Eastern Oyster Management Information

Eastern Oyster Annual Update

A stock assessment has not been completed due to data limitations. Management of Eastern Oyster in North Carolina has focused on extensive habitat enhancement and protection measures. Commercial landings of wild oysters from public bottom have been relatively unchanged since 2018 with hand harvest the biggest segment of the fishery. Annual landings of farmed oysters from private bottom have surpassed wild harvest since 2017 due to increasing aquaculture production. Eastern Oyster is currently managed under Amendment 5 to the FMP which implements a three-tiered management strategy aimed at balancing the value of oysters as a fishery resource and as essential habitat. As part of this strategy, large scale changes (25%) in mechanical harvest participants triggers examination of oyster sampling data and potential adjustments to fixed season length for cultch supported harvest areas. Participation in 2025 was within normal ranges and did not trigger further examination of oyster sampling data. The next comprehensive FMP review is scheduled to begin in 2030.