Press Releases

The Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has received a new Endangered Species Act Section 10 Incidental Take Permit (ITP) from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The ITP authorizes a limited number of incidental takes of sea turtles and sturgeon in internal Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters for estuarine gill net fisheries with the exceptions of runaround/strike/drop and drift gill nets.

Due to the impacts Hurricane Helene has had on several of the river basins in Western North Carolina, the public comment period for the 2024 Broad River Basin Plan has been extended to November 22, 2024.

MOREHEAD CITY – State recreational water quality officials today lifted a water quality swimming advisory at a sound-side site in New Hanover County.

The Habitat and Water Quality Advisory Committee of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet Oct.16 at 6 p.m. at the Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office. Also, the meeting will be livestreamed to YouTube.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission is looking for commercial and recreational fishermen, scientists, and other interested parties to sit on various fisheries advisory committees.

MOREHEAD CITY – State recreational water quality officials today lifted a precautionary swimming advisory in Bald Head Island and in Oak Island. The advisory is being lifted because floodwaters have receded, and pumping has ceased.

MOREHEAD CITY – An advisory against swimming was posted today at a sound-side site in Dare County, where state officials found bacteria levels in the water that exceed the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Nominating Committee will meet at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office conference room on Oct. 17 at 6 p.m.

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