Contact the NC Coastal Resources Commission Members

Write or email the Coastal Resources Commission and tell them that you OPPOSE the floating structures amendments!

It is our position that the use of the public trust waters for private commercial purposes should be limited to water-dependent uses only. The activities cited to justify the need for these structures (sorting, processing, packaging…etc) are not water-dependent uses.

According to State rules for Coastal Management, “Uses that are not water dependent shall not be permitted in coastal wetlands, estuarine waters, and
public trust areas” (15A NCAC 7H.0208). 

We do not oppose the existence of shellfish leases when the use of those leases is strictly limited to activities which are dependent on the water itself and are performed in a manner that limits their nuisance to others that use and enjoy our waters. Cleaning, processing, packaging etc are not water-dependent uses as they can, and should, be performed on private land where they cannot interfere with others who enjoy the public resource.

The Division of Coastal Management, the Coastal Resources Commission and others are tasked with balancing the interests of those that use the public resource. While we support the growth of North Carolina’s shellfish industry, it is our position that giving one particular industry an exclusive exception to build and leave structures on the public resource is tipping the scales of balance too far.