North Wake News

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has announced a public hearing regarding proposed shellfish leases in Hyde County. Scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, this hearing will occur both in-person at the Hyde County Courthouse in Swan Quarter and online via Webex.

The primary focus of the hearing will be the lease application submitted by Ethan G. Credle for a 2.28-acre shellfish bottom and water column lease in Germantown Bay, identified as Lease Nos. 24-026BL and 24-027WC. These designated sites will be marked with signage reflecting their proposed lease status.

Individuals interested in providing feedback on the application can attend the hearing either in person or online. Those opting for the virtual route must register by 4 p.m. on Monday, April 28, 2025, at deq.nc.gov/hyde-county-shellfish-lease-hearing-speaker-registration. Participants attending in-person may register to speak between 5 and 6 p.m. on the day of the hearing.

Further details regarding the hearing, including access to the Webex link, call-in number, presentation slides, and the biological investigation report, are available at deq.nc.gov/news/events/hyde-county-shellfish-lease-hearing.

In addition to verbal comments during the hearing, written comments are being accepted until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. These can be submitted online via deq.nc.gov/hyde-county-shellfish-lease-hearing-comment-form, or by mail to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Shellfish Lease & Aquaculture Program at their Morehead City address.

For further information about the hearing, interested parties may contact Marla Chuffo from the Division’s Habitat and Enhancement Section at 252-515-5480 or via email at marla.chuffo@deq.nc.gov.

The Division of Marine Fisheries underscores the importance of public engagement and encourages community members to participate in discussions about the proposed shellfish lease.