Press Releases

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Nominating Committee will meet in person and by web conference on Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. The in-person meeting will be held at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Headquarters Office, 3441 Arendell Street, Morehead City, in the Second Floor Conference Room.

On Monday, September 25, a days-old wild horse, and resident of the Rachel Carson Reserve, was seen exhibiting signs of extreme distress. Paula Gillikin, NC Division of Coastal Management’s Coastal Reserve site manager for the Rachel Carson Reserve, examined the male foal at the Reserve. After consulting with the Reserve’s local equine veterinarian and the N.C. State College of Veterinary Medicine, the Division subsequently moved the horse from the Reserve for further examination and treatment.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified the first state record Puddingwife Wrasse (Halichoeres radiatus), and the fish may break the world record, as well.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a precautionary swimming advisory in Emerald Isle. The advisory was lifted because floodwaters have rescinded, and pumping has ceased.

State recreational water quality officials today advised beachgoers to be aware of the floodwaters being pumped to the ocean surf in Emerald Isle. Surfers and swimmers should avoid these sites.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a water quality swimming advisory at a sound-side site in Dare County.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Infrastructure announced today that 30 communities statewide will receive more than $34 million in funding for projects to find and replace lead service lines. North Carolina has approximately $67 million initially available for lead service line projects through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with additional funding available in future rounds.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is asking people to please be on the lookout for blue land crabs, Cardisoma guanhumi, and to report sightings.

Blue land crabs are a non-native species to the Carolinas that look like an enormous fiddler crab.

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will hold a specially called meeting Sept. 21 at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, 203 South Front Street, New Bern. A public input and comment period is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. At the chair’s discretion, comments may be limited to three minutes per person. The meeting is open to the public.

The State Water Infrastructure Authority will meet Tuesday, Sept. 19 at the Steve Troxler Agricultural Sciences Center in Raleigh. The public may attend the meeting in person or listen online or by phone.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission is looking for commercial and recreational fishermen, scientists, and other interested parties to sit on various fisheries advisory committees.

The Division of Marine Fisheries is developing Amendment 5 to the N.C. Eastern Oyster Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Amendment 3 to the N.C. Hard Clam FMP. The division will hold a public scoping period Sept. 11-22 to solicit input on potential management strategies for the upcoming amendments and discuss stakeholder priorities. Scoping is the best opportunity for the public to inform the plan.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources (DEMLR) has issued a modification of the Wake Stone Corporation, Trian

The State Water Infrastructure Authority will meet Tuesday, Sept. 19 at the Steve Troxler Agricultural Sciences Center in Raleigh. The public may attend the meeting in person or listen online or by phone.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources continues to monitor a fish kill in the Neuse River, located in an area that includes New Bern near Union Point and Bridgeton, downstream to Riverdale. Fish kills are common and can occur in the summertime, particularly under the conditions present this summer. Although there has been no indication of a chemical or toxin component in conjunction with the fish kill, residents should always avoid water where a fish kill is present.