June 26, 2025 — Shrimpers spoke, and the Republican caucus of the North Carolina House of Representatives listened.
Legislation potentially fatal to the coastal industry, its leaders said, will rest in the Rules Committee of the lower chamber. A Wednesday afternoon session was delayed more than 90 minutes awaiting the decision that rejected the Senate’s insertion of a shrimp trawling ban within a half mile of the shoreline.
The North Carolina Fishers Association, at 3:30 Wednesday afternoon, posted in all caps to its social media, “HB442 trawl ban is dead!”
Sen. Phil Berger, the Rockingham County Republican and president pro tempore, stood by his chamber’s move. Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, pushed for a deeper dive on the decision. Steve Troxler, sixth term Republican state agriculture commissioner, on Monday respectfully confirmed opposition to the trawling ban.
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