Managing the Fisheries

Fishery managers have a range of goals. They strive to maintain healthy fish populations and a healthy fishing industry – recreational and commercial. To achieve their goals, managers rely on a variety of tools, including quotas, size limits, gear restrictions, fishing seasons and area closures. Managers also provide outreach about their activities so those in the fishing industries and the general public can better understand what goes into management decisions. How do North Carolina’s managers determine which combinations of tools will best accomplish their goals?

To choose the best approach to managing a fish stock, managers must equip themselves with as much information as possible. The collection and analysis of such data is a large part of the day-to-day operations of the Division of Marine Fisheries.