Recreational flounder season starts tomorrow, and the NC Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is reminding recreational fishermen that a new law requires them to report their harvest of flounder, as well as four other species.
Recreational fishermen must report their harvest of flounder, Striped Bass, Spotted Seatrout (speckled trout), Weakfish (gray trout) and Red Drum, either through an online Mandatory Harvest Reporting webform or an iPhone App. (Search for “NC DMF” in the Apple Store.) An Android App is not yet available. Recreational fishermen are not required to report fish they do not keep.
How to Report: This digital option is a simple, quick and easy-to-use form that is accessible by smartphone, tablet or computer. For instructions on how to use the online webform, please see the How to Report Electronically webpage.
Those without immediate access to a smartphone, tablet or computer may print a paper report card from the DMF website or pick up a card at any DMF office. For instructions on how to use the paper report card, please see Reporting with the Paper Report Card webpage.
When to report: Recreational fishermen must report once their fishing trip is complete. If using a vessel, this means once the vessel reaches the shore or a structure attached to the shore. If a vessel is not used (fishing from a bank or pier, for example), reporting must occur once the person is no longer actively engaged in fishing and their gear is stowed away.
Why is this happening?
The new reporting requirement was established by the North Carolina General Assembly through Session Law 2023-137 and went into effect Dec. 1, 2025. The law applies in coastal and joint fishing waters, as well as inland fishing waters adjacent to coastal or joint fishing waters. (See interactive map of waters where reporting is required.)
The Mandatory Harvest Reporting program does not replace the Marine Recreational Information Program, or any of the other access point surveys DMF conducts. Information collected through the new program will be used in conjunction with data collected by the existing data surveys to better inform fisheries management.
What other resources are available?
More information, including a Frequently Asked Questions webpage, can be found in the Mandatory Harvest Reporting section of the DMF website .