Press Releases

The Division of Marine Fisheries is developing Amendment 1 to the N.C. Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan (FMP).

A recreational spring season for ocellated (Gulf and summer) flounder will not occur in 2023, as preliminary data from the 2022 recreational flounder season (Sept. 1-30, 2022) indicates that removals of southern flounder exceeded the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) by 25,000 pounds.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet in-person Feb. 22-24 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel New Bern Riverfront, 100 Middle St., New Bern. The meeting will also be livestreamed on YouTube.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified a new state record Common Thresher (Alopias vulpinus).

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Resource Fund Committee and the Funding Committee for the N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Fund will meet jointly by web conference on March 1 at 6 p.m.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Pender County at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 15. The hearing will be held in-person at Topsail Beach Town Hall, 820 S. Anderson Blvd., Topsail Beach, and by WebEx.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Onslow County at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28. The hearing will be held in-person at the Town of Holly Ridge Community Room, 404 Sound Road, Holly Ridge, and by WebEx.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold an in-person public hearing on a proposed shellfish lease in Pamlico County at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 2 at the Pamlico County Courthouse, Commissioner’s Room, 202 Main Street, Bayboro.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is partnering with the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort to offer a series of presentations on the history of four different fisheries in North Carolina. The presentations are part of the Division’s celebration of 200 Years of State Marine Fisheries Management and Conservation in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is inviting the public to follow the Division of Marine Fisheries’ new accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Standard Commercial Fishing License Eligibility Board will meet by teleconference at 10:30 a.m. on April 5. The board will consider license applications that are deemed complete and submitted by March 13.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold an in-person public hearing on a proposed shellfish lease in Pamlico County at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 2 at the Pamlico County Courthouse, Commissioner’s Room, 202 Main Street, Bayboro.

The National Marine Fisheries Service is extending the public comment period on its Dec. 22, 2022, notice of receipt of North Carolina’s Incidental Take Permit application and conservation plan to address sturgeon and sea turtle interactions in the state’s estuarine anchored gill net fishery. The public comment period will be extended by 30 days to Feb. 22, 2023. Comments previously submitted do not need to be resubmitted.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) launched a new webpage that provides information on all DEQ funding programs in one place, along with a searchable list of currently open applications for grant opportunities.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Carteret County at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15. The hearing will be held in-person at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Central District Office, 5285 Highway 70 West, Morehead City, and by WebEx.