Press Releases

North Carolina’s Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) expanded the Extreme Drought (D3) designation to parts of four additional counties in southwestern North Carolina, and classified 10 more counties in the Piedmont as in Severe Drought.

The Division of Marine Fisheries license office in Manteo will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 22, reopening on Monday Nov. 27. 

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently established a new state record for Almaco Jack (Seriola rivoliana).

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission today took a further step toward recovery of the striped mullet fishery, voting to send the Draft Striped Mullet Fishery Management Plan Amendment 2 for public and advisory committee review.

North Carolina’s Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) has identified nine counties in the Extreme Drought category (D3 category), for the first time since 2017, as part of expanding drought conditions across the state.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Carteret County at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14. The hearing will be held in-person at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Central District Office, 5285 Highway 70 West, Morehead City and by WebEx.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Hyde County at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18. The hearing will be held in-person at the Hyde County Government Center, 30 Oyster Creek Road, Swan Quarter and by WebEx.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold an in-person public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Pamlico County at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20 at the Pamlico County Courthouse, Courtroom, 202 Main Street, Bayboro.

North Carolina’s Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) has expanded its Severe Drought category (D2 classification) for parts of 31 counties as of Nov. 7. Impacted counties range from Cherokee County in the west to Moore County in the east. Severe Drought is the second category of the four drought classifications based on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Portions of an additional 39 counties in western North Carolina are considered to be in Moderate Drought category (D1 classification).

The North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission will meet at 10 a.m. on Nov. 16. Members of the public may attend in-person or join the meeting by computer or phone.