Fisheries Management Proclamations

Proclamations are a tool used by the state to manage fisheries. They are public notices that suspend or implement rules affected by variable conditions. Proclamations can set certain fishing seasons and areas, harvest and gear limits, and conditions governing fisheries. Proclamation authority and proclamations are codified in rules. All proclamations, including those no longer in effect, can be found on the Archived Proclamations page.

Current Proclamations

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Maps Specified in Rule

Proclamation Categories
FF Finfish proclamations that address commercial and recreational size and creel limits, seasons, areas, etc.
M Miscellaneous proclamations covering gear restrictions (gill net, seine, pound net, etc.) not included in other proclamation categories, as well as permit requirements, and adaptive management measures implemented under the authority of fishery management plans
PA Polluted area proclamations that include temporary closures and re-openings to shellfish harvest as a result of bacteriological water quality, as well as changes in descriptions of permanently closed areas due to Sanitary Survey findings. (Polluted Area Proclamations have their own page)
PT Proclamations for pots that allow the use of crab, eel, fish, and shrimp pots in provisional pot areas not being used by long haul operations.
RS Proclamations closing research sanctuaries to all fishing equipment.
SF Shellfish proclamations addressing oysters, clams and scallops: hand and mechanical seasons, limits, areas, etc.
SS Shellfish sanitation proclamations (beginning in 2014) that establish the National Shellfish Sanitation Program requirements that mandate measures to control the temperature of oysters and clams after harvest; these measures reduce post-harvest growth of potentially hazardous, naturally occurring bacteria in these shellfish.
SH Shrimp proclamations that open or close areas to shrimping and crab trawling, or require bycatch reduction devices.

Current Proclamations

This is an interactive list of the proclamations currently in effect. You may select the category of the proclamation and use the search feature to limit the proclamations to only those that include the selected key words. Sunrise/sunset times are found in the official NCDMF Sunrise/Sunset table. For questions regarding proclamations, email Steve Poland, the Fisheries Management Section Chief, or call 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021. 

  • SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT AREA
    SF-3-2011 (106.85 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    6:00 A.M., Monday, February 7, 2011

  • SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT AREA
    SF-2-2007 (12.27 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    sunrise, Friday, January 19, 2007

  • SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT AREA – CARTERET COUNTY, PAMLICO COUNTY, ONSLOW COUNTY
    SF-10-2021 (296.69 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    12:01 A.M., October 12, 2021
    Map Package

  • SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT AREA – MOUTH OF WEST BAY & MOUTH OF NEUSE RIVER, PAMLICO SOUND
    SF-11-2021 (292.75 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    12:01  A.M., October 29, 2021
    Map 1
    Map 2

  • SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT AREAS (Closures: New River, Alligator Bay)
    SF-4-2014 (10.74 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    sunrise, Saturday, May 31, 2014

  • SHELLFISH TEMPERATURE AND SANITATION CONTROLS
    SS-1-2021 (378.2 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    9:00 A.M., March 26, 2021

  • SHELLFISH TEMPERATURE AND SANITATION CONTROLS
    SS-1-2021 (378.2 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    9:00 A.M., March 26, 2021

  • SHRIMP TRAWL BYCATCH REDUCTION DEVICE REQUIREMENTS – CROATAN AND ROANOKE SOUNDS, PORTIONS OF THE PAMLICO, BAY, AND NEUSE RIVERS, CORE SOUND AND SOUTH TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE LINE, AND SKIMMER TRAWLS STATEWIDE
    SH-4-2019 (2.52 MB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    12:01 A.M. Monday, July 1, 2019

  • SHRIMP TRAWL BYCATCH REDUCTION DEVICE REQUIREMENTS – PAMLICO SOUND AND PORTIONS OF THE PAMLICO, BAY, AND NEUSE RIVERS
    SH-3-2019 (2.44 MB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    12:01 A.M. Monday, July 1, 2019
    Map Package

  • SNAPPER GROUPER COMPLEX – COMMERCIAL – HOGFISH – CLOSURE
    FF-59-2021 (601.25 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    12:01 A.M., Tuesday, November 10, 2021

  • SNAPPER GROUPER COMPLEX – COMMERCIAL – RED SNAPPER – CLOSURE
    FF-51-2021 (602.95 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    12:01 A.M., Tuesday, September 14, 2021

  • SNAPPER GROUPER COMPLEX – COMMERCIAL – RED SNAPPER – RE-OPENING
    FF-58-2021 (606.07 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    12:01 A.M., Tuesday, November 2, 2021

  • SNAPPER GROUPER COMPLEX – RECREATIONAL – GOLDEN TILEFISH – CLOSURE
    FF-53-2021 (387.88 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    12:01 A.M., Monday, September 20, 2021

  • SNAPPER GROUPER COMPLEX – RECREATIONAL –OTHER JACKS COMPLEX– CLOSURE
    FF-60-2021 (550.34 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    12:01 A.M., Wednesday, November 17, 2021

  • SPINY DOGFISH – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS
    FF-61-2021 (289.93 KB)
    Issued Date:
    Effective Date:

    12:01 A.M., Friday, November 19, 2021

https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/marine-fisheries/rules-proclamations-and-size-and-bag-limits/fisheries-management-proclamations