Background Information

We interviewed Mrs. Pam Morris, from Davis.  Her husband is a commercial fisherman.  He has been since 1976.  She works at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum.  The museum lets her work on Carteret Catch also.  Pam Morris was one of the people who started Carteret Catch.  She helped the program so that the local fisherman could get more profit.  She has lived in Carteret County all her life, so she knows a lot about the water in general.

Description of Issue

In Carteret County there are a lot of species of seafood are caught. Here are the top five: blue crab (hard, peeler, soft); shrimp (pink, brown, and white); flounder (southern and summer); Atlantic menhaden; and the hard clam.  One of the most important species of seafood is shrimp.  Before 1912 shrimp were discarded from boats because they were considered “trash”.  Trawling started after boats from New England began shrimping in the southern parts of the state.  It has since grown to become the most popular seafood.

                 There are many ways to catch seafood.  For example, shrimp are caught by trawling.  Clams are harvested by using a rake or some people “kick” for clams using boat motors which may have an adverse effect on the bottom.  Fishermen may tong for oyster or pick them up by hand.  Finfish are mostly caught with nets.  Crab pots are used to catch crabs.

Until recent years most people Down East relied on commercial fishing.  The people here have been doing this for most of their lives.  Most of the communities have fish houses.  Today fewer people are making a living from commercial fishing.

 Challenges

The factors that affect the landings include impacts from changing land and water use, habitat destruction from dredging and shoreline alterations, pollution and introduced parasites and diseases.  Shellfish populations have also been subjected to intense fishing pressure. 

            The gasoline prices are also a big problem.  If the gas prices go up anymore than the fisherman won’t have enough money to buy gas for their boats.  I don’t think anyone will have enough money for gasoline if it goes any higher.  It’s like a chain reaction.

            Another challenge is the fact that some restaurants prefer to order seafood imported from other countries.  That affects the commercial fishermen because it puts them in the position of having no where to sell their catch. 

            Then there is the problem of either not enough fish or there is too much fish.  Some species don’t have enough fish for all the fishermen but there are also a problem about some species have too much fish but are only allowed so much.  If too many fish flood the market the price drops.

Solutions

The solutions they are trying to work on are the Carteret Catch Program.  The program will be a model for other coastal communities striving to complete in the global market place.  The goal of Carteret Catch is to get restaurants to buy local seafood and sell it.  So when the customers see the “Carteret Catch” sign they will know they are eating seafood that was not imported, but caught locally.  That will bring more profit to the local fisherman.  Carteret Catch is reaching that goal slowly. Some restaurants are beginning to realize that when people know they are eating local seafood that they are going to want to come back.