N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries: The state management agency

The Division of Marine Fisheries is a state agency, under the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, responsible for managing the state’s marine fisheries resources.  The division collects and analyzes data necessary to recommend management actions to the Marine Fisheries Commission and implements rules and policies passed by the commission.

Mission and Vision

The division has six offices along the coast and is comprised of eight sections that collectively work together to ensure sustainable marine and estuarine fisheries and habitats for the benefit and health of the people of North Carolina.

The division:

  • Ensures healthy, sustainable marine and estuarine fisheries and habitats through management decisions based on sound data and objective analyses
  • Monitors and evaluates coastal waters for safe harvest of molluscan shellfish and recreational uses to safeguard the public health of shellfish consumers and recreational bathers
  • Provides excellent public service by motivated employees in an open and healthy working environment
  • Views public participation as essential for successful management of North Carolina’s fisheries resources
  • Enforces Marine Fisheries statutes and rules fairly and consistently

Sections

  • Director’s Office
    • MFC Office
    • Assistants for Councils
  • Fisheries Management
  • Habitat and Enhancement
  • Marine Patrol
  • License and Statistics
  • Shellfish Sanitation and Recreational Water Quality
  • Administrative Services
  • Maintenance Services

Primary Division Responsibilities

  • Producing fishery management plans
  • Researching the stock status of species and recommending fisheries management actions
  • Selling fishing licenses and analyzing statistics
  • Enforcing fisheries rules
  • Educating the public about fisheries issues
  • Monitoring water quality of shellfish and swimming waters

Proclamation Authority (GS 113-221.1)

Another tool the state uses to manage fisheries is the proclamation. The commission has the authority to delegate to the fisheries director the ability to issue public notices, called proclamations, suspending or implementing particular commission rules that may be affected by variable conditions. The proclamation authority granted to the fisheries director includes the ability to open and close seasons and fishing areas, set harvest and gear limits, and establish conditions governing various fishing activities. Proclamation authority and proclamation measures are codified in rules. Proclamations can be found at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/proclamations.

Other Agencies and Jurisdictions

The division works with many other agencies at the state, regional and federal levels to accomplish its mission of ensuring sustainable fisheries:

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (http://www.ncwildlife.org/) is responsible for regulating fishing activities in inland waters.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (http://www.asmfc.org/), of which North Carolina is a member state, manages species that migrate across state boundaries out to three miles from shore.

The federal government, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/) and the Mid-Atlantic (www.mafmc.org/) and South Atlantic (www.safmc.net/) fishery management councils manage species occurring in the Exclusive Economic Zone from 3 miles to 200 miles from shore in the Atlantic Ocean.