NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Marine Fisheries - Recreational Fishing Size and Bag Limits
Marine Fisheries
Current Version Effective: March 1, 2018 |
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STATE of N.C. | FEDERAL | |||
FINFISH SPECIES | N.C. Minimum Length | N.C. Bag Limits |
| |
Bluefish | None | 15/Day, only 5 greater than 24” TL | Federal Management Information: | |
Cobia | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | Federal Management Information: | ||
Wahoo | None | 2/Day | ||
Dolphin (B) | None | 10/Day | ||
King Mackerel (H) | 24” FL | 3/Day | ||
Spanish Mackerel (H) | 12” FL | 15/Day | ||
Tuna: Bluefin, Bigeye and Yellowfin (G) | Bigeye and Yellowfin tuna | Yellowfin tuna | Federal Management Information: | |
Smoothhounds, Smooth Dogfish and Spiny Dogfish | None | None | Federal Management Information: | |
Sharks (G) | See most recent DMF proclamation: http://www.ncmarinefisheries. | Federal Management Information: | ||
Blue Marlin (G) | 99” LJFL | 1 per vessel per trip, either blue marlin or white marlin | ||
White Marlin (G) | 66” LJFL | |||
Sailfish (G) | 63” LJFL | 1/Day | ||
Red Drum | 18” – 27” TL | 1/Day | Federal Management Information: | |
Flounder | 15” TL | 4/Day | Federal Management Information: | |
Spotted Seatrout (Speckled Trout) | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | No Federal Regulations | ||
Weakfish | 12” TL | 1/Day | Federal Management Information: | |
Sheepshead | 10” FL | 10/Day | No Federal Regulations | |
Black Drum (C) | 14” – 25” TL | 10/Day | No Federal Regulations | |
Tarpon | None | 1/Day | No Federal Regulations | |
Striped Bass | Federal Management Information: | |||
American Shad (D) | None | No Federal Regulations | ||
Hickory Shad (D) | None | No Federal Regulations | ||
Alewife and Blueback Herring | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | No Federal Regulations | ||
American Eel (E) | 9” TL | 25/Day | No Federal Regulations | |
Scup | 8” TL | 50/Day | Federal Management Information: | |
Black Sea Bass | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | Federal Management Information: | ||
Snappers, Groupers, Porgys, Triggerfish, Jacks, Tilefish, Grunts, Spadefishes, Wrasses and Sea Basses (H) | See the most recent Snapper/Grouper Complex recreational DMF | Federal Management Information: | ||
Mullet | 200/Day (species combined) | No Federal Regulations | ||
PROHIBITED FINFISH SPECIES | ||||
COASTAL WATERS (Internal waters and Atlantic Ocean out to 3 miles) | ||||
Sharks: whale, basking, white, sand tiger, bigeye sand tiger, Atlantic angel shark, bigeye sixgill, bigeye thresher, bignose, Caribbean reef, Caribbean sharpnose, dusky, Galapagos, longfin mako, narrowtooth, night, sandbar, silky, sevengill, sixgill, and smalltail. Other finfish: sturgeon, Nassau grouper, Goliath grouper (jewfish), Warsaw grouper, speckled hind and red snapper. | ||||
