Dare County has released a video titled, “Dare County’s Commercial Fishing Industry: Safeguarding the Community’s Longstanding Heritage by Supporting the Livelihoods of Local Fishermen,” as part of the county’s ongoing effort to inform members of the public as well as state and national legislators about the impact that increased regulation is having on the those who work within the commercial fishing industry.
The video highlights the unique heritage of Dare County’s commercial fishing industry that has been passed down from one generation of watermen to the next for centuries as well as the fact that the various professions that comprise the industry as a whole are an essential economic driver for the region.
Viewers will hear firsthand accounts from a wide array of Dare County fishermen, restaurateurs and seafood market owners who explain the many challenges that they have faced over the years due to the increased regulations that have been implemented.
The video’s creation was spearheaded by Dare County Commissioner Steve House, who plays an integral role by serving as chairman of Dare County’s Working Watermen Commission, which informs the public and elected officials about the effects of increased regulation on area watermen. House attends fisheries meetings, keeps in contact with state representatives regarding fisheries issues and brings forward resolutions to the Dare County Board of Commissioners that express support for the commercial fishing industry.
“I want to thank all of our watermen who are in the video and expressing what changes they’ve gone through and how it’s affected them and how it affects the industry as a whole,” said House, who announced the launch of the video at the Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting that was held on Monday, January 3, 2022. “It’s one of our heritages; it’s something we need to protect. You’ve seen me time and time again putting out resolutions and going to meetings [about] unfair regulations that are being put on our commercial fishermen, and I wanted to spearhead this video to give insight to the people that are not here in Dare County and that don’t realize the impacts that are going on. It’s hard for, say, a state representative who lives in the far western part of the state to know what’s going on in our coastal region, and this will give them some insight.”
