North Carolina’s Commercial and Recreational Anglers Voice Growing Concerns To Marine Fishery Commission

As we head into the prime fishing season, North Carolina still struggles to get control of the declining coastal fishery. It’s an ongoing topic of nearly every saltwater fishing club, tackle shop or any other gatherings of saltwater anglers, both commercial or recreational. While both commonly point their finger at the other group as to reason for the decline, today, possibly more than ever, both groups are now looking to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries for answers and solutions. While both groups are impacted with increased restrictions, the recreational segment has seen significant restrictions in species like Flounder and Striper, with talk about restrictions for Speckled Trout in the near future. This is compounded by the state’s leasing areas that were once key fishing locations for local and visiting sportsmen are now becoming commercial oyster farms. These farms restrict anglers from accessing prime fishing areas that were previously available to them.

The YouTube below covers the first meeting of this quarter’s North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries Commission, which took place on May 24-26, 2023. This 30-minute video includes comments made to the commission regarding the significant concerns that both commercial and recreational fishermen have with the current status and management of North Carolina’s saltwater fishing resource. Both groups presented valid concerns regarding the impact of the current fisheries’ rapid decline and how the past and present strategies continue to fail with little positive change in sight.

Let’s see if the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries Commission will finally make the significant yet hard changes within the commission to finally become effective and save this resource while it can still be saved.

Take a few minutes and hear the comments on the video below. You’ll be impressed with the comments and the passion you hear from those that spoke.