Fishing
Center

North Carolina Recreational Coastal Waters
Guide for Sports Fishermen
Finfish Size/Bag Limits  |  Prohibited Finfish  |  Shellfish

Weakfish limits changed effective June 18, 2001 - See Proclamation
Bluefish limits changed effective July 1, 2001 - See Proclamation

Bag limits are not additive for state and federal waters.

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Definitions

Explanation of Symbols

	(A) Albemarle Sound Management Area: contact DMF for seasons, areas or other limits; Atlantic Ocean year- round: 2 per person per day at 28" TL minimum; Other coastal areas year-round: 3 per person per day at 18" TL minimum.
	(B) Charter vessel (licensed by Coast Guard and holding NMFS Coastal Migratory Pelagic Permit) limit of 60/trip
	(C) Angler may choose but must abide by one or the other size/bag limit. Anglers fishing from a vessel, everyone on the vessel must abide by the same bag/size limit.
	(D) Unlawful to possess red drum greater than 27 inches total length. It is unlawful to take or possess red drum taken by gigs, gaffs or spears
	(E) North of Cape Hatteras recreational season is Jan. 1 - Feb. 28, and May 10 - Dec. 31
	(F) See prohibited species, Legal sharks include; sandbar, silky, tiger, blacktip, spinner, lemon, bull, nurse, smooth and scalloped and great hammerhead, blacknose, finetooth, bonnethead, shortfin mako, blue, thresher, porbeagle, and oceanic whitetip. One (1) Atlantic sharpnose per person per trip may be landed in addition to allowable bag limits for other sharks.
	(G) Also applies to gigging in the Ocean. Atlantic Ocean recreational flounder season is closed 1 May through 14 May
	(H) In state or federal waters federal permit required for Atlantic tunas, excluding Atlantic bonito, little tunny (albacore), and blackfin tuna: (508) 281-9370.
	(I) Reef complex species: whitebone porgy, jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, longspine porgy, sheepshead, gray triggerfish, queen triggerfish, yellow jack, crevalle jacks, bar jack, almaco jack, lesser amberjack, banded rudderfish, white grunt, margates, spadefish, and hogfish - 20 fish per person per day in combination.
	(J) For snapper, grouper, and mackerels contact the South Atlantic Council (1-843-571-4366 or www.safmc.noaa.gov) or for tunas, billfishes, and sharks contact NMFS Highly Migratory Species Divison (1-301-713-2347 or http://caldera.sero.nmfs.gov/)
	(L) Minimum size does not apply to Atlantic sharpnose or dogfish. Creel does not apply to dogfish. Sharks greater than 84 inches are prohibited except for tiger, thresher, bigeye thresher, shortfin mako, and hammerhead sp. Headboat or Charterboat Captain or crew are not allowed a creel limit.
	(M) Season, areas, or other limits may be set by DMF. Shad (hickory and American) may only be taken with recreational commercial gear such as drift gill nets from January 1 thru April 14th.
	(N) Contact DMF for seasons, areas, or other restrictions.
	(P) Rule changes pending, Contact DMF for most current rules.

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Length & Measuring

    To determine the length or size use the following scales

1. (TL) - Total length, is measured from tip of snout with mouth closed to tip of compressed tail.
2. (FL) - Fork length, is measured from tip of snout to middle of fork in tail.
3. (LJFL) - Lower jaw fork length, is measured from lower jaw to middle of fork in tail.
4. (CFL) - Curved fork length, is the measurement of the length taken in a line tracing the contour of the body from the tip of the upper jaw to the fork of the tail.

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Notes

    Ocean boundary is defined as water seaward of the COLREGS Demarcation Lines as indicated on National Ocean Service navigation charts.

    No one may possess aboard a vessel or while engaged in fishing any fish subject to limits without head and tail attached, except for alewife and blueback herring used for bait provided not more than two fish per boat/operation may be cut at any one time. -
Reference 15A NCAC 3M .0101

    IMPORTANT! Check with Division of Marine Fisheries for most current minimum lengths and catch limits. 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632 (North Carolina only). For inland water limits contact Wildlife Resources Commission 919-733-3633 or visit their website at: www.ncwildlife.org.

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    COPYRIGHT NOTICE: The entire contents of this page is the property of, and provided courtesy of the North Carolina Department of Marine Fisheries, (NC DMF). For more information contact the North Carolina Department of Marine Fisheries at www.ncfisheries.net/
    This document is a public record under chapter 132 of the North Carolina General Statutes. Anyone who alters, defaces, mutilates or destroys it shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction subject to fines.

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Last Revised: September 30, 2006 01:13 PM.

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