Angler education and outreach a high priority for license funding

Angler education and outreach has remained a high funding priority for Coastal Recreational Fishing License grants since the program’s inception in 2007. Proceeds from license sales has awarded more than $700,000 to education and outreach projects.

With recreational fishing effort at an all-time high, there is need for anglers to understand how they, personally, impact the state’s marine resources — individually and cumulatively. The Coastal Recreational Fishing License grant program funds projects to this aim.

Over the years, four projects have consistently received funding: The North Carolina Coastal Recreational Angler’s Guide; the North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing Digest; Take a Kid Fishing; and the N.C. Marine Patrol Education Team.

The North Carolina Coastal Recreational Angler’s Guide was one of the first two grants awarded from Coastal Recreational Fishing License revenues in 2007. Now in its fifth edition, this pocket-size guide features 131 pages of information on recreational fishing in coastal North Carolina, including articles on best fishing practices, licensing, and recreational fishing programs. The guide also includes an extensive section on fish profiles that describes the different species commonly caught in North Carolina coastal waters, their life cycle, habitat, and fishing tips.

The North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing Digest, a magazine published annually each May since 2011, includes about 20 pages discussing current recreational fishing issues, licensing requirements and size and bag limits. It includes a centerfold of colorful drawings of common North Carolina saltwater fishes, along with guides to help the angler identify and measure his catch.

The Coastal Recreational Fishing License Grant Program has awarded funding to Take a Kid Fishing every year since 2009. Take a Kid Fishing is an annual event held in Carteret County each summer by a non-profit organization with the mission to enrich the lives of disabled and underprivileged children by providing a day of saltwater fishing. The program combines hands on experience with education to teach participants skills and ethical angling practices, encouraging the children to become good stewards of the natural resources.

The N.C. Marine Patrol Education Team was formed in 2015 and has received several Coastal Recreational Fishing License Grants since then. The funding allowed the team to purchase two trailers and pack it with education and outreach supplies and equipment that the take to various functions across the state. The funding also paid for a promotional video used for outreach and recruiting purposes.