RE: SHRIMP TRAWLING

Preston P. Pate, Jr., Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M. Sunday, June 3, 2001 the following restrictions apply to shrimp trawls (otter and skimmer trawls):

I. GEAR RESTRICTIONS

No person may use a shrimp trawl in coastal fishing waters without an operational North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) Bycatch Reduction Device(s) (BRD) properly installed in the tailbag of the net as outlined below. Operational NCDMF BRDs include:

A. Florida Fish Excluders (FFEs) [see Figure 1]:

1. The FFE must be installed on the outside of the trawl. The webbing of the trawl attached to the FFE cannot cover more than 50% of the FFE.

2. The escapement opening of the FFE must be diamond or oval in shape and must remain unobstructed at all times. Diamond shaped FFEs must measure at least 5 1/2" x 6 1/2" or 6" x 6", inside diameter. Oval shaped FFEs must measure at least 9" x 5", inside diameter (see Figure 1).

3. The apex (narrow end) of the FFE must face the headrope of the trawl.

4. FFEs shall have at least three (3) legs and no more than four (4) legs and measure at least 12 inches in length.

5. The opening of the FFE shall be installed on the outside of the tailbag of the trawl no further forward than 65% of the functional tailbag length from the tailbag tie-off, (Table 1).

7. At least one FFE shall be installed in each tailbag.

8. The center of the FFE escapement opening must be installed no more than 19 meshes from the top centerline of the tailbag.

FFEs must be constructed from aluminum, steel, or stainless steel round bar or tubing.

B. Eight inch (8") PVC "Sea Eagle" Fish Excluder:

1. The apex (narrow end) of the "Sea Eagle" must face the tailbag of the trawl.

2. The opening of the "Sea Eagle" shall be installed in the tailbag of the trawl no further forward than 38% of the functional tailbag length from the tailbag tie-off (Table 2).

3. At least one "Sea Eagle" shall be installed in each tailbag.

4. The center of the "Sea Eagle" escapement opening must be installed on either side of the tailbag between 0 and 15 meshes from the top centerline of the tailbag.

5. The escapement opening of the "Sea Eagle" must be unobstructed (the escapement flap must be free to move and a fish retention grate must not be present).

C. Large Mesh and Extended Funnel BRDs [LMEFE (see Figures 2 through 6; m=mesh, mm=millimeter)]:

These devices consist of a funnel of small mesh netting within a cylinder of large mesh netting, held open by one semi-rigid hoop, and are installed in the trawl net behind a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) certified Turtle Excluder Device (TED). One side of the funnel is extended vertically to provide passage for shrimp to the tailbag and to create an area of reduced water flow to allow for fish escapement through the larger mesh outer netting.

General Ten Inch (10") and Eight Inch (8") Large Mesh and Extended Mesh Funnel BRD:

The small mesh funnel and large mesh section shall be positioned within extension sections constructed of 1 5/8" stretched mesh #30 nylon twine.

The extension section shall be 120 meshes in circumference. The extension section in front of the large mesh section shall be 6 1/2 meshes long, and the extension section behind the large mesh section shall be 23 meshes long.

The small mesh funnel shall be constructed from four (4) pieces of 1 1/2"

stretched mesh, size #24 twine or larger, depth stretched and heat set polyethylene webbing.

The small mesh funnel shall have a circumference of 120 meshes at the leading edge and 78 meshes at the trailing edge. The short side of the funnel shall be 23 meshes long, while the long side of the funnel shall be 38 1/2 meshes long. The leading edge of the funnel shall be attached three (3) meshes forward of the leading edge of the large mesh section. The eight (8) meshes at the back edge of the top and bottom sections are attached three (3) meshes behind the soft

cable hoop, and are centered at the top and bottom of the extension webbing, mesh for mesh. The long side section of the funnel shall be attached to the extension webbing on the top and bottom beginning at the back edge of the top and bottom section. The sewing sequence for this section shall be two (2) meshes down, one (1) mesh over toward the top and bottom centerlines.

4. The large mesh outer section shall be 10" stretched mesh netting, 10 mm polyester, or #120 nylon or heavier, hung on the square, with a circumference of 19 meshes (95") and a length of three (3) meshes (15"), or the large mesh outer section shall be 8" stretched mesh netting, 4 mm polyester, or #120 nylon or heavier, hung on the square, with a circumference of 23 meshes (95") and a length of four (4) meshes (15").

5. The leading edge of the large mesh section shall be attached to the trailing edge of the front extension. The trailing edge of the large mesh outer section is attached to the leading edge of the back extension.

6. A single hoop, constructed from 1/2" (0.5") plastic coated cable measuring 94 1/4" in length (30" diameter), shall be attached five (5) meshes back from the leading edge of the back extension.

7. The large mesh escapement opening must be unobstructed.

8. This BRD is installed between the TED and the tailbag. When installed behind a hard TED, the leading edge of the 6 1/2 mesh front extension is attached five (5) meshes behind the posterior edge (trailing edge) of the TED. Any part of the TED extension greater than five (5) meshes long must be removed. When installed behind a soft TED, the device is placed between the TED extension and the tailbag.

Eight Inch (8") and Ten Inch (10") Inshore Large Mesh and Extended Funnel BRD:

1. The small mesh funnel and large mesh section shall be positioned within extension sections constructed of 1 3/8" stretched mesh #18 nylon twine. The extension section shall be 120 meshes in circumference. The extension section in front of the large mesh section shall be 6 1/2 meshes long and the extension section behind the large mesh section shall be 23 meshes long.

