Marine Fisheries Division encourages anglers to donate flounder carcasses to science
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.
The division has set up eight temporary freezer locations, in addition to the ten carcass collection locations available throughout the year, where recreational fishermen can take their flounder carcasses.
The temporary locations are:
- Oden’s Dock: 57878 North Carolina Hwy 12, Hatteras;
- Bridge Tender Marina: 1418 Airlie Rd, Wilmington;
- NC Division of Marine Fisheries: 943 Washington Square Mall Highway 17, Washington;
- Sea Gate Marina: 729 Sea Gate Dr, Newport;
- Chasin’ Tails Outdoors: 709 Atlantic Beach Causeway, Atlantic Beach;
- Ocean Isle Marina: 2000 Sommersett Rd SW, Ocean Isle Beach;
- Seapath Yacht Club: 330 Causeway Dr, Wrightsville Beach; and
- Dudley’s Marina: 106 Cedar Point Blvd #8000, Cedar Point.
The year-round locations are (map available here):
- Cape Pointe Marina, Harkers Island;
- Frisco Rod & Gun, Frisco;
- Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head;
- Pogies Fishing & Kayaking Center, Swansboro;
- Pelagic Hunter Fishing Center, Sneads Ferry;
- Sea View Crab Company, Wilmington;
- Tex’s Tackle, Wilmington;
- NC Division of Marine Fisheries Headquarters, Morehead City;
- NC Division of Marine Fisheries, Wilmington; and
- Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point- Environmental Affairs Office (available only to those with military base access).
Anglers that donate legal carcasses and provide a completed carcass collection catch card will be eligible for either an Angler Recognition Certificate (one per season for fish 15 inches to less than 24 inches total length) or a N.C. Saltwater Fishing Tournament Citation (one per fish for fish 24 inches or greater total length).
When cleaning the fish, anglers should leave the head and tail intact and, if possible, leave the guts in the fish. Anglers who fished on a charter boat or head boat should let the fish cleaner know the carcass will be donated.
Instructions on how to deposit the carcasses are posted on each freezer. Anglers will be asked to give information related to how and when the fish was caught and must provide their names and addresses if they wish to receive a certificate or citation.
Division biologists will measure the fish, determine the sex, if possible, and remove the otoliths (ear bones) to determine the age of the fish. The information collected will be used in future flounder stock assessments.
The 2022 recreational flounder season will open at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 1 and close at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30 for both the recreational hook-and-line and gig fisheries. There is a one flounder per person per day creel limit with a minimum size limit of 15-inch total length (from the tip of the snout to the tip of the compressed tail).
For specific recreational harvest regulations, go to Proclamation FF-39-2022
