Information on Southern Flounder FMP Amendment 4
Southern Flounder FMP Amendment 4
At its August 2024 quarterly business meeting, the Marine Fisheries Commission asked the DEQ Secretary "to modify the Annual FMP Review Schedule to amend the Southern Flounder FMP for the review of the plan to begin in 2024" with the intention of that amendment to allow for more recreational access to the fishery while maintaining the rebuilding requirements of Amendment 3.
The DEQ Secretary approved the request, and the Division of Marine Fisheries began developing Amendment 4 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan.
Amendment 4 was adopted in August 2025 and included a single management change: shifting the quota allocation to 50/50 commercial/recreational up one year to begin in 2025 rather than in 2026 as prescribed in Amendment 3. This allocation shift is a short-term approach to address recreational access. Long-term, more comprehensive approaches for recreational and commercial management will be addressed during subsequent development of Amendment 5. All other management measures from Amendment 3 were carried forward in Amendment 4.
Submit Written Comments Online
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will accept public comment on draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 4 from April 1 to April 30.
Written comments may be submitted in any of the following ways:
- An online form accessible through the Information on Southern Flounder FMP Amendment 4 webpage.
- Mail to Southern Flounder FMP Amendment 4 Comments, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.
The deadline to submit comments is April 30, 2025.
In-person comments may be made at any of three advisory committee meetings scheduled in April:
| April 8, 2025 6 p.m. |
| Southern Regional Advisory Committee Central District Office 5285 Highway 70 West Morehead City, NC 28557 |
| April 10, 2025 6 p.m. |
| Northern Regional Advisory Committee College of the Albemarle 205 US-64 Manteo, NC 27954 |
| April 16, 2025 6 p.m. |
| Finfish Advisory Committee Central District Office 5285 Highway 70 West Morehead City, NC 28557 |
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries held an in-person workshop January 27 with the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee to review draft Amendment 4 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan.
At its August 2024 business meeting, the Marine Fisheries Commission passed a motion to begin review of the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan in 2024 with the intent of allowing more recreational access while maintaining rebuilding requirements in Amendment 3 of the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan. To accomplish this, the only issue considered in Amendment 4 is moving the adopted sector allocation shift to 50/50 (commercial/recreational) in Amendment 3 up by one year to 2025.
| Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Workshop January 27th @ 6:00p.m. |
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| DMF Central District Office 5285 Highway 70 West Morehead City, N.C. 28557 |
| Workshop Agenda |
| Draft Southern Flounder FMP Amendment 4 - Base Plan |
| Appendix 1: Increasing Recreational Access to Southern Flounder Through Sector Allocation Parity |
While Amendment 4 is being developed, management of Southern Flounder will continue under Amendment 3. For more information on Amendment 3 and the status of the Southern flounder fishery, please visit the Information on Southern Flounder FMP Amendment 3 webpage.