The 2027 commercial Spot season will close Jan. 1 through April 28 in Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters of the state, a change from dates set for the 2021-2026 commercial Spot season closures.
In North Carolina, the commercial Spot fishery has closed Dec. 10 through Apr. 4 each year since 2021 to meet a 1% reduction in commercial harvest required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).
Over the past few years, commercial fishermen south of Carteret County have raised concerns that the Dec. 10 through Apr. 4 closure had a disproportionate impact on fishermen in this area because the Spot arrive later and move offshore later compared to the coastal counties north of this region.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries staff reviewed available data to identify an option for a later season closure that would still meet the required minimum 1% reduction and proposed a statewide conservation equivalency that moves the season closure dates to Jan. 1 through April 28, which balances the needs of commercial fishermen statewide.
North Carolina’s proposal was approved by the ASMFC’s Sciaenid’s Management Board at its May 2026 meeting.
For more specifics on the commercial Spot season closure in Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters, see Proclamation FF-50-2026.