Old North News

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has announced a public hearing regarding proposed shellfish leases in Carteret County. The hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, and will take place both in-person at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office in Morehead City and online via Webex.

Several applications for shellfish bottom and water column leases will be discussed during the hearing. Jacob Milchuck has applied for a 6.17-acre lease in Adams Creek, while C.I. Salts Oyster Company, LLC, led by Ralph W. Brittingham Jr., seeks a 4.22-acre lease in North Bay. Isaiah Smith from 35 North Mariculture, LLC is applying for a 5.2-acre lease also in North Bay.

Additionally, Frank Milchuck representing Peerless Oyster, LLC has applied for a 5.78-acre lease in Adams Creek; Tiffany and Jason Smith from Beaufort Shellfish Farms, LLC have applied for a 5.01-acre lease below the Hwy 70 bridge on North River; Bryan L. Snyder seeks a 2.98-acre lease in White Oak River; Mason Allen from Changing Tide Renovations, LLC is pursuing a 7.69-acre lease in South River; and Thomas Clerkin from UNC Institute of Marine Sciences has submitted an application for a demonstration lease covering 0.97 acres in Newport River.

Each proposed area will be marked accordingly with numbers designating them as either Proposed Shellfish Bottom Lease or Water Column Lease sites.

Public comments are welcome both at the hearing and through written submissions until Friday, March 14 at 5 p.m.. Comments can be made online using the form available at deq.nc.gov/carteret-county-shellfish-lease-hearing-comment-form or sent by mail to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries office.

Further details about the hearing, including access links to Webex and presentation materials, are accessible on their website at deq.nc.gov/news/events/carteret-county-shellfish-lease-hearing.

For additional information about this event or how to participate, interested parties can contact Marla Chuffo with the Division's Habitat and Enhancement Section via phone or email.