Old North News

The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission is scheduled to convene on March 12-13 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk, N.C. The meeting will commence at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, featuring a public comment session. An additional public comment session will be held at 6 p.m. on the same day to provide more opportunities for in-person comments. However, due to time constraints, some agenda items will be voted on before the evening session begins. The meeting will resume at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 13.

For those attending in person and wishing to speak during the public comment sessions, sign-up is required at the hotel prior to the start of each session. Each speaker will have a three-minute limit and may only speak once during either of the two sessions but not both. Attendees wishing to distribute handouts should bring at least twelve copies.

Written comments can also be submitted through an online form available on the Marine Fisheries Commission Meetings webpage or by mail to P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, N.C., or dropped off at the Division of Marine Fisheries’ Morehead City Headquarters Office by 4 p.m. on Monday, March 10.

The meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube with a link provided on the Marine Fisheries Commission Meetings webpage and a recording made available afterward.

Key agenda items include final adoption of several rules related to pot marking requirements and fishery management plans for species such as false albacore and spotted seatrout; review of public comments for oyster and hard clam fishery management plan amendments; and approval of a draft amendment for southern flounder management plan review.

The full agenda and briefing materials are accessible online via the commission's meetings webpage.