The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in New Hanover County at 6 p.m. on Jan. 25 at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Wilmington Regional Office, located at 127 Cardinal Drive Extension in Wilmington.
Thomas Cannon of Wilmington has applied for a 4.396-acre shellfish bottom and water column lease in Masonboro Sound.
Savannah Batchelder of Wilmington applied for a 2.401-acre shellfish bottom lease in Middle Sound and a 0.847-acre shellfish bottom lease in the lower portion of Pages Creek.
The University of North Carolina at Wilmington (Ronald Vetter, associate provost of research and dean of the graduate school) has applied for a 2.755-acre research demonstration lease in Masonboro Sound.
Maps of the proposed leases are available here.
The public may comment on the proposed leases at the meeting or in writing until 5 p.m. on Jan. 24. Written comments should be submitted to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.
The application file and biologist report for the proposed leases are available for inspection weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Headquarters Office at 3441 Arendell St. in Morehead City.
For more information, contact Steve Murphey, Habitat and Enhancement Section chief, at 252-808-8046 or Steve.Murphey@ncdenr.gov.