MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (March 28, 2016) — Local recreational fishing experts say recent federal and state regulation changes for cobia may deal a blow to charter fishing this year.
The National Marine Fisheries Service announced March 11 that the cobia fishery will close on Monday, June 20, for the Atlantic migratory group, which includes North Carolina.
In addition, late this February, the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries announced the Marine Fisheries Commission reduced the recreational creel limit for cobia from two per person, per day to one.
According to a Feb. 24 DMF press release, the reduction in the creel limit was to try to extend the recreational cobia season by a few days and avoid a closure next summer.