Saving Seafood

NORTH CAROLINA: NC appeals ruling that it mismanaged the state’s coastal fisheries

September 28, 2026 — The tug-of-war between regulators and recreational fishermen isn’t over as North Carolina has decided to appeal a judge’s ruling that the state has mismanaged its coastal fisheries.

The move comes roughly a month after a Wake County judge found that there was overwhelming evidence that the state had failed to protect and manage its fish stocks in the public interest of all North Carolinians.

In the case filed by the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina and dozens of other private individuals, the recreational fishermen argued that the regulators failed to adequately protect the state’s fisheries for long-term sustainability and the benefit of all residents.

But how to turn the proverbial tide while protecting the interest of all parties − recreational fishermen, commercial fishermen and the fish themselves − remains as murky as ever. The state’s decision to appeal the case drags that process out.

NORTH CAROLINA: State appeals judge’s ruling on failure to maintain NC fisheries

September 17, 2026 — The state is appealing a trial judge’s recent ruling that North Carolina government has failed to meet its constitutional obligation to maintain state fisheries.

Lawyers in state Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s office filed a notice of appeal Wednesday.

“The Order in Liability Phase affects a substantial right that would be lost, prejudiced, and/or inadequately preserved without an immediate appeal,” according to the one-paragraph notice.

Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins issued his 190-page ruling on Aug. 17, nearly six months after he conducted a trial that extended from January into February.

“On this trial record reflecting approximately six weeks of evidence, and after carefully weighing all of the evidence presented, the Court concludes, based on the preponderance of the evidence … that the State has failed to meet its ‘obligation to manage and protect fisheries for the benefit of the general public’ as required under the public-trust doctrine, failed to ‘keep fisheries safe from injury, harm, or destruction for all time’ as required under Article I, Section 38, and failed to ‘protect the harvestable fish population “for the benefit of the citizenry”’ as required under Article XIV, Section 5,” Collins wrote in an order issued Monday.

The Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina led a group of more than 80 plaintiffs that sued the state in 2020.

“The State argues that Plaintiffs have the burden of proof and cannot carry that burden due to the substantial gaps in crucial data,” Collins wrote. “That argument is specious at best. It is the State’s duty to manage our public trust fish. The evidence is overwhelming that one of the critical aspects of that duty is to collect adequate data. The data gaps the Court has found in this case are evidence themselves of management failures by the State and not lack of evidence from Plaintiffs.”

Read the full article at The Carolina Journal

NORTH CAROLINA: Judge allows fisheries management lawsuit to proceed

September 8, 2021 — A Raleigh judge says a lawsuit filed by dozens of North Carolina residents and a recreational fishing advocacy group against state regulators can move forward.

The Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina, along with 86 other plaintiffs, filed the suit against the state in November over what they call “abject failure” to “properly manage” coastal resources.

“The complaint details how the State has for decades tolerated overfishing of flounder and other species of coastal fish that are valued by the fishing public,” the advocacy group said last week in a release.

Read the full story at CoastalReview.org

 

North Carolina facing lawsuits from recreational fishing groups over marine management

November 18, 2020 — The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries is facing lawsuits from two recreational fishing groups, alleging the agency exhibits “abject failure in properly managing the state’s coastal fisheries resources.”

The lawsuits have been filed by the North Carolina Coastal Fisheries Reform Group (NCCFRG) and most recently, by the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina (CCA).

Read the full story at Seafood Source

North Carolina state fisheries under legal attack

November 12, 2020 — The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries is fielding attacks from two recreational fishing groups, alleging the agency exhibits “abject failure in properly managing the state’s coastal fisheries resources.”

The lawsuits have been filed by the North Carolina Coastal Fisheries Reform Group (NCCFRG) and most recently, by the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina (CCA).

Both actions take aim at the state’s “public-trust responsibilities to manage coastal fish stocks in a way that protects the public-trust rights of the public.”

According to Glenn Skinner, executive director of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, these attacks on the state’s fisheries agencies and the commercial industry are nothing new, but he has noted a change.

“While none of this is surprising, the number of attacks has definitely increased,” says Skinner. “There seems to be an effort to ‘go for the throat’ lately on multiple fronts. Attacks such as these mirror a lot of what’s gone on in other states, especially regarding the CCA.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

North Carolina: Tighter requirements for commercial fishing licenses proposed

January 22, 2018 — A proposal to tighten the requirements to get a commercial fishing license in North Carolina is nearing review by the state Marine Fisheries Commission following recommendations from a committee last week.

But any changes to the rules for being able to carry what is known as the Standard Commercial License would require the final approval of the N.C. General Assembly.

The panel, which was made up of commission Chairman Sammy Corbett, a commercial fisherman and dealer, recreation member Chuck Laughridge and scientist Mike Wickre, has submitted a list of five requirements. They will be subject to public comment before their presentation to the full commission at its February meeting in Wrightsville Beach.

Corbett noted in a press release from the Division of Marine Fisheries following the Jan. 11 meeting that the committee’s proposals “are not etched in stone.”

While the group’s meeting last week in Morehead City was open to the public, concerns have been raised over how they came about the proposal.

Because the committee was composed of just three commissioners, work on the plan took place in a less-than -open environment, according to some commercial industry advocates.

The meeting lasted just 30 minutes before the options were read into a motion, causing many to feel that the decisions were made outside the public’s eye.

Supporters of making changes to the rules, including Corbett, say that a number of recreational fishermen buy the $400 commercial license simply to get around catch limits, and then never sell what they catch.

“And if that in fact is happening, then it is an enforcement issue,” said Outer Banks Catch Chairperson Sandy Semans Ross. “Commercial fishing vessels must have a registration number on the vessel so they are easily spotted.”

“If a boat docks with a large catch and there is any question, Marine Patrol can ask who they are selling to and request a copy of the Trip Ticket when sold,” said Ross, who heads a group that promotes selling and serving locally-sourced seafood in stores and restaurants.

Read the full story at the Outer Banks Voice

 

NORTH CAROLINA: Controversial flounder decision on MFC agenda

November 17, 2015 — A controversial issue over the future of southern flounder regulations is back on the agenda for this week’s meeting of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission.

After postponing action in August, the commission is scheduled to approve management measures for Supplement A to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 1. The meeting is set for Nov. 18-20 at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head, with a public comment period Wednesday night and the business meeting on Thursday and Friday.

On the table for consideration are six options to reduce the catch of southern flounder up to 60 percent, with the proposals having a range of impacts, such as season closures and size limits, to restrictions on different types of gear.

Commercial fishermen could see the biggest hit if a possible ban of anchored large-mesh gill nets in internal waters is approved.

While there has been significant debate over the options, there has been equal division over the process.

Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina, which has a membership primarily of recreational fishermen, has favored the supplement process to make the management changes as soon as possible.

Read the full story from the Jacksonville Daily News