Press Releases

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.

Due to the forecasted inclement weather, the Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has cancelled the three Observer Trip Scheduling System training sessions that were slated for this week. The meetings will be rescheduled and the dates and times announced later.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries wants to remind the public to report any cold stunned spotted seatrout they may see in North Carolina coastal waters.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program has finalized its five-year timeline for ocean reef enhancements funded by Coastal Recreational Fishing License revenues.

The Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries is hosting a series of public outreach meetings to train fishermen on the Observer Trip Scheduling System (OTSS). The OTSS is an automated system that will be used to schedule observer trips for Estuarine Gill Net Permit (EGNP) holders in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting public comment on the draft Eastern Oyster Fishery Management Plan Amendment 5 and draft Hard Clam Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program sank a 55-foot trawler at AR-305, off Cape Lookout, last week.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission this week chose preferred management measures for the N.C. Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan Amendment 1 that merged recommendations from its advisory committees, as well as public comment, with proposals from the Division of Marine Fisheries.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Edenton National Fish Hatchery have joined together to enhance the Striped Bass population in the lower Cape Fear River in hopes of boosting natural reproduction in the waterway.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet in person Nov. 20-22 at the Islander Hotel & Resort, 102 Islander Drive, Emerald Isle, NC 28594. The meeting will also be livestreamed on YouTube.

The Finfish Advisory Committee of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. at the Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office. The meeting will also be livestreamed to YouTube.