The recreational black sea bass fishery will close Tuesday, Dec. 1 in all coastal waters north of Cape Hatteras.
The closure will remain in effect until May 15.
The closure is required to account for recreational black sea bass harvest during February 2020.
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council/Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fisheries Management Plan allows states to choose to open the recreational black sea bass season in February but requires states that do so to implement a season closure later in the year.
North Carolina was one of two states that chose to open the recreational black sea bass season in February. Fishing trips and harvest of black sea bass were higher during the February 2020 season than the February seasons in 2018 and 2019. The fishery will not open in February 2021 to avoid closing the season early again next year.
For specific information on the closure, see Proclamation FF-43-2020.
For more information, contact Chris Batsavage at 252-241-2995 or Chris.Batsavage@ncdenr.gov.
