Public hearing scheduled for Hyde County shellfish lease proposals

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing by web conference on proposed shellfish leases in Hyde County at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 9.

David Fletcher O’Neal has applied for a 4.92-acre bottom and water column lease behind Ocracoke Inlet.

Stephen Wilson has applied for a 3.59-acre bottom and water column lease in Howard Reef.

Jeffrey Credle has applied or a 1.40-acre bottom and water column lease in Germantown Bay.

Charles Van Salisbury has applied for a 1.01-acre bottom and water column lease in Jeanette Creek.

Wanchese Fish Company, Inc. (Patrick Leonard, agent) has applied for a 9.57-acre bottom lease Berrys Bay.

The public may participate in the hearing online or by telephone. To facilitate comments, the division is asking those who wish to speak during the meeting to pre-register here by 4 p.m. March 8.

Also, the public may comment on the proposed shellfish leases in writing. Written comments will be accepted until 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 10 and may be submitted in two ways:

1. Online Comments – Public comments will be accepted through an online form available here.
2. Mailed Comments – Written comments may be mailed to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Shellfish Leases, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.

Public hearing information, including the web conference link and call-in telephone number, presentation slides, and biological investigation reports can be found here.

For more information, contact Marla Chuffo, with the division’s Habitat and Enhancement Section, at 252-808-8048 or Marla.Chuffo@ncdenr.gov.