While we await court rulings on Florida's long-existing net ban, CCA is leading the fight against this indiscriminate method of commercial harvest in North Carolina. It's hard to believe that NC is the last state to limit or ban gillnets.
Amendment Three of the Florida Constitution, otherwise known as the net ban, was approved by voter referendum in November 1994. The amendment made unlawful the use of entangling nets (i.e., gill and trammel nets) in Florida waters. The use of other forms of nets, such as seines, cast nets, and trawls, was restricted, but not totally eliminated. These types of nets could be used only if the total area of net mesh did not exceed 500 square feet. The amendment was implemented in July 1995, and represented the culmination — but not the end — of a lengthy debate between commercial fishers and environmental/recreational advocacy groups regarding the harvesting of Florida's nearshore finfish resources.
I firmly believe that if we hadn't taken that action in 1994, we wouldn't have A recreational fishery left in Florida waters, and certainly nothing left in the Banana and Indian River lagoons.
CCA has produced this fascinating video that gives you some real insight into this destructive method of fishing.
To get involved visit joincca.org.