NC anglers face mandatory reporting in 2025
Originally slated to begin this coming December, the recreational and commercial harvest reporting requirements for North Carolina anglers have been delayed by one year, and will now become effective on Dec. 1, 2025.
This new law requires recreational anglers to report the harvests of red drum, flounder, spotted seatrout, striped bass and weakfish (gray trout) to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. This applies to any of these fish caught in coastal, joint and inland waters adjacent to coastal or joint waters.
It also requires anyone holding a commercial fishing license who is engaged in a commercial fishing operation to report all fish harvested to DMF, whether these fish are sold or not. Previously, commercial fishermen were only required to report fish they sold.
DMF stated this extension of one year will allow the agency, and the NCWRC to engage with stakeholders to make sure everyone is informed on the new requirements, and also to ensure that reporting processes and tools are robust and user-friendly.
For more information regarding these rules, visit https://www. deq.nc.gov/mandatory-harvest-reporting. Look for ongoing updates as new information becomes available.
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