15A NCAC 03L .0202      CRAB TRAWLING

(a)  It shall be unlawful to take or possess aboard a vessel crabs taken by trawl in internal waters except in areas and during such times as the Fisheries Director may specify by proclamation.

(b)  It shall be unlawful to use a trawl to take crabs that does not meet mesh length requirements, except as provided in 15A NCAC 03J .0104. The minimum mesh length to take hard crabs with a trawl shall be three inches, except:

(1)           the minimum mesh length shall be four inches in the area of western Pamlico Sound west of a line beginning at a point 35° 48.3693' N - 75° 43.7232' W on Roanoke Marshes Point; running easterly to a point 35° 48.3000' N - 75° 37.1167' W near Beacon "1" at the southern end of Roanoke Island; running southerly to a point 35° 30.7500' N - 75° 40.5667' W near the "S" Beacon at Long Shoal; running southwesterly to a point 35° 12.6167' N - 76° 04.3833' W near the "BL" Beacon on Bluff Shoal; running westerly to a point 35° 08.1000' N - 76° 17.5000' W near the "BI" Beacon at Brant Island Shoal; running southwesterly to a point 35° 04 .6167' N - 76° 27.8000' W on Point of Marsh; and

(2)           the Fisheries Director may, by proclamation, specify areas other than the area described in Subparagraph (b)(1) of this Rule for trawl mesh length use and increase the minimum trawl mesh length to no more than four inches to take hard crabs.

(c)  It shall be unlawful to use a trawl with a mesh length less than two inches or with a combined total headrope length exceeding 25 feet to take soft or peeler crabs, except as provided in 15A NCAC 03J .0104.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-182; 113-221.1; 143B-289.52;

Eff. February 1, 1991;

Amended Eff. April 1, 2014; September 1, 2005; August 1, 2004; March 1, 1994; September 1, 1991;

Readopted Eff. March 15, 2023.