New mandatory fishing harvest reporting requirements will take effect in North Carolina on December 1, impacting both commercial and recreational fishermen. The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission are working to inform those affected about the changes.
According to Kathy Rawls, Director of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, “Division of Marine Fisheries staff have been working diligently to prepare for implementation of this new requirement, developing electronic resources, distributing information, and speaking face-to-face with those impacted.”
Recreational anglers will be required to report any flounder, Red Drum, Striped Bass, Spotted Seatrout (speckled trout), and Weakfish (gray trout) that they catch and keep. Reports must be submitted electronically through an online webform or a forthcoming iPhone app. An Android version is also planned for release.
Corey Oakley, Inland Fisheries Chief at the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, stated: “The Wildlife Resources Commission supports the Division of Marine Fisheries mandatory harvest reporting efforts. Harvest reporting for the listed species is required in waters upstream of coastal fishing waters (see interactive map). Reporting is required in waters as far inland as Chatham and Wake counties. This reporting should help fisheries managers better understand harvest rates among recreational and commercial fisherman for those required species.”
Commercial fishermen are already required to report catches sold through licensed seafood dealers via the North Carolina Trip Ticket Program. Under the new rules, they must also report any finfish, shellfish, or crustacean kept but not sold through a dealer.
The requirements apply to Coastal Fishing Waters, Joint Fishing Waters, and certain Inland Fishing Waters near coastal areas. More details are available on the Mandatory Harvest Reporting webpage.
These changes follow amendments made by the N.C. General Assembly in 2023 to law G.S. 113-170.3 that introduced additional reporting measures. The data collected from these reports will supplement existing programs aimed at improving fisheries management across the state.
