Press Releases

The recreational black sea bass fishing season will open Feb. 1 in federal and North Carolina waters north of Cape Hatteras.

The creel limit for recreationally-caught bluefish will decrease on Feb. 1 in North Carolina coastal waters. 

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program, in partnership with the Oregon Inlet Artificial Reef Committee, sank the first of three tugboats off the coast of Pea Island on Monday.  

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Carteret County on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office, 5285 U.S. 70 West, Morehead City. Matthew Graci has applied for a 0.699-acre shellfish bottom and water column lease in The Straits. Sandbar Oyster Company, LLC (David Cessna, agent) has applied for a 2.35-acre bottom lease below the bridge in North River. Matthew Gruenewald and James Kyle Frey have applied for a 3.83-acres water column lease in mid-Newport River.

The N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Funding Committee will meet jointly with the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Committee at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Washington Regional Office, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington. The two committees are scheduled to review and vote on recurring funding opportunities from the Commercial Fishing Resource Fund.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is seeking input from the public on potential management strategies for an upcoming amendment to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan. The amendment will examine management strategies to further reduce bycatch of non-target species in the shrimp trawl fishery and potential changes to existing shrimp management strategies. Fishermen and other stakeholders are encouraged to provide input by either attending one of three scoping meetings or providing written comments.

The N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Funding Committee will meet jointly with the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Committee at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Washington Regional Office, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington. The two committees are scheduled to review and vote on recurring funding opportunities from the Commercial Fishing Resource Fund.

The N. C. Division of Water Infrastructure will host a public meeting on January 13 soliciting comments on the draft Intended Use Plans (IUPs), including principal forgiveness criteria and priority rating systems, related to funding provided by the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019 (ASADRA). ASADRA funding is available only for water and wastewater utilities impacted by Hurricanes Florence and/or Michael.

The North Carolina Division of Air Quality is accepting public comment through January 30, 2020 on the draft of the air monitoring study in Duplin County. 

The State Water Infratructure Authority will meet via conference call at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11. The public may listen to the call at the Archdale Building in downtown Raleigh.