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The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) approved a temporary amendment to the flounder rule at their business meeting on July 25 that was subsequently approved by the N.C. Rules Review Commission (RRC) on July 31.
Under this modification, the 2024 flounder season will be open in Inland Fishing Waters and in Joint Fishing Waters for hook and line fishing only on Sept. 1 and 2 and again on Sept. 7 and 8. The daily creel limit is one fish with a minimum size limit of 15-inches.
“With the approval of the NCWRC and RRC, there will be a lawful recreational flounder season in both inland fishing waters and joint fishing waters for hook and line only,” according to NCWRC Executive Director Cameron Ingram.
The designations for inland and joint fishing waters can be found online using the agency’s fishing access area map and zooming in on the Coastal Region where inland waters are shown with no color, joint waters are outlined in red, and coastal waters are outlined in blue.
“Wildlife Commission fisheries biologists will be conducting a flounder harvest creel survey during the open season dates at many boating access areas,” said NCWRC Assistant Chief of Inland Fisheries Corey Oakley. “We look forward to speaking with anglers to better understand fishing effort and flounder harvest during the shortened season.”
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) has stated they will not open the recreational flounder harvest season in 2024 due to the recreational sector exceeding the 2023 harvest allotment last year.
Initially, the NCWRC proposed a temporary rule to close the flounder harvest season in 2024 in its jurisdiction, all Inland Fishing Waters and hook and line fishing in Joint Fishing Waters, to remain consistent with the NCDMF. However, after reviewing and considering the available data and public comments, the NCWRC adopted amendments to provide a limited 2024 flounder season that balances the needs of the resource and the public.
The harvest allotment for flounder, as set by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission (NCMFC), is currently split 70% to the commercial sector and 30% to the recreational sector. The split is scheduled to transition to 50% for each sector by 2026. The NCWRC in a letter from Chairman Monty Crump requested the NCMFC to accelerate the transition to a 50% split for 2024 and allow a recreational season coastwide. The four-day season approved by the NCWRC was calculated to allow recreational anglers an opportunity to harvest fish without exceeding the allotment, if the allocation was shifted as requested.