November 13, 2025 — A new satellite tracking program is giving the public an unprecedented look into the lives of North Carolina’s state saltwater fish — the red drum.
The North Carolina Marine & Estuary Foundation has officially launched an interactive online platform that allows users to follow the migration routes of tagged red drum along the state’s coast in near real time. The initiative combines science and technology to better understand the species’ movement patterns and habitat use, while encouraging public engagement in marine conservation.
“Red drum are an iconic symbol of North Carolina’s coastal communities and a key driver of our state’s $4 billion saltwater fishing economy,” said Foundation Executive Director Chad Thomas. “This exciting new tool invites the public to engage directly with real-time science from the field—to see where these fish travel and to understand why protecting their habitat matters.”