Press Releases

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has completed its Department-wide email address change. Now, all DEQ email addresses will use the @deq.nc.gov domain.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified a new state record Blueline Tilefish, also called Gray Tilefish (Caulolatilus microps).

The N.C. Division of Coastal Management and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office are urging the public to act responsibly during the upcoming July Fourth holiday at the Masonboro Island Reserve, a research reserve and dedicated state nature preserve. In preparation for the holiday, the state coastal agency and the sheriff’s office are working together to provide public safety resources and increase public awareness of responsible visitor behavior on the island.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will host an in-person workshop for its five advisory committees on July 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is launching a new license and vessel registration system July 1. As part of the transition to the new system, hunting and fishing licenses — including Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses — and vessel registrations will be unavailable for purchase from 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 27 to 8 a.m. Saturday, July 1.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a water quality swimming advisory at a sound-side site in Dare County.

The application period ends June 30 for N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve local advisory committees. Community members are needed for each of the Coastal Reserve’s ten sites: Bird Island Reserve, Bald Head Woods Reserve, Zeke’s Island Reserve, Masonboro Island Reserve, Permuda Island Reserve, Rachel Carson Reserve, Buxton Woods Reserve, Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve, Currituck Banks Reserve, and Emily and Preyer Buckridge Reserve.

Smoke from the Pulp Road fire in Brunswick County has the potential to create unhealthy air quality today for areas downwind of the fire.

A fun day led to a big win for one Carteret County youngster who attended Saturday’s Bicentennial Jamboree at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ office in Morehead City.

Sapphire Renewable Natural Gas applied for an air quality permit to allow it to accept and process landfill gas into natural gas onsite at Sampson County Disposal, LLC, in Roseboro.