North Carolina’s 2022 commercial flounder fishing season in internal waters is coming to an end. The commercial flounder season is closing because the total allowable landings of flounder from internal coastal waters is nearly caught. The commercial flounder season for gigs and hook-and-line in the Mobile Gear Northern Management Area will close at 6:00 p.m. [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Hundreds of small fish have been washing ashore with the waves on Ocracoke Island over the past several weeks, in a phenomenon that’s both unusual and a part of the greater migration process along the southern Outer Banks. Fall is primetime for fishing on Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands, and as several larger species make their [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Qualified shellfish growers in all North Carolina coastal counties now can apply for loans of up to $50,000 for business-related expenses such as payroll or equipment. With more than 1.4 million acres of coastal waters biologically and physically suited for shellfish growing, the new Shellfish Growers Loan Program announced Wednesday was designed to foster the state’s shellfish [...] Fishing |  Full Article

A lawsuit challenging how North Carolina manages coastal fisheries will go to trial. State attorneys have declined to appeal the suit brought by the Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina, or CCA NC, and 86 individuals to the N.C. Supreme Court. Instead, the state filed a motion on Tuesday for an extension to respond to the [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The commercial flounder season will close Oct. 6 in the Pound Net Southern Management Area. Additionally, a flounder trip limit is established for the Pound Net Northern and Central Management Areas. The commercial flounder season for pound nets in the Southern Management Area is closing because the quota is nearly caught. Flounder pound net sets [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission is accepting public comment on the proposed re-adoption and amendment of one rule under a state-mandated periodic review schedule and proposed amendments to a second rule. The first rule sets requirements for the harvest classification of shellfish growing waters in and around marinas, docking facilities, and other mooring areas. It [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The commercial flounder season will reopen Oct. 9 for gigs and hook-and-line in internal coastal waters statewide. Additionally, a flounder trip limit is established for the Pound Net Southern Management Area. The commercial flounder season for gigs and hook-and-line in the Northern and Southern Management Areas reopens at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9. The harvest [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The Division of Marine Fisheries is developing Amendment 2 to the N.C. Striped Mullet Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The division will hold a public scoping period Sept. 26 to Oct. 7 to solicit public input on potential management strategies for the upcoming amendment and discuss stakeholder priorities. Scoping is the best opportunity for the public [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Resource Fund Committee and the Funding Committee for the N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Fund will meet jointly by web conference on Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. Members of the public may listen to the meeting by phone or listen and view presentations online. A meeting agenda and WebEx link [...] Fishing |  Full Article