Should North Carolina Ban Gill Nets in Inshore Coastal Waters?

Current Topics in Coastal Biology – Topic 4

East Carolina University

Spring 2011

Abstract - Class

Gillnets have been used historically by fishermen. Recently, gillnets have come under scrutiny due to bycatch and other issues. This has led to the ban of gillnets in some states including California, Texas, Florida, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In deciding whether or not North Carolina should implement a gillnet ban many economic, social, and biological considerations need to be examined.

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1This review paper presents the views of the students enrolled in the Current Topics in Coastal Biology course and in no way reflects the views or position of East Carolina University.

Introduction -- Meghan Lell, Kim Wade, Jeff Dobbs

Gillnets are a type of passive fishing gear that are relatively cheap to purchase and easy to use. Fish can be caught in gillnets by their opercula or fin spines and projections, through wedging, tangling, and pushing behavior. Gillnets can be purchased in different mesh sizes, mesh materials, lead lines, and float lines (Coast Conservation Association Alabama n.d.). Different mesh sizes are made to target different kinds of fish. The lead lines and float lines are made to stretch the fabric vertically in the water.

Gill nets are one of the major gear types used in modern commercial fishing, but gill nets are by no means a new technology. There are records of gill nets being used in the River Nile by ancient Egyptians as early as 3000 BC (Doverspike 2011). The New Testament even mentions gill net fishing in Israel’s Sea of Galilee in Luke 5: 4-11. There are numerous documented cases of centuries old use of gillnets across the world from China to the British Isles to early Native Americans (Stewart1977). During colonial times in the United States gill nets were used in the Atlantic salmon and shad fisheries (Netboy 1973). The advent of synthetic fibers such as monofilament in the 1960s improved the durability of gill nets and made them more viable for commercial use. As the technology improved the commercial gillnet fishery grew quickly in coastal regions such as North Carolina.

Gill nets are still an important fishing method in North Carolina. They represent an important cultural heritage passed down from father to son for generations. Many coastal communities in North Carolina are based around this and other traditional fishing methods. Although traditional, gill net fishing represents an economically important segment of commercial fishery landings. In 1999, 79% of North Carolina commercial fishermen used gill nets (Diaby 2001). Despite the popularity and importance of gill nets in the commercial fishery, their use has long been debated because of their ecologically detrimental bycatch. This debate continues today as North Carolina weighs the pros and cons of a statewide ban on this historical fishing method.

There are many reasons to continue using gillnets. There are many regulations on the gillnet industry already, including mesh size, net length, net depth, distance between nets, time of day, and net tending; also an observer program is in place (NCDMF Proclamation 2010). Most of North Carolina’s flounder catch, totaling about $10 million, comes from gillnets. Gillnets also have a high survival rate of fishes released, up to 94.4% (Grixti et al. 2010). Additionally, banning gillnets raises the question of legalities. Often, when gillnets are banned, a clandestine gillnet fishery still exists. This causes problems because catch and bycatch are not reported, and gear is not properly marked, leading to boaters becoming entangled. There would also have to be an increase in law enforcement officers to counter the illegal fishing (Zydellis 2009). In Florida, a so-called “cast gillnet” makes use of a loophole in the law to allow fishermen to continue fishing with a gillnet-like gear. Perhaps the most convincing argument is that of Wang et al.(2010), a researcher developing technologies to make gillnets more noticeable to turtles. Lighting gillnets with chemical lightsticks reduced turtle by catch by 60%, but made no statistically significant difference in target or total catch. Socially, gillnetting is a culturally significant way of life for many on the Outer Banks and sounds of North Carolina. It is a multiple-generation traditional fishing method, passed down from parent to child. A study in Florida showed that there was increased depression, anxiety, anger and family stress, as well as increased domestic violence after banning gill nets (Smith et al. 2003).

Bycatch is a major problem associated with the use of gillnets. Bycatch is when living creatures get trapped in fishing gear unintentionally. Gillnets are responsible for the deaths of migratory birds, sea turtles, marine mammals, juvenile fish, and non-target species (J.-M.Cousteaun.d.). Bycatch can be sold by fishermen if they have a permit to sell that species; however, in many cases bycatch is unused and thrown back into the ocean (Coast Conservation Association Alabama n.d.). Another problem with the use of gillnets is “ghost fishing” by“ghost nets”. Ghost nets are gillnets that are lost or abandoned and continue to “fish” by entangling or trapping marine life. The monofilaments that gillnets are made of take up to 600 years to decompose (Wildlife Odisha 2009). Ghost nets are expensive to remove because it requires both boats and trained divers (Breen n.d.).

There are many alternatives to gillnets such as hook and line, longline, pots, and traps, but they too have deployment problems. Hook and line is very selective by choosing appropriate lures and bait for target species. Pot and traps have a higher survival of bycatch compared to gillnets. Longlines are also highly selective and the bycatch is usually released alive because of the short deployment times (GreenPeace International n.d.).

Biological Considerations -- Evan Knight, Justin Bohannon, Jessie Hathaway

Gill nets have been used in North Carolina for over a century. The reason gill nets have been used for so long is that they catch fish very easily and have a low operating cost. Gill nets have been so popular because they are very easy to deploy and requires very little effort to fish. The reason gill nets are so effective at catching fish is that when a fish comes into contact with the net it becomes entangled and trapped, this makes for very easy fishing. The problem with gill nets is that the nets are indiscriminate of the types of fish it catches and can lead to a high level of bycatch. The high level of bycatch is one of the major problems with gill netting and has caused many conservation groups to call for a ban on gill nets. However, some studies have shown there are ways to reduce the bycatch of gill nets. These innovations for reducing bycatch could make gill nets more environmentally friendly.

Most people think of gill nets as not biological friendly. However, this is not always the case. Gill nets are very efficient at the job they are designed to do: they catch fish. The problem most people have with this is not that they catch fish efficiently but rather that they do not discriminate in what they catch. Any fish or mammal that pushes its way into the gill net will be entangled; this aspect is what bothers people. They feel that the bycatch related to gill nets is too much. Some studies show that most of the by catch caught by gill nets survive after they are released. Grixti, Morison, and Bell (2010) show that 97.2% of bream that were caught in a gill net survived right after they were released and 94.4% had a prolonged survival rate after release. This is a very efficient survival rate and shows that most of the bycatch survive if they are released in a short period of time. Long lines and trot lines, which are some of the suggested gear to replace gill nets, also have bycatch. The fish that are hooked on the line can also perish if they are fouled hooked or the gear is lost and they cannot get free (Richard 2005).

If gill nets can be altered so they have lower rates of bycatch they would not need to be banned. A study done by Wang, Fisler, and Swimmer in 2010 suggests that new innovative equipment could be added to gill nets to reduce their bycatch. One of the tests was to put images of sharks on the nets to deter turtles. While this did deter turtles from entering the net by 54% it also had a significant effect on the catch of the net. With the shark images in place the net suffered a 45% loss in desired catch. Another method that was tested was the use of chemical light sticks, the use of the light sticks caused a 60% decrease in turtle by catch and nominal affects on overall catch. The last method tested was LED lights that had a 40% decrease on turtle catches and nominal effects on intended catch (Wang 2010). What this shows is that new gear can be implemented to reduce by catch and make gill nets more biologically friendly.

Bycatch is a major problem with all fisheries: commercial fishermen do not want to waste the fuel, time, energy, and biological resource associated with a lot of bycatch. Bycatch as it pertains to gill nets is any species that is caught in a gill net that is not the targeted species that a gill netter is fishing for. The amount of bycatch in a gill net fishery can be very high. Unlike target species, bycatch is unwanted and often unused. Sometimes bycatch may be kept or sold if the fisherman has a proper license. Other times, bycatch cannot be used, for example, if it is undersized or a protected species, it must be thrown back. This returned bycatch is called discard.

Bycatch during fishing is not the only concern for gill nets; in cases when gill nets are lost they can continue to ghost fish. Ghost fishing is when a net is lost and the net continues to entangle fish. Some species that are caught in gill nets as bycatch are also endangered species. Some species of sea turtles have been documented on many occasions being caught in gill nets. Officials estimate that 2,667 to 5,333 turtles are injured or killed in North Carolina coastal waters annually (Donnelly2007). These high numbers of injuries and deaths caused by gill nets have caused many conservation groups to propose a ban on gill nets in all North Carolina coastal waters.

Gill net fishing can have adverse effects on the marine environment. In a recent study performed by the NCDMF it was found that local gill netting practices were negatively affecting primary nursing areas or PNAs. The local fishermen in the white oak river were dragging cinder blocks across the bottom to scare the fish and make them run into the gill net. Dragging cinder blocks across the bottom of the PNAs was shown to negatively affect the habitat. These primary nursery areas are crucial for juvenile shrimp, crabs, and fin fishes to survive and recruit into the next age class. The damage to the PNAs can cause a recruitment bottleneck and can reduce the breeding population of the species that use the nursery areas (NCDMF2010).

Sometimes bycatch may contain marine mammals, which are protected under the Marine Mammal Protected Act. Any marine mammal that gets entangled in a fisher’s net could land the fisher with a heavy fine. Alarms placed on gill nets have not been proven as effect ways to reduce bycatch. A study by Cox, at el. concluded that pingers were ineffective at reducing bycatch of bottlenose dolphin in gill nets. Suggestions from the Cox, et al. are that modification of fishing gear is a more effective way to reduce bycatch (Cox et al. 2003). In 2000, California banned gill nets for commercial use because of a substantial harm to the southern sea otter.

In conclusion, gill nets are responsible for the injury and death of 2,667 to 5,333 sea turtles each year, according to a study by Donnelly. Also, many marine mammal are incidentally caught in gillnets. Destructive fishing has also been reported with the use of gill nets in the White Oak River. There is now new ground-breaking equipment however, that is showing a reduction in turtle bycatch. Chemical light sticks and LED light have shown to have a 60% and a 40% decrease on turtle catch.

Social/Policy Considerations -- Jake Pridgen, Victoria Autry, Barryn McLaughlin

Gill nets are commonly used in commercial saltwater fishing because of their low maintenance requirements and ease of operation. Gillnets have long been considered an easy and cost effective way for commercial fishermen to meet their fishing quota. A small crew of fishermen can catch and collect hundreds or thousands of fish using gill nets, providing high yields at low expense and making fish widely available for food at an affordable price. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations views the use of gill nets as "low cost fishery." For several years now, some stakeholder groups, notably those associated with recreational angling, have been advocating legislation to ban the use of gill while at the same time commercial fisherman fight for their rights to make their livelihoods (Anonymous 2005). Recreational anglers use the success of Florida’s and South Carolina’s net bans to model how North Carolina could be if the legislation was passed. A few years ago, endangered sea turtles were found trapped, with some killed, in gill nets in NC by the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, which resulted in a lawsuit between the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission and the Beasley Center (Holt 2009). Also anecdotal observations suggest that small-time commercial fishermen leave their own over-fished fishing grounds in search of new areas for catching fish. In the areas around Santa Cruz and San Jose, they set up their nets and quickly catch reef fish. Since the fish are the dominant species in these areas, fishermen may employ this method of fishing more than once per day. This leads to a record depletion of fish, which in turn causes tourists intent on snorkeling, fishing, and reef diving to visit other locales where nature is still untouched and fish are plentiful. This adverse impact on tourism may cause the impoverishment of coastal areas. (Cochran 2010).This observation in California could aid in the fight for the gill net ban. If gillnets are banned, many commercial fisherman could lose their way of life.

Commercial fisherman and their families have been using gill nets for generations and it is in their heritage and culture. Some stipulate switching to other nets would be too costly and would ruin the company (Holt 2010). Alternatively they say gill nets can be modified to reduce their bycatch and improve safety. Pro gill net ban groups claim they should use longlines instead because they do not tear the catch and could result in more money. They also hope the ban will reduce the number of Ghost Nets currently found in North Carolina waters. But the commercial fishermen argue that gill nets can be easily modified, including nets made from cotton, which biodegrades over a short period of time.

Rules and regulations on gillnets are extensive to say the least. NC commercial fishermen currently can use gillnets only in certain seasons, specific time frames throughout the day, within certain mesh size requirements and certain fishing locations. (Bizzell 2011). Gillnetting is an efficient and economical means to harvest fish, but it can have serious consequences when done improperly, when nets are lost to inclement weather, or when social issues arise over its use. (Burke 2010).These regulations are designed to reduce bycatch while maintaining current fish populations. Although they may be relatively effective, these strict criteria may be one main reason why NC commercial fishermen jobs are decreasing.

The demand for NC commercial fishermen may have decreased as well. It is estimated that at least 80 percent of America’s seafood is imported from other countries such as China (Kraemer 2008). This may keep seafood prices low but in order for commercial fishermen to compete they must sell their catches for well below profitable prices. A 2008 NC survey by the University of North Carolina Community Economic Development Competitive Grant program showed 91 percent of the people preferred local seafood over imported, and 90 percent of the respondents said they were even willing to pay a higher price for it (West 2009). The demand is clearly there but very little has been done to remedy this. North Carolina markets and restaurants need to make local seafood available throughout the state, not just at its coast. Better marketing and distribution may help alleviate this aspect.

Economic Considerations -- Hillary Huffer; Coley Hughes; Heather Waters

Gillnets are widely used throughout the United States along with a combination of other fishing tools. North Carolina is a state well-known for its fishing industry since it is the 3rd largest coastal system in the world. Gill nets provide the ability to catch fish by size and species. At the same time they help maintain specific species populations by using specific net and mesh sizes to obtain specific species. In considering a gillnet ban, it is important to take into account the economic implications of such an action. This section will examine the number of recreational fishermen and their economic contribution to the state of North Carolina. Additionally, this section will explore the magnitude of the commercial fishing sector and the subset of fishermen who employ gillnets. Lastly, the section will discuss the economic implications of using gillnets versus long-lines.