N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Needs your Flounder Carcasses
Eugene L. 09.08.22
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries wants help from anglers for the upcoming recreational flounder season. They are going to collect flounder carcasses of legal size (15 inches or greater) from recreational anglers. The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries has set up eight temporary freezer locations, this is in addition to the ten carcass collection locations that are available year-round. Recreational anglers can take their legal flounder carcasses too any of these locations.
The temporary locations are:
- Oden’s Dock: 57878 North Carolina Hwy 12, Hatteras;
- Bridge Tender Marina: 1418 Airlie Rd, Wilmington;
- NC Division of Marine Fisheries: 943 Washington Square Mall Highway 17, Washington;
- Sea Gate Marina: 729 Sea Gate Dr, Newport;
- Chasin’ Tails Outdoors: 709 Atlantic Beach Causeway, Atlantic Beach;
- Ocean Isle Marina: 2000 Sommersett Rd SW, Ocean Isle Beach;
- Seapath Yacht Club: 330 Causeway Dr, Wrightsville Beach; and
- Dudley’s Marina: 106 Cedar Point Blvd #8000, Cedar Point.
The year-round locations are (map available here):
- Cape Pointe Marina, Harkers Island;
- Frisco Rod & Gun, Frisco;
- Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head;
- Pogies Fishing & Kayaking Center, Swansboro;
- Pelagic Hunter Fishing Center, Sneads Ferry;
- Sea View Crab Company, Wilmington;
- Tex’s Tackle, Wilmington;
- NC Division of Marine Fisheries Headquarters, Morehead City;
- NC Division of Marine Fisheries, Wilmington; and
- Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point- Environmental Affairs Office (available only to those with military base access).
Recreational anglers that donate legal-sized flounder carcasses and provide a completed carcass collection catch card will be eligible for one of the following. An Angler Recognition Certificate, one per season for fish 15 inches to 24 inches total length. Or a N.C. Saltwater Fishing Tournament Citation, one per fish for fish 24 inches or greater total length.
For the flounder carcasses, the Division of Marine Fisheries says that anglers should leave the head and tail intact and if possible leave the guts in the carcasses as well. If you are using a fish cleaner let them know ahead of time the flounder carcasses are to be donated.
Instructions on how to deposit the flounder carcasses are posted on each of the freezers at the drop-off locations, Anglers are to give information related to how and when the fish was caught. They also must provide their names and addresses if they are to receive the