2. The small mesh funnel shall be constructed from four (4) pieces of 1 3/8"

stretched mesh, size #18 twine or larger, depth stretched and heat set polyethylene webbing.

The small mesh funnel shall have a circumference of 120 meshes at the

leading edge and 78 meshes at the trailing edge. The short side of the

funnel shall be 23 meshes long, while the long side of the funnel shall be 38 1/2 meshes long. The leading edge of the funnel shall be attached three (3) meshes forward of the leading edge of the large mesh section. The eight (8)

meshes at the back edge of the top and bottom sections are attached three (3) meshes behind the soft cable hoop and are centered at the top and

bottom of the extension webbing, mesh for mesh. The long side section of beginning at the back edge of the top and bottom section. The funnel shall be attached to the extension's webbing on the top and bottom. The sewing sequence for this section shall be two (2) meshes down, one (1) mesh over toward the top and bottom centerlines.

4. The large mesh outer section shall be 10" stretched mesh netting, 10 mm polyester, or #120 nylon or heavier, hung on the square with a circumference of 14 1/2 meshes (75") and a length of three (3) meshes (15"), or the large mesh outer section shall be 8" stretched mesh netting, 4 mm polyester, or #120 nylon or heavier, hung on the square, with a circumference of 19 meshes (75") and a length of four (4) meshes (15").

5. The leading edge of the large mesh section shall be attached to the trailing edge of the front extension. The trailing edge of the large mesh outer section is attached to the leading edge of the back extension.

6. A single hoop, constructed from 3/8" (0.38") plastic coated cable measuring 75 1/2" in length shall be attached five (5) meshes back from the leading edge of the back extension.

7. The large mesh escapement opening must be unobstructed.

8. This BRD is installed between the TED and the tailbag. When installed behind a hard TED, the leading edge of the 6 1/2 mesh front extension is attached five (5) meshes behind the posterior edge (trailing edge) of the TED. Any part of the TED extension greater than five (5) meshes long must be removed. When installed behind a soft TED, the device is placed between the TED extension and the tailbag.

D. Large Mesh Funnel Excluder (LMFE) [see Figures 7 and 8; m=mesh, b=bar]:

This device consists of a funnel of small mesh netting within a cylinder of larger

mesh netting, held open by two (2) semi-rigid hoops, and is installed in the tailbag

of the trawl. This device must be installed behind a NMFS certified TED if a TED is

required. This BRD shall meet the following specifications:

The small mesh funnel shall be made from two (2) sections of 1 1/2" or 1 5/8", #24 twine or larger, depth stretched and heat set polyethylene webbing. Funnels having a leading edge of 100 meshes circumference must have a

trailing edge of at least 40 meshes and not more than 60 meshes circumference. The funnel must be 30 meshes long. Funnels having a leading edge of 120 meshes circumference must have a trailing edge of at least 60 meshes and not more than 80 meshes in circumference. The funnel must be 30 meshes long.

2. The mesh escapement section shall be no smaller than 19" long and shall be 94 1/2" in circumference.

3. The large mesh escapement webbing shall be made from no smaller than 4" stretched mesh webbing hung on a square.

4. The leading edge of the small mesh funnel and the leading edge of the large mesh escapement webbing shall be attached to a hoop, 94 1/2" in length (30" diameter), made from at least 3/8" diameter combination-cable or plastic coated towing cable. The trailing edge of the large mesh escapement webbing shall be attached to the second hoop constructed identical to the forward hoop.

5. The top and bottom ends of the trailing edge of the small funnel shall be attached to the top and bottom of the tailbag, respectively, so the funnel remains taunt while being towed.

II. EXEMPTIONS:

A. These restrictions do not apply to a single test trawl net (try net) with a headrope length of 16 feet or less, if it is operated under the following conditions: it is either pulled immediately in front of another net or is not connected to another net in any way; no more than one net is used at a time; and it is not towed as a primary net.

B. Channel nets, float nets, fixed nets, and butterfly nets are not required to use BRDs.

III. SPECIAL PROVISIONS:

Persons wishing to test BRD designs not covered by this proclamation may submit BRD designs to the NCDMF, Morehead City office, for consideration of issuing a time-limited Scientific and Educational Collecting Permit.

IV. DEFINITIONS: For the purposes of Proclamation SH-3-2001, the following terms are hereby defined:

Tailbag - That portion of the trawl net at which the trawl body taper ends and the straight extension begins, extending to the terminal end of the trawl.

Functional Tailbag Length - That length of the tailbag of a trawl beginning at the tailbag tie-

off and extending forward for a maximum of 105 meshes or to the point where the straight

extension ends and the trawl body taper begins, whichever is less. Trawls utilizing short tailbags may include those meshes of the TED extension that are behind the TED grid and

are in-line with the center of the FFE escape opening.

Centerline - The line running from the center point of the headrope to the top center of the end of the tailbag.

V. GENERAL INFORMATION:

A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of G.S. 113-182; 113-221(e); 143B-289.52 and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rule 15A NCAC 3J .0104(d).

B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director under his delegated authority per 15A NCAC 3H .0103.

C. This proclamation supersedes and updates Proclamation SH-9-97, dated July 24, 1997. There are no significant changes. The footage portion of Table 1 and 2 were eliminated.

May 22, 2001

11:00 A.M.

SH-3-2001

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