Press Releases

The NC Division of Marine Fisheries Standard Commercial Fishing License Eligibility Board will meet at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 29 by conference call. This meeting was previously scheduled for Oct. 14.

MOREHEAD CITY – An advisory against swimming was posted today at a sound-side site in Brunswick County, where state officials found bacteria levels in the water that exceed the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries’ Cultch Planting Program is asking for public input on nine prospective cultch planting sites for future projects to enhance oyster habitat.

An advisory against swimming was posted today at a sound-side site in Carteret County where state recreational water quality officials found bacteria levels in the water that exceed the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards.

The Topsail Nature Preserve has reopened to the public following the completion of herbicide treatment to control the highly invasive Common Reed (Phragmites australis). The treatment has been completed and visitors may now safely return to the Preserve and its beach areas. 

The Topsail Nature Preserve, including its beaches and parking lot, will temporarily close to the public during the morning of Oct. 7 while a licensed contractor conducts herbicide treatment to control the highly invasive Common Reed (Phragmites australis).

The NC Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will collect Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) carcasses from recreational fishermen during the 2026 federal recreational Red Snapper fishing season, held Oct. 9-11. The carcasses will be used for research purposes.

The Topsail Nature Preserve, including its beaches and parking lot, will temporarily close to the public during the morning of Oct. 7 while a licensed contractor conducts herbicide treatment to control the highly invasive Common Reed (Phragmites australis).

The NC Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Water Resources has honored 66 water treatment plants for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards in 2025. The division’s Public Water Supply Section awarded the facilities the N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award, which is part of a state effort to enhance the performance of existing surface water treatment facilities.

The NC Department of Environmental Quality has received an innovation award from the Environmental Council of States (ECOS) for its work streamlining grant and loan application processes to repair and strengthen local governments’ drinking water and wastewater systems damaged by Hurricane Helene.