“Prior studies focused on sport/ recreational fishing in our area of the state. This would be the first study to do all commercial fishing across all of North Carolina,” explained Dr. Chris Dumas, a professor of economics and environmental sciences at UNCW and the survey project leader.

NC Sea Grant, NC State University, UNCW, and Appalachian State University are working with the NC Division of Marine Fisheries to carry out the survey.

This survey is funded by the fishermen themselves through the the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Fund.