The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission has approved a draft amendment to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan.
The commission on Thursday approved draft Amendment 4 of the plan. The public comment period and advisory committee meeting schedule for Amendment 4 will be announced.
Supporter Spotlight
The draft amendment is intended to allow for more recreational access to the fishery and simultaneously maintain the rebuilding requirements of Amendment 3.
Amendment 3, adopted in 2022, steadily shifts quota allocation to 50% commercial and 50% recreational, the balance of which was to go into effect in 2026.
But draft Amendment 4 would move that sector allocation shift to this year, according to a N.C. Department of Environmental Quality release.
“However, following two years with short recreational flounder seasons and one year with no recreational flounder season, the Marine Fisheries Commission tasked the Division of Marine Fisheries with finding ways to allow more recreational access while maintaining stock rebuilding requirements in Amendment 3,” fisheries officials said Thursday, according to the release.
Amendment 5, currently under development, will consider more long-term, comprehensive options for recreational access. A scoping period of that amendment opens March 31.
Supporter Spotlight
In other business, the commission on Thursday adopted the Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan Amendment 1. Provisions in the amendment include a 14- to 20-inch slot limit with an allowance for one fish over 26 inches and a bag limit of three fish for recreational fisheries.
For commercial fishing, there will be a Saturday-Sunday closure January through September, and a Saturday-Monday closure October through December. The plan also include a stop net fishery management.
The commission also gave final approval to amend and adopt rules pertaining to simplifying pot marking requirements, false albacore management, and interstate wildlife violator compact.
Members selected preferred management options for the draft Eastern Oyster Fishery Management Plan Amendment 5 and draft Hard Clam Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3 for legislative review. Those draft plans will return to the commission in May for final adoption.
