Press Releases

Public hearing on closure plans for coal ash impoundments at Belews Creek Steam Station to be held Feb. 18

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold a hearing for public comment about the plan to excavate coal ash at Duke Energy’s Belews Creek Steam Station on Tuesday Feb. 18, beginning at 6 p.m.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Marine Fisheries Commission to meet Feb. 19-21 in New Bern

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet Feb. 19-21 at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, 203 South Front St., New Bern

State Water Infrastructure Authority to meet Feb. 12

The State Water Infrastructure Authority will meet Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the N. C. Rural Economic Development Center, 4021 Carya Drive, in Raleigh.

POSTPONED: Additional Comment Period and Public Hearings Announced for Proposed Log Fumigation Rule

*UPDATE 3/13/2020: The public hearings scheduled for revised log fumigation rules on Tuesday, March 17 in Raleigh and on Wednesday, March 18 in Wilmington, have been postponed based on the current guidance to avoid gatherings of over 100 people to help minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Marine Fisheries Commission seeks advisers

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission is looking for commercial and recreational fishermen and scientists to advise them on various fisheries issues.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Marine Fisheries Standard Commercial Fishing License Eligibility Board to meet

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Standard Commercial Fishing License Eligibility Board will meet by teleconference at 10:30 a.m. March 26.  

Recreational black sea bass season north of Cape Hatteras opens Feb. 1

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

Recreational creel limit decreases for bluefish

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

Division of Marine Fisheries Artificial Reef Program sinks tugboat off Dare County

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.  

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public hearing scheduled on Carteret County shellfish lease proposals

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.