January 9, 2026 –The North Carolina Coastal Federation has launched its 12th annual Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project, an initiative to locate and remove displaced and potentially dangerous fishing gear from the northeast and central regions of the coast.
The project takes place each year during the annual closure prohibiting the use of crab, eel, fish and shrimp pots in internal coastal waters north of the N.C. 58 bridge to Emerald Isle.
During this year’s closure, which is Jan. 8-31, the 21 commercial fishermen and women hired for the project are to remove from designated areas any lost crab pots and other hazards from specific areas within Marine Patrol Districts 1 and 2.