N.C. Recreational Coastal Waters Guide
for Sports Fishermen
Current Version Issued: April 2012
(Website chart reflects the most recent changes to size and bag limits)
Read and print the Rec Guide
New weakfish bag limit effective May 16, 2010. See FF-54-2010
New Snapper/Grouper rules effective June 17, 2011. See FF-58-2011
New Spotted Seatrout size and bag limits effective Nov. 14, 2011. See FF-75-2011
For inland fishing regulations, contact Wildlife Resources Commission 919-707-0220
or visit their website www.ncwildlife.org
A Coastal Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007
for all of the state's coastal and ocean waters.
|
| |
State Coastal Waters
(Internal and 0-3 Miles) |
Exclusive Economic Zone EEZ
(3-200 miles) |
Finfish Species
(note symbols, pg.2) |
Minimum Length |
Bag Limits
(Per Person) |
Minimum Length |
Bag Limits
(Per Person) |
Alewife and
blueback herring |
None |
NO POSSESSION |
None |
NO POSSESSION |
| Amberjack, greater |
28" FL |
1/Day |
28" FL |
1/Day |
Bass, striped
See striped bass details |
(A) |
(A) |
Unlawful To Possess |
| Bluefish |
None |
15/Day
Only 5 greater than 24" TL |
None
|
15/Day |
| Cobia |
33" FL |
2/Day |
33" FL |
2/Day |
| Dolphin (B) |
None |
10/Day |
None |
10/Day |
Drum, red 
(Channel Bass,
Puppy Drum) |
18-27" TL (C) |
1/Day |
Unlawful to Possess |
| Eel, American |
6" TL |
50/Day |
6" TL |
50/Day |
Flounder
Gulf, Southern
|
15" TL |
6/Day |
15" TL |
6/Day |
| Groupers (H, I, J, K) |
(See below) |
(See below) |
(See below) |
(See below) |
Groupers;
Red, scamp, yellowfin, yellowmouth and tilefish (no size limit on tilefish) |
20" TL |
3/Day (all groupers combined; includes, 1 golden tilefish, and no more than 1 black or gag grouper, individual or combined) (J) & (K) |
20" TL |
3/Day (all groupers combined; includes, 1 golden tilefish, and no more than 1 black or gag grouper, individual or combined) (J) & (K) |
Groupers
black and gag |
24" TL |
1/Day (See above) |
24" TL |
1/Day
(See above) |
| Grouper, snowy |
1 / vessel / day |
|
1 / vessel / day |
|
Hogfish
(Hog snapper) |
12" TL |
5/Day |
|
|
Mackerel, king (I)
Species Identification |
24" FL |
3/Day |
24" FL |
3/Day |
Mackerel, Spanish (I)
Species Identification |
12" FL |
15/Day |
12" FL |
15/Day |
| Marlin, blue(G) |
99" LJFL |
1/vessel/trip either Blue or White Marlin |
99" LJFL |
|
| Marlin, white (G) |
66" LJFL |
1/vessel/trip either Blue or White Marlin |
66" LJFL |
|
Mullet
(Striped and White) |
None |
200/Day
(species combined) |
None |
|
Porgy, red
(Silver snapper, pinky) |
14" TL |
3/Day |
14" TL |
3/Day |
| Reef Complex Species Includes spadefish, gray triggerfish, white grunt, knobbed porgy and more (see notes H and I) |
|
20/Day |
|
20/Day |
| Sailfish (G) |
63" LJFL |
1/Day |
63" LJFL |
|
Scup
(North of Cape Hatteras) (D) |
(D) |
(D) |
(D) |
(D) |
| Seatrout, spotted (speckled) |
14" TL |
4/day
|
|
|
Sea bass, black
(North of Cape Hatteras) (D) |
(D) |
(D)
|
(D)
|
(D)
|
Sea bass, black
(South of Cape Hatteras) (D) |
(D) |
(D) |
(D) |
(D) |
Shad, American (O) |
None |
10/Day
No possession
in ocean waters |
Unlawful To Possess |
| Shad, hickory (O) |
None |
10/Day |
None |
10/Day |
Sharks(I)
(excluding spiny and smooth dogfish) |
(E, L) |
1/Vessel/Day |
54"FL (E, L) |
1/Vessel/Day |
| Sharks, Atlantic sharpnose and bonnethead (E) |
None |
(E) |
(E, L) |
1/Day |
Snappers;
dog, gray, cubera, mahogany, queen, schoolmaster and yellowtail |
|
10/Day
(Species combined) |
12" TL |
10/Day
(Species combined) |
| Snappers, mutton |
|
See Above |
16" TL |
See Above |
| Snappers; silk and blackfin |
12" TL |
See Above |
12" TL |
See Above |
| Snapper, red |
NO POSSESSION |
NO POSSESSION |
| Snapper, vermilion (J) |
12" TL |
5/Day |
12" TL |
5/Day |
| Tarpon |
None |
1/Day |
None |
1/Day |
| Tuna(I);bluefin(G), yellowfin and bigeye |
Yellowfin 27" CFL
Bigeye 27" CFL |
Bigeye and Yellowfin 3 per day |
Bigeye and Yellowfin tuna
27" CFL |
Yellowfin Tuna
3 per day |
| Wahoo |
None |
2/Day |
None |
2/Day |
Weakfish
(gray trout) |
12" TL |
1/Day
see FF-54-2010)
|
12" TL |
|
| Wreckfish (P) |
None |
1/vessel/day |
None
|
1/vessel/day |
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N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries • 3441 Arendell Street • Morehead City, NC 28557 • 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632
