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MOREHEAD CITY – Want to know what the latest data says about Spotted Seatrout, Blue Crab or Southern Flounder in North Carolina? Find out by reading the DEQ Division of Marine Fisheries’ (DMF) 2023 Fishery Management Plan Review, released today.

The annual Fishery Management Plan Review summarizes available information, such as long-term trends in catch, biological data and management through 2023 for North Carolina state-managed species. It also provides links to information on federally managed and interstate-managed species important to North Carolina. Read the complete review or individual species pages at https://deq.nc.gov/fishery-management-plans.

Highlights of this year’s review for state managed species include three state management species for which a fishery management plan (FMP) amendment is currently in development:

Spotted Seatrout: A 2022 stock assessment indicated that Spotted Seatrout is not overfished (the population is not too small); however, overfishing is occurring (the removal rate is too high for the stock to sustain itself). DMF held public scoping in March 2023 and held the Spotted Seatrout FMP Advisory Committee Workshop in April 2024. DMF is completing the first draft of the Spotted Seatrout FMP Amendment 1 to present to the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) meeting at its August meeting. The MFC is scheduled to vote on sending the draft Amendment 1 out for public comment and advisory committee review.

Eastern Oyster and Hard Clam: For the first time, amendments to these plans will focus only on wild harvest, as shellfish lease harvest is addressed by DMF’s Shellfish Lease and Aquaculture Program. A public scoping period was held in September 2023, and the Oyster and Hard Clam FMP Advisory Committee Workshop was held in July 2024. DMF is completing the first draft of both amendments, and the MFC is scheduled to vote on sending amendments to these FMPs out for public comment and MFC Advisory Committee review at its November 2024 meeting.

Highlights of other FMP reviews include:

Red Drum: The next Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Red Drum stock assessment is scheduled for completion late in 2024.The DMF recommends delaying the next full review of the State Red Drum FMP by one year to 2025 to coincide with completion of the ASMFC stock assessment.

Blue Crab: An update to the 2018 Blue Crab Stock Assessment was completed in 2023, but concerns raised by external peer reviewers led to the updated stock assessment not being approved for management purposes. All available information suggests the Blue Crab stock has continued to decline since the adoption of Amendment 3 in February 2020. DMF is developing management recommendations, based on results of the 2018 stock assessment, that can be implemented through adaptive management.

Southern Flounder: The 2019 Southeast Regional Stock Assessment found that southern flounder is overfished and overfishing is occurring throughout the South Atlantic. This led to the adoption of Amendment 3 to the N.C. Southern Flounder FMP in May 2022. Amendment 3 addresses long-term, comprehensive management for the flounder fishery. An update to the 2019 stock assessment was completed in 2024, but concerns raised by DMF and state partners lead to the updated stock assessment not being approved for management purposes. In 2023, the recreational and commercial fisheries exceeded their total allowable catch, and paybacks were applied towards the 2024 seasons. The next scheduled full review of the plan will begin in 2027.

Striped Mullet: Amendment 2 the Striped Mullet FMP was adopted by the MFC in May 2024 and included management measures intended to reduce striped mullet harvest to end overfishing and rebuild the stock to a level that provides a sustainable harvest. The regulations included commercial day of week harvest closures and recreational possession limits. Adaptive management allows for adjustment to season closures, day of week closures, trip limits, and gill net yardage and mesh size restrictions to ensure management targets are being met, based on results of stock assessment updates, concerning stock conditions, or fishery trends. Adaptive management allows restrictions to be relaxed once the stock recovers with consultation with the MFC’s Northern, Southern and Finfish Advisory Committees and approval by the MFC. For more information, email Charlton Godwin or call 252-381-6008.