A warm autumn kept commercial fishermen catching and selling shrimp up to New Year’s Eve last year, boosting 2016 shrimp landings to the highest since the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Trip Ticket Program began in 1994. But overall, the 60 million pounds of finfish and shellfish commercial fishermen caught and sold at the docks was a 9 percent decrease from 2015. The total estimated dockside value of $94 million was about $700,000 short of the 2015 value.
Press Releases
For the first time since March 2016, all North Carolina’s 100 counties are determined to be free from drought or dry conditions.
Officials with the state Department of Environmental Quality are initiating the public comment period for a draft proposed water quality permit for Duke Energy’s Sutton Steam Plant.
Staff in the N.C. Division of Water Resources have honored 51 water treatment plants for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards.
A state environmental panel has granted Union County a certificate to transfer a maximum of 23 million gallons of water a day from the Yadkin River Basin to the Rocky River Basin to meet Union County's projected water demands through 2050.
Staff in the N.C. Division of Water Resources have honored 49 water treatment plants for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards.
The N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. March 9 in Beaufort to seek input on a proposal for a public hunting permit system for the Rachel Carson Reserve.
The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission will meet April 26-27 in Manteo to discuss issues such as the living shoreline general permit, a land use plan for Perquimans County, and repairing and protecting dunes.
Local Advisory Committees for four coastal reserves will meet in April. The meetings are open to the public.
RALEIGH — The N.C. Division of Coastal Management is extending the deadline until April 21 to apply for grant funding for projects during fiscal year 2017-18.