Press Releases

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries plans to implement management changes for Sheepshead due to increased fishing pressure, particularly on juvenile fish, in recent years. The Division is seeking public input on potential management strategies.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries and staff from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will hold an informational meeting Nov. 5 to present upcoming management changes for Striped Bass in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse Rivers. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Washington Civic Center.

The N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve will hold fall local advisory committee meetings Nov. 5 - 18 for the following reserve sites. All meetings are open to the public.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) is now accepting applications for the Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure (HRRI) Grant Program, which supports western North Carolina communities in rebuilding and strengthening waste reduction and recycling systems following Hurricane Helene.

The North Carolina Mining Commission will hold a public hearing on Nov. 18, 2025, to hear public comment on proposed rule changes to Subchapters 05A, 05B, 05F and 05G of the Mining Act Rules, codified in 15A NCAC Chapter 05.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources (DWR) advises the public to avoid contact with green or blue water on the Chowan River and in associated tributaries between Occano and Arrowhead Beach due to algal blooms that have lingered in the area since Oct. 6.

Today in Marshall, Governor Josh Stein announced $6 million in grants from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Flood Resiliency Blueprint program to help reduce flood risks across the state.

MOREHEAD CITY – An advisory against swimming was posted today at a sound-side site in Brunswick 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 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified a new state record for Almaco Jack (Seriola rivoliana).

MOREHEAD CITY- Advisories against swimming were posted today at two sound-side sites 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.