By Joy Crist, Island Free Press
In a sweeping three-year study mandated by the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Collaboratory has released its long-anticipated findings on the state’s coastal and marine fisheries.
While the report was intended to be a neutral and science-driven evaluation of fish populations and habitats, it has also become a flashpoint in the debate over House Bill 442, a controversial legislative proposal that aimed to restrict shrimp trawling in state waters.
The study’s results, particularly concerning shrimp and southern flounder, offer new data on fishery health but stop short of endorsing any policy like the now-dormant HB 442.
“Multiple comments by legislators in both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA), as well as statements circulating in the media, suggested the Senate was aware of the contents of this report and this advance knowledge drove actions to amend the legislation to include a shrimp trawling ban prior to the report’s release,” stated Collaboratory Executive Director Dr. Jeffrey Warren in a letter attached to the study.
“These statements remain untrue and undermine the credibility of this multi-year research study carried out by nine researchers across four UNC System campuses.”
A study three years in the making
The Legislative Study of Coastal and Marine Fisheries, launched in 2022, was initiated in recognition of two key anniversaries in coastal policy: the 25th anniversary of the state’s Fisheries Reform Act of 1997 and the 50th anniversary of the Coastal Area Management Act of 1974. With $1 million in state funding, the North Carolina Collaboratory brought together researchers from UNC-Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, NC State University, and UNC-Wilmington.
Their directive was to assess the long-term viability of 13 critical marine species — including shrimp — and evaluate the habitat and policy structures that support them. The report was submitted to the legislature on June 30, 2025, along with a transmittal letter and a promise of a more extensive implementation report by year’s end.
Shrimp
According to the Collaboratory’s findings, brown shrimp abundance has increased over recent decades, with particularly strong catch rates reported inside Primary Nursery Areas (PNAs) — state-designated habitat zones meant to protect juvenile marine species.
The report also notes that North Carolina’s shrimp fishery is among the most heavily regulated in the Southeast, with restrictions on gear, seasons, and fishing areas already in place. Yet the study stops short of evaluating the effects of shrimp trawling gear on non-target species or habitat degradation, stating explicitly that the issue was outside the scope of the research.
Southern Flounder
Of the species studied, southern flounder was flagged as one of the most imperiled. The fish is classified as both overfished (population size is too low) and experiencing overfishing (harvest rate is too high), based on the most recent stock assessments, which occurred around 2019.
The report also examined flounder presence in PNAs, finding that while juvenile flounder are slightly more abundant and overall catch rates are low and declining in these protected areas.
Commercial vs. Recreational Fishing
While the shrimp findings formed the most high-profile element of the study’s public reception, the report also captures the broader complexity of managing North Carolina’s coastal resources — particularly when it comes to balancing commercial and recreational interests.
“Viewed holistically, the data reveal a significant shift in the entire socio-ecological system of NC over the last ~30 years and since the passing of the FRA in 1997,” reads the report.
“Of 132 indices eligible for formal statistical analyses based on data structure and longevity, 51% of these indices manifest statistically significant changes over decadal scales, including most notably: increases in human population density and development along the NC coast; decreases in Phosphorus loading and increases in Nitrogen loading (after normalizing for flow); increases in total (not just economically prized) finfish and penaeid shrimp abundance, but decreases in abundance of nekton in shallow estuarine habitat; increases in coastal river and air temperatures; and a rate of sea-level rise higher than the global average.
“Coincident with these shifts, the commercial fishing sector had exhibited declines in number of licenses, registered vessels, participants, trips, and landings since the passing of the FRA, while increasing trends were observed for recreational fishing participation as indicated by the increase in number of licenses and trips over this same period. Both commercial and recreational sectors have been characterized by significant shifts in target species throughout the last 45 years.
According to the study, the two sectors often have competing objectives, methods, and expectations. Commercial fishers rely on consistent access to waters and sustainable catch volumes to support income and supply chains. Recreational anglers, meanwhile, are increasingly focused on ecosystem preservation, fish size, and catch quality — factors influenced not just by fishing pressure, but also by coastal development, water quality, and climate variability.
The Collaboratory found that these stakeholder groups sometimes lack trust in state regulators and in each other. Building that trust, the report argues, is essential for future management.
One proposed solution is to improve transparency and credibility in decision-making through the creation of a Science and Statistical Committee — an independent body modeled after similar institutions used in federal fisheries management, designed to vet data, guide quota decisions, and build consensus.
Key Policy Recommendations
The report concludes with five major recommendations, aimed at strengthening North Carolina’s fisheries management:
- Establish an Independent Science and Statistical Committee to ensure transparent, peer-reviewed advice for fisheries regulation.
- Improve stakeholder participation and communication to rebuild trust between fishers and regulators.
- Adopt ecosystem-based management, shifting away from single-species models to address interconnected environmental factors.
- Prevent habitat degradation, particularly in marshes, oyster reefs, and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV).
- Reevaluate and adapt the PNA network, which may no longer provide sufficient protection for key juvenile species.
These recommendations do not advocate specific regulatory actions, such as banning shrimp trawling, but they provide a framework for future policy conversations.
A call for science-driven policy
As state lawmakers prepare for the next legislative session, the findings from this landmark study are likely to remain central to the conversation. Both supporters and critics of HB 442 have pointed to the report to justify their positions, reflecting the deeply divided nature of fisheries politics in North Carolina.
Yet, as Dr. Warren emphasized, the goal of the study was to “analyze the status of North Carolina’s fisheries and develop policy recommendations to better manage the overall health of fisheries and fisheries’ habitats” — not to dictate specific laws.
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