Carteret County honors state lawmakers after defeat of proposed inshore shrimp trawl ban

Carteret County commissioners presented certificates of appreciation Tuesday evening to State Senator Norman Sanderson and state Representative Celeste Cairns, thanking them for their roles in defeating House Bill 442, legislation described by local officials as an inshore shrimp trawl ban that would have harmed local shrimpers, processors and coastal traditions.

The hourlong ceremony at a specially called meeting brought elected officials, commercial fishermen and local advocates to the county chamber to publicly thank the lawmakers. Chairman (name not specified) read certificate language declaring appreciation for the lawmakers’ “incredible efforts in defeating the inshore shrimp trawl ban legislation that would have devastated our local shrimpers, processors, and coastal traditions.”

Commissioners and community members said the bill reached committee and floor votes quickly, leaving little time for public input. “I found out late on Saturday afternoon that it’s gonna be in our committee on Tuesday morning,” Senator Norman Sanderson said, and praised the rapid, organized response from coastal residents who traveled to Raleigh to lobby against the proposal. “I’ve never seen a group react and come to Raleigh to fight for what they believe in as this group did.”

Why it matters: Commissioners and fishing advocates said commercial shrimping is a longstanding part of Carteret County’s economy and culture and argued the proposed ban could have severe local consequences. Commissioner Quinn described commercial fishing as “a big part of our county’s heritage,” and Jess Hawkins of NC CATCH framed the issue as one of access to locally caught seafood: “We import over 85% of our seafood in our country,” Hawkins said, and urged support for sustainable, locally managed fisheries.

Discussion and local reaction: Several commissioners thanked the legislators for their work in Raleigh. Commissioner Walter gave particular credit to local organizers who helped constituents navigate the legislative process and encouraged further advocacy trips, saying, “I will always say yes to a trip to Raleigh, because now I know what it feels like to win and I’m not tired of winning.” Vice Chairman Mansfield and Commissioner Moore joined other commissioners in expressing gratitude.

Speakers at the event also described technical drafting issues in the bill that alarmed fishermen and advocates. Jerry Shiel, formerly with the North Carolina Fisheries Association, said the bill text included apparent errors — citing the wrong flounder species by name and mentioning red snapper, which he noted is federally managed — and said that “it was money that was driving it,” referring to the political forces that carried the measure in the Senate before the House defeated it.

Representative Celeste Cairns thanked county residents and the coastal community for their mobilization, and credited Sanderson and other coastal legislators for support in Raleigh. “Anytime I have questions or don’t know what I’m doing, first place I go is to Senator Sanderson,” Cairns said. She also described the families and workers who traveled to lobby as a different kind of protest: “This was families. There were kids there, folks who had to close their restaurants or the fish houses to come up when they need to work.”

Local organizations represented at the ceremony included NC CATCH, which Hawkins said works to educate the public about seafood and sustainable fisheries. Jerry Shiel recounted outreach to sponsors after the bill was filed and said sponsors amended or withdrew support once problems were identified.

No formal county votes were taken at the ceremony; the gathering was a public recognition and opportunity for remarks. Commissioners encouraged attendees to continue civic engagement ahead of future legislative sessions and to remain prepared should related proposals reappear.

The ceremony concluded with plaques and an invitation to socialize before the board’s regular meeting later that evening.