MOREHEAD CITY – New fishing reporting requirements are just a month away — beginning Dec. 1 — and North Carolina’s two fisheries management agencies continue efforts to get the word out, as the requirements impact both commercial and recreational fishermen.
“Division of Marine Fisheries staff have been working diligently to prepare for implementation of this new requirement, developing electronic resources, distributing information, and speaking face-to-face with those impacted,” said N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Director Kathy Rawls.
Those who fish recreationally must report any flounder, Red Drum, Striped Bass, Spotted Seatrout (speckled trout), and Weakfish (gray trout) that they catch and keep to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. The harvest should be reported electronically through an online webform or a soon-to-be released iPhone app (an Android app is under development and will be released later).
“The Wildlife Resources Commission supports the Division of Marine Fisheries mandatory harvest reporting efforts,” said North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Inland Fisheries Chief Corey Oakley. “Harvest reporting for the listed species is required in waters upstream of coastal fishing waters (see interactive map). Reporting is required in waters as far inland as Chatham and Wake counties. This reporting should help fisheries managers better understand harvest rates among recreational and commercial fisherman for those required species.”
Commercial fishermen will continue to report harvest they sell through a North Carolina Trip Ticket Program licensed seafood dealer. However, with this new requirement, they also must report any finfish, shellfish, and crustacean that is kept, but not sold, through a seafood dealer.
The reporting requirements apply to Coastal Fishing Waters, Joint Fishing Waters, and Inland Fishing Waters adjacent to Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters. More information can be found on the Mandatory Harvest Reporting webpage.
The N.C. General Assembly amended a law (G.S. 113-170.3) in 2023 to require the additional reporting measures. Information collected under these new reporting requirements will be used in conjunction with the existing data collection programs to enhance fisheries management.