The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has removed pound net trip limits for the upcoming commercial flounder season.
All pound net management areas will open for the harvest of flounder without initial trip limits. Trip limits for one or more management areas may be implemented during the season to minimize the risk of exceeding the respective allowable landings (quota).
Allowable landings for the commercial quota are split by Flounder Management Area and Gear Categories, and season opening dates vary by category.
The opening dates for Pound Net Management Areas:
| Pound Net Management Area | Opening Date |
| Northern (waters north of Pamlico Sound) | Monday, Sept. 15 |
| Central (Pamlico Sound and its tributaries) | Wednesday, Oct. 1 |
| Southern (waters from Core Sound to the South Carolina line) | Wednesday, Oct. 1 |
Mobile gears are all gears other than pound nets used to harvest flounder. Mobile gears are split into two Management Areas:
• Northern - waters south of the North Carolina/Virginia border to a line in Core Sound which runs approximately from the Club House on Core Banks westerly to a point on the shore at Davis near Marker 1.
• Southern - waters from the line in Core Sound described above south to the North Carolina/South Carolina border.
Opening dates for Mobile Gear Management Areas:
Harvest of flounder from gill nets in both the Northern and Southern Management Areas will open for the harvest of flounder one day per week. Specifications of gill net configurations will be consistent with previous years and outlined in forthcoming proclamations:
• Wed., Oct. 1 (nets may be set no sooner than one hour before sunset on Tuesday, Sept. 30).
• Every Wednesday thereafter so long as enough quota remains available. Nets may be set no sooner than one hour before sunset the day before.
All other mobile gears for the harvest of flounder in both the Northern and Southern Management areas will be open seven days per week beginning Wed. Oct. 1.
The minimum size limit for flounder is 15 inches total length.
The open harvest period for each Flounder Management Area and Gear Category will close to maintain harvest within the landings sub-allocation when the allowable landings are approached. The Division will announce the closings by proclamation as necessary during the season.
These management measures comply with requirements of Amendment 4 to the N.C. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan and maintain harvest within the total allowable landings.
For more information see Proclamation FF-29-2025.