North Carolina's Gill Net Wars

May 9, 2009 By: Marshall Cutchin

On ESPN.com, Mike Marsh attempts to frame the difficult choices facing coastal North Carolina fisheries managers, who are highly protective of the commercial fishing culture but are also being forced to recognize the wastefulness of gill-netting. “On one side of the argument are recreational hook-and-line fishermen like Dubiel. On the other side are commercial gill-net fishermen. Somewhere between are commercial fishermen who compete with gill-netters using other gear, recreational fishermen with commercial gear licenses that can also fish gill nets, and those who seek to protect other sea life from harm by gill nets.”