Press Releases

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified a new state record swordfish (Xiphias gladius).

Eight newly readopted Marine Fisheries Commission rules become effective today, but fishermen will not see any difference.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will collect flounder carcasses of legal size (15 inches or greater) from recreational fishermen during the upcoming recreational flounder season.

An advisory against swimming was posted today at an ocean-side site 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.

Nineteen rules go into effect as of Aug. 23, including amendments pertaining to reducing shellfish lease user conflicts, repackaging foreign crab meat, and limiting certain gears on state ocean artificial reefs. The rules were amended and readopted under a state mandated periodic review schedule.

Three new members of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission members took the oath of office and participated in their first meeting this week. Governor Roy Cooper recently announced three new appointments to the commission: Donald Huggins, Doug Rader, and Ana Shellem. Huggins fills an at-large seat, Rader fills the scientist seat, and Shellem fills a commercial fisherman seat.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a spotted seatrout stock assessment peer review workshop Aug. 30 through Sept. 1 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 5046 Henderson Dr., Jacksonville.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold a public hearing September 20, 2022, on proposed amendments to its 15A NCAC 01E “Oil Refinery Facility Permit” rules as part of the required rule review and readoption process set forth in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-21.3A.  The purpose of this public hearing is to allow interested persons to submit oral comments regarding DEQ’s proposed amendments to 15A NCAC 01E, which relate to Oil Refinery Facility Permits.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted water quality swimming advisories at two sound-side sites in Carteret County.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified a new state record Red Hind (Epinephelus guttatus).