MEDIA ADVISORY: Public hearing scheduled for Onslow County shellfish lease proposals

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Onslow County at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28. The hearing will be held in-person at the Town of Holly Ridge Community Room, 404 Sound Road, Holly Ridge, and by WebEx.

Three Little Spats Oyster Company, LLC (Robert R. Gadow, agent) has applied for a 1.01-acre bottom lease (No. 21-039BL) and water column lease (No. 21-040WC) in New River below the Highway 172 bridge.

GOH2, LLC (Clarence Grant Jr., agent) has applied for a 9.15-acre water column lease (No. 21-060WC) over an existing bottom lease (No. BL 96) in Alligator Bay.

Carolina Beach Oyster Company (Mandy E. Uticone, agent) has applied for a 5.30-acre water column lease (No.22-005WC) over an existing bottom lease (No. BL 194) in Spicer Bay.

Shad Funk has applied for a 3.93-acre bottom lease (No. 22-007BL) and water column lease (No. 22-008WC) in Mainland Areas near Topsail Sound.

Julian B. Fenner, III has applied for a 3.90-acre bottom lease (No. 22-011BL) and water column lease (No. 22-012WC) in the Mainland Areas near Topsail Sound.

Thomas Cannon has applied for a 9.02-acre bottom lease (No. 22-021BL) in the Mainland Areas near Topsail Sound.

Wade Oyster Farm, LLC (Andrew Wade, agent) has applied for a 2.09-acre bottom lease (No. 22-031BL) and water column lease (No. 22-032WC) in New River below the Highway 172 bridge.

Burr McLawhorn has applied for a 4.10-acre bottom lease (No. 22-033BL) in the Mainland Areas near Topsail Sound.

Hershall K. Brown has applied for a 1.42-acre bottom lease (No. 22-041BL) and water column lease (No. 22-042WC) in Bogue Inlet.

John Thomas applied for a 0.98-acre water column lease (No. 22-050WC) on an existing bottom lease (No. BL 631) in the Seaside Areas near Permuda Island Bay.

The public may comment on the above lease applications in person at the hearing or by WebEx. To facilitate online comments, the Division is asking those who wish to speak via WebEx to pre-register here by 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27. Those who wish to comment in-person should sign up on-site the night of the hearing.

Public hearing information, including the web conference link, call-in telephone number, presentation slides, and biological investigation reports can be found here.

The public may also comment on the proposed shellfish leases in writing. Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 1 and may be submitted two ways:

1. Online Comments – Written comments will be accepted through an online form available here.
2. Mailed Comments – Written comments may be mailed to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Shellfish Leases, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.

For more information, contact Marla Chuffo, with the division’s Habitat and Enhancement Section, at 252-808-8048 or Marla.Chuffo@ncdenr.gov.
 

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