Shellfish lease moratoriums covering several coastal counties have pushed growers to the waters near Topsail Island, and the resulting pushback could lead to further restrictions, but growers say producing in-demand, presentation-perfect oysters is difficult enough without the fight.
fisheries
Fishing guides cast concerns over shellfish lease proliferation
Special report: The state’s rapid growth of shellfish leases, especially water column leases where gear must float, has not only led to viewshed complaints from waterfront property owners but also frustration among fishing guides over the operations’ effects on access.
New fisheries rules, amendments now in effect
New rules and amendments adopted by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission, including false albacore management, are now in effect.
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch opens symposium registration
The annual event, set for Oct. 19-20 at the Sturgeon City Environmental Education Center in Jacksonville, is designed for fishermen, students, researchers, agency partners, local governments, decision makers, educators, advocates, and coastal community members who care about clean water, healthy fisheries, and working waterfronts.
Sept. 1-14 is recreational flounder season for all NC waters
Fishers are allowed to keep one fish per day if it is 15 inches or longer that they caught with hook and line only in inland, coastal and joint fishing waters.
Leland man lands new state record for graysby grouper
A Brunswick County man landed the new state record for graysby grouper while fishing about 45 miles offshore of Southport earlier this month.
Division makes big additions to two offshore artificial reefs
The reefs, AR-230 off Hatteras Inlet and AR-250 off Ocracoke Inlet, each received about 1,500 tons of recycled, damaged concrete pipe and boxes from highway projects.
DMF to give update on blue crab stock assessment progress
The Division of Marine Fisheries stock assessment team during a May 28 webinar plan to review their work on developing a new benchmark stock assessment for the blue crab fishery.
Dr. Lela Schlenker joins Coastal Federation as advocate
Schlenker, the new advocate with the North Carolina Coastal Federation in Wanchese, is a fisheries ecologist with a research career spanning topics such as the effect of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on mahi-mahi, how climate and weather affect the state’s shrimp populations, and the impact of catch-and-release fishing practices on white marlin.
Effort seeks to replicate tech incubators for shellfish growers
Framing it as a saltwater flavor of technology hubs, officials broke ground this week on the planned Shellfish Mariculture Hub in Carteret County that will feature a 2,500-square-foot structure next to the boat ramp at Straits Landing, cold storage, equipment, an outdoor workspace and water access for growers.
Commission to act on proposed Atlantic bonito management
The meeting at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in New Bern is open to the public and will be livestreamed on YouTube.
Pilot project extends summer red snapper season 62 days
The recreational red snapper season will open July 1 – Aug. 31 to anglers willing to take part in a pilot project that aims to monitor the tightly-regulated fishery.
Temporary creel, length limits for sheepshead begin May 6
The regulation for sheepshead harvest in inland and joint fishing waters of the state aligns with a recent proclamation enacting similar limits in coastal fishing waters.
Webinar set on developing new blue crab stock assessment
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is holding the online meeting May 28 to update the public work underway to develop a new blue crab stock assessment.
Topsail Islanders amp up calls for hold on new shellfish leases
Densely allocated shellfish leases and the resulting conflicts and complaints have prompted a yearslong pause on new leases in New Hanover County and other nearby waters, and Topsail Island officials say a temporary moratorium on new leases is also needed in Stump Sound in Onslow and Pender counties.
Recreational season for black sea bass opens May 1
The black sea bass season for recreational anglers in state waters north of Cape Hatteras will open May 1 and close Dec. 31.
