Commercial Fishing Resource Fund

The Commercial Fishing Resource Fund receives money from an increase in commercial fishing license fees that took effect in 2015. The fund pays for observer coverage to fulfill the state’s obligations under incidental take permits for sea turtles and Atlantic sturgeon under the federal Endangered Species Act. Any additional money left in the fund is to be used for projects to develop and support sustainable commercial fishing in the state.

Spending for these projects must be approved by the Commercial Fishing Resource Funding Committee, which is made up of six commercial fishing representatives, and the Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Committee, comprised of members of the commission holding the three commercial fishing seats. View the following links to learn more.

N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Fund

Strategic Plan for the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Fund

Administrative Procedures for Funding from the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Fund

For more information, please contact kathy.peterson@deq.nc.gov or call 252-515-5470.

Tab/Accordion Items

The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Resource Fund Committee and the Funding Committee for the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Fund are issuing a request for proposals for consideration of funding from the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Fund. Learn more:

2024 Commercial Fishing Resource Fund Request for Proposals

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 on Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. The meeting will be held at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Washington Regional Office, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington.

Members of the public may attend the meeting in person or by web conference. A meeting agenda and WebEx link can be found here.

Public comment will not be accepted during the meeting. Members of the public may submit written comments to the commission in three ways:

  1. Online Comments – Public comments will be accepted through an online format that can be reached by clicking here.
  2. Mailed Comments – Written comments may be mailed to: Sept. 12, 2024 CFRF Meeting Comments, P.O Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557. 
  3. Hand Delivered – Written comments may be dropped off at the Division of Marine Fisheries Headquarters Office, 3441 Arendell St., Morehead City, 28447, N.C.

Comments for this meeting must be posted online or received in the division office by 4 p.m. Sept 11.

For more information, please contact Kathy.Peterson@deq.nc.gov or call 252-515-5470.

WHO:Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Resource Fund Committee 
and Funding Committee for the N.C. Commercial Fishing Resource Fund
WHAT:Joint Meeting
WHEN:Sept. 12 at 11 a.m.
WHERE:N.C. Department of Environmental Quality
Washington Regional Office
943 Washington Square Mall, Washington.

Click Here for WebEx Link.