sound south of a line beginning at a point 34° 59.7942' N - 76° 14.6514' W on Camp Point; running easterly to a point 34° 58.7853' N - 76° 09.8922' W on Core Banks; to the South Carolina State Line;

(3)           Pamlico River upstream of a line from a point 35° 18.5882' N - 76° 28.9625' W at Pamlico Point; running northerly to a point 35° 22.3741' N - 76° 28.6905' W at Willow Point; and

(4)           Neuse River southwest of a line from a point 34° 58.2000' N - 76° 40.5167' W at Winthrop Point on the eastern shore of the entrance to Adams Creek; running northerly to a point 35° 01.0744' N - 76° 42.1550' W at Windmill Point at the entrance of Greens Creek at Oriental.

(d)  It shall be unlawful to take shrimp with trawls that have a combined headrope of greater than 220 feet in Internal Waters in the following areas:

(1)           Pamlico Sound south of the 35° 46.3000' N latitude line and north of a line beginning at a point 34° 59.7942' N - 76° 14.6514' W on Camp Point; running easterly to a point 34° 58.7853' N - 76° 09.8922' W on Core Banks;

(2)           Pamlico River downstream of a line from a point 35° 18.5882' N - 76° 28.9625' W at Pamlico Point; running northerly to a point 35° 22.3741' N - 76° 28.6905' W at Willow Point; and

(3)           Neuse River northeast of a line from a point 34° 58.2000' N - 76° 40.5167' W at Winthrop Point on the eastern shore of the entrance to Adams Creek; running northerly to a point 35° 01.0744' N - 76° 42.1550' W at Windmill Point at the entrance of Greens Creek at Oriental.

(e)  It shall be unlawful to use a shrimp trawl in the areas described in 15A NCAC 03R .0114.

(f)  It shall be unlawful to use channel nets except as provided in 15A NCAC 03J .0106.

(g)  It shall be unlawful to use shrimp pots except as provided in 15A NCAC 03J .0301.

(h)  It shall be unlawful to use a shrimp trawl that does not conform with the federal rule requirements for Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) as specified in 50 CFR Part 222.102 Definitions, 50 CFR Part 223.205 (a) and Part 223.206 (d) Gear Requirements for Trawlers, and 50 CFR Part 223.207 Approved TEDs. These federal rules are incorporated by reference including subsequent amendments and editions. Copies of these rules are available via the Code of Federal Regulations posted on the Internet at https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR and at the Division of Marine Fisheries, 3441 Arendell Street, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557 at no cost.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 113‑134; 113‑182; 143B‑289.52;

Eff. January 1, 1991;

Amended Eff. May 1, 2015; April 1, 2009; July 1, 2006;

Readopted Eff. March 15, 2023.