Marine Fisheries Commission to meet Feb. 19-21 in Kitty Hawk

UPDATE: THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER. A NEW MEETING DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet in person Feb. 19-21 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5353 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, N.C. 27949. The meeting will also be livestreamed on YouTube.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19; at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20; and at 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 21. The commission will hold public comment sessions at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, and at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20.

Prior to the meeting, at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, NOAA Fisheries will give a presentation on the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) and hold a question-and-answer session with the commissioners and Division of Marine Fisheries staff. Members of the public who have questions related to MRIP they would like answered, may submit them to this webform.

The following information pertains to the in-person public comment sessions:

• Those who wish to speak may sign up at the hotel prior to the public comment period in which they wish to speak.
• To accommodate as many speakers as possible, the chair will limit each speaker to 3 minutes.
• Those making comments will be asked to speak only once, either Wednesday night or Thursday morning, but not during both public comment periods.
• Those who wish to submit handouts to the commission during a public comment period should bring at least 12 copies to the meeting.

The public may also submit written comments via the following methods:

• An online form accessible through the Marine Fisheries Commission Meetings webpage.
• Mail to February 2025 Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting Comments, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.
• Dropped off at the Division of Marine Fisheries’ Morehead City Headquarters Office at 3441 Arendell St., Morehead City.

The deadline to submit written comments for this meeting is 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17.

The YouTube link will be posted on the Marine Fisheries Commission Meetings webpage. After the meeting, a recording will be posted online.

Agenda items for this meeting include:

• Approval of the draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 4 for public and advisory committee review;
• Final adoption of the Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan Amendment 1;
• Review of public comment and selection of preferred management options for the Oyster Fishery Management Plan Amendment 5 and Hard Clam Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3;
• Final adoption of rules:
  • 15A NCAC 03J .0301 – Simplify Pot Marking Requirements
  • 15A NCAC 03M .0523 – False Albacore Management
  • 15A NCAC 03O .0601-.0606 – Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact
• An update on the Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3 Adaptive Management.

The full agenda and briefing book are posted on the Marine Fisheries Commission Meetings webpage.