by Chad Thomas
(To stimulate discussion and debate, Coastal Review welcomes differing viewpoints on topical coastal issues.)
Red drum contribute to the financial health of our coastal economies to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Together with speckled trout, flounder, striped bass, and weakfish, the group is considered North Carolina’s top five inshore coastal fisheries.
Despite the significance to our economy and culture, those responsible for maintaining a robust fishery population have precious little data to guide their efforts. Should the flounder season be longer or shorter next year if we even have one? Will speckled trout daily limits be reduced if current trends continue? These questions cut to the core of maintaining sustainable, self-replenishing fisheries. But without reliable numbers, many policy decisions will be wrong, risking the very existence of critical species in our coastal waters, unnecessarily limiting recreational fishing seasons, and ultimately harming the entire fishing industry. In October 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly acted to address this problem by advancing a new harvest reporting policy. The Marine Fisheries Commission is currently considering the rules to implement this program.
Continue reading at Coastal Review, coastalreview.org.
