New harvest reporting requirements for recreational and commercial fisheries have been delayed by one year and will now become effective on Dec. 1, 2025.
The N.C. General Assembly recently passed Session Law 2024-45, which, in part, amends legislation from last fall that would have implemented the harvest reporting requirements on Dec. 1, 2024.
This extension will allow the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) to engage with stakeholders, not only to inform them about the requirements, but also to ensure that the reporting process and tool(s) are robust and user-friendly.
The legislation from last fall requires that any person who recreationally harvests Red Drum, flounder, Spotted Seatrout (speckled trout), Striped Bass and Weakfish (gray trout) must report that harvest to the DMF. This requirement applies to fish harvested from coastal fishing waters, joint fishing waters and inland fishing waters adjacent to coastal or joint fishing waters.
Additionally, the law requires anyone holding a commercial fishing license who is engaged in a commercial fishing operation to report all fish harvested to DMF, regardless of sale.
More information, including links to temporary rules to implement the laws, can be found on the Mandatory Harvest Reporting webpage at https://www.deq.nc.gov/mandatory-harvest-reporting. The webpage will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.