Hearing Aug. 28 on six proposed Onslow shellfish leases

A public hearing is scheduled for the end of August on six proposed shellfish leases in Onslow County.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries is hosting the in-person hearing at 6 p.m. Aug. 28 at the Holly Ridge Community Room, 404 Sound Road, Holly Ridge, and by the online program, WebEx.

The following applied for leases:

• Michael J. Linz Jr. has applied for a 2.36-acre shellfish bottom and water column lease in Bogue Inlet.
• Thomas A. Cannon has applied for a 3.78-acre shellfish bottom and water column lease in the mainland areas of Topsail Sound.
• White Oak Oyster Co. has applied for a 0.71-acre shellfish bottom and water column lease in Bogue Inlet.
• Thomas A. Cannon has applied for a 3.95-acre shellfish bottom and water column lease in the Mainland Areas of Topsail Sound.
• Shawn P. Burns has applied for a 3.85-acre shellfish bottom and water column lease in the mainland areas of Topsail Sound.
• James Hammock and Sarah Zajovits have applied for a 3.04-acre shellfish bottom and water column lease in the New River below the N.C. Highway 172 bridge.

Those who wish to comment in-person can sign up an hour before the meeting starts. To provide comments while participating through WebEx register online by 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27.

Public hearing information, including the web conference link, call-in telephone number, presentation slides, and biological investigation reports can be found on the NCD

Written comments can be submitted until 6 p.m. Aug. 29 using the online form or mailed to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Shellfish Leases, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557.

For more information, contact Marla Chuffo, with the division’s Habitat and Enhancement Section, at 252-515-5480 or Marla.Chuffo@deq.nc.gov.