Press Releases

New harvest reporting requirements for recreational and commercial fisheries have been delayed by one year and will now become effective on Dec. 1, 2025.

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) has expanded its severe and moderate drought classifications across the state, and introduce the extreme drought classification for part of one county in eastern North Carolina.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will collect Red Snapper carcasses from recreational fishermen during the July 12 Red Snapper mini-season.

The North Carolina Oil and Gas Commission Rules Committee will meet from 10 a.m. to noon on Monday July 15, 2024, online via Microsoft Teams.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will hold an in-person workshop July 15-17 with the Oyster/Hard Clam Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee to review draft Amendment 5 to the Eastern Oyster Fishery Management Plan and draft Amendment 3 to the Hard Clam Fishery Management Plan.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management is accepting public comment on a request for review of a federal consistency submission from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Protected Resources proposing amendments to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule (“speed rule”).

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) Science Panel is scheduled to meet via web conference on July 11 and Aug. 1 at 12:30 p.m. to continue its review of Inlet Hazard Area boundaries. The public may listen to the meetings by computer or phone.

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) has classified 10 counties as in severe drought classification, or D2, in the latest drought advisory released Wednesday. In addition, DMAC expanded the moderate drought (D1 classification) to 69 counties across the state. Another 21 counties were classified as abnormally dry. The latest classifications mean 99.98% of the state is now in drought, or experiencing abnormally dry conditions.

Advisories against swimming were posted today in three locations in Dare County, where state recreational water quality officials found bacteria levels in the water that exceed the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a precautionary swimming advisory in Oak Island. The advisory was lifted because floodwaters have rescinded, and pumping has ceased.