Hearings Set for Proposed Shellfish Leases

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries is holding public hearings in Hyde, Dare and Onslow counties next month on proposed shellfish leases.

At 6 p.m. Jan. 14, there will be public hearing on an application by Jeffrey Credle to lease about 1.32 acres of shellfish bottom and water column in Swan Creek at the Hyde County Government Center, 30 Oyster Creek Road, Swan Quarter. A map of the proposed lease, with corresponding coordinates and lease number, can be found here.

Public comments in writing can be submitted until 5 p.m. Jan. 13 to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Shellfish Leases, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.

A public hearing on a proposed shellfish lease in Dare County at 6 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Hatteras Community Center, 57689 N.C. Highway 12, Hatteras.

William Ballance has applied to lease around 6.32 acres of shellfish bottom and water column in Brooks Creek. A map of the proposed lease, with corresponding lease numbers and GIS coordinates, can be found here.

Public comments in writing can be submitted until 5 p.m. Jan. 14 on this lease application to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Shellfish Leases, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.

The public hearing on the three proposed shellfish leases in Onslow County is at 6 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Onslow County Government Center, Training room 111, 234 NW Corridor Blvd., Jacksonville. A map of the proposed leases, with corresponding coordinates and lease numbers, can be found here.

• Hold Fast Oysters, LLC (Matthew Schwab, agent) has applied to lease 4.20 acres of water column in the New River.
• SeWee Shellfish, LLC (Alberto Solana, agent) has applied to lease 4.88 acres of shellfish bottom and water column in the New River.
• Z & Z Aquaculture, LLC (Tina Welch, agent) has applied to lease 5.11 acres of shellfish bottom in the New River.

Public comments in writing can be submitted until 5 p.m. Jan. 15 to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Shellfish Leases, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.

The application file and biologist report for all proposed leases are available for inspection during office hours at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Headquarters Office in Morehead City.

For more information contact Michael Graven, with the division’s Habitat and Enhancement Section, at 252-808-8061 or Michael.Graven@ncdenr.gov.