The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has scheduled a public hearing to discuss proposed shellfish leases in Carteret County. The hearing will take place at 6 p.m. on Monday, December 1, both in person at the Division’s Central District Office in Morehead City and virtually via Webex.
The session will focus on two applications for shellfish bottom and water column leases. Salts Oyster Company, LLC, represented by Ralph W. Brittingham, Jr. and Ryan D. Salter, is seeking approval for a 6.08-acre lease in North Bay (25-007BL/25-008WC). Rough Atlantic, LLC, with applicant Michael T. Dale, has applied for a 6.02-acre lease in North River below the bridge (25-032BL/25-033WC). The proposed lease areas are marked at each corner as either Proposed Shellfish Bottom Lease or Water Column Lease with their respective numbers.
Members of the public can provide comments about these applications during the hearing or online through Webex. Those wishing to speak in person must sign up between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on the day of the event.
Information about the hearing—including access to the web conference link, call-in number, presentation slides, and biological investigation reports—is available at deq.nc.gov/news/events/2025-12-01-carteret-county-shellfish-lease-hearing.
Written comments are also being accepted until 5 p.m., Tuesday, December 2. Comments can be submitted online using a form at nc.gov/carteret-county-shellfish-lease-hearing-comment-form or mailed to N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Shellfish Leases, PO Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557-0769.
For additional information about the hearing or application process, contact Mitch Melkonian with the Division of Marine Fisheries Habitat and Enhancement Section at 252-515-5495 or SLAP@deq.nc.gov.
