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On June 6, 2024, the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission adopted temporary rules to implement mandatory harvest reporting required by a new state law.

The North Carolina General Assembly passed Session Law 2023-137 in the fall of 2023. Section 6 of this legislation requires that any person who recreationally harvests red drum, flounder, spotted seatrout (speckled trout), striped bass and weakfish (gray trout) must report that harvest to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF).

Additionally, the new law requires anyone holding a commercial fishing license who is engaged in a commercial fishing operation to report all fish harvested to DMF, regardless of sale.

The requirement becomes effective Dec. 1, 2024.

The temporary rules will go before the N.C. Rules Review Commission for approval on June 26.

More information on this mandatory harvest reporting requirement can be found on the Division of Marine Fisheries website at deq.nc.gov/mandatory-harvest-reporting.

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