3rd District GOP Adopts Resolution Opposing Shrimp Trawling Ban

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 19, 2025

Eastern North Carolina - The 3rd Congressional District Republican Party has officially adopted a resolution opposing the proposed amendment to House Bill 442, which seeks to ban shrimp trawling within one-half mile of North Carolina's coastline.

The resolution was adopted by the District Executive Committee in direct response to overwhelming concern from commercial fishermen, coastal families, and small businesses throughout Eastern North Carolina.

"This amendment would devastate our coastal economy," said Michele Nix, Chairwoman of the 3rd District GOP. "It criminalizes honest work, puts small fishing operations out of business, and was introduced without transparency, public input, or scientific justification." 

The resolution points to the economic significance of the shrimping industry in the region - supporting over 5,500 jobs and generating nearly $14 million annually for the state. Shrimp is North Carolina's second most harvested seafood by weight, and the majority of it is caught inshore by vessels that cannot safely operate offshore.

The 3rd District GOP joins elected officials, including Senators Bobby Hanig, Norman Sanderson, Michael Lazzara, and Bob Brinson, in opposing this amendment and calling for data-driven, stakeholder-informed fisheries policy.

The resolution urges all state lawmakers to reject any future attempts to advance this measure and to protect the livelihoods of those who have fished North Carolina's waters for generations.

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