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A Daily News Service of the North Carolina Coastal Federation

Recreational Flounder Season Starts Aug. 16

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Southern flounder. Image: NCDMF

This year’s recreational flounder is Aug. 16 through Sept. 30 for internal and ocean waters in the state.

The season is determined by Amendment 2 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan. However, Amendment 3 is underway and could affect the open season, according to the Division of Marine Fisheries.

The minimum size limit will be 15 inches total length when the season opens and creel limit will be four fish per person, per day.

The recreational season applies to all recreational flounder because fall species are managed under the same recreational regulation.

The state Division of Marine Fisheries is working on Amendment 3 now and is scheduled to seek public comment on the draft amendment this spring.

The draft amendment includes options for commercial and recreational quotas, accountability measures for both sectors, commercial trip limits, recreational bag limits, regulations on the recreational use of commercial gear to harvest flounder, separating southern flounder from other flounder species in recreational management, evaluating inlet corridors as a management tool, and evaluating recreational and commercial slot limits.

Final adoption of draft Amendment 3 is scheduled for August 2021. If additional management measures are approved, the division will implement them as directed by the Marine Fisheries Commission.

About Staff Report

The story was compiled by staff members of Coastal Review.

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