Press Releases

Fifteen lucky participants won $100 each in a yearly drawing held by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Multi-Species Tagging Program.

The Stormwater Committee of the State Water Infrastructure Authority will meet Thursday, June 23 at 2:00 p.m. by teleconference. The public may listen to the meeting online or by phone.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources (DWR) will hold public hearings on June 21 and 23 to accept comments on a proposed National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released health advisory values for four PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances): GenX, PFOA, PFOS and PFBS. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) are moving quickly to evaluate the state’s drinking water supplies based on these health advisories and determine appropriate next steps to assess and reduce exposure risks. 

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified the first state record Pompano Dolphinfish (Coryphaena equiselis), and it may break the world record. Charles Kenneth Noonan of Sumter, S.C. caught the 11-pound, 5.4-ounce fish at an abandoned raft, about 42 miles off Ocean Isle Beach on June 8. Noonan said he is applying to the International Game Fish Association for certification of the fish as the All Tackle World Record. The current certified world record Pompano Dolphinfish weighed 8-pounds, 8-ounces, and was caught off Maryland in 2008.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program completed several reef enhancements during the last weeks in May.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will begin issuing the new Estuarine Flounder Dealer Permit on Monday, June 13. This permit will be required for seafood dealers to purchase estuarine-caught flounder from fishermen during the 2022 commercial southern flounder season this fall.

The North Carolina Mining Commission will meet in Raleigh on June 21, 2022. The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. The public is invited to attend in person, by computer or phone.

The Division of Water Infrastructure is accepting comments on the draft Intended Use Plans, including Priority Rating Systems, for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and Clean Water State Revolving Fund, and the Priority Rating System for the Community Development Block Grant-Infrastructure Program until June 15, 2022.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet by web conference at 11:30 a.m. June 23 to vote on final approval of nine Joint Rules.