Press Releases

Changes to 18 Marine Fisheries Commission rules became effective today. Among the changes, five of the rules pertain to data collection and harassment prevention for the conservation of marine and estuarine resources, and one rule makes the administration of shellfish leases more efficient. Changes to the remaining rules removed outdated requirements and make minor conforming and clarifying changes.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission today took a step towards adoption of draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 4 by approving the draft plan for public and advisory committee review. Draft Amendment 4 would move the already scheduled sector allocation shift to 50/50 (commercial/recreational) in Amendment 3 up by one year to 2025.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Craven County at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 2. The hearing will be held in-person at the Craven Community College - Havelock Campus, 305 Cunningham Blvd, STEM Building, Room 134, Havelock, NC 28532, and by Webex.

Three advisory committees to the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet this month to accept public comment, discuss, and vote on recommendations for adaptive management for the draft Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3 Revision.

License sales at the Division of Marine Fisheries Manteo Office will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday this week (March 4-5), reopening on Thursday, March 6.

The NCDEQ’s Division of Marine Fisheries is seeking public input as it develops Amendment 5 to the N.C. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan (FMP). A public scoping period will be held from March 1 through March 31, providing stakeholders an opportunity to share feedback on potential management strategies and priorities for the amendment. The scoping period will include four scoping meetings.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet March 12-13 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5353 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, N.C. 27949.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Carteret County at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 13.

An issue that occurred yesterday with the NCDEQ Division of Marine Fisheries’ Observer Trip Scheduling System phone system has been resolved.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission meeting that was planned for this week has been rescheduled for March 12-13 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5353 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, N.C. 27949.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet in person Feb. 19-21 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5353 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, N.C. 27949. The meeting will also be livestreamed on YouTube.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries Standard Commercial Fishing License Eligibility Board will meet by teleconference at 10:30 a.m. on April 17. The board will consider license applications that are deemed complete and submitted by March 28.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will hold an in-person workshop January 27 with the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee to review draft Amendment 4 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan.

The Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has rescheduled three Observer Trip Scheduling System (OTSS) training sessions that were cancelled due to inclement weather.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will close coastal and joint waters in North Carolina to both commercial and recreational spotted seatrout harvest effective at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24 due to widespread cold stun events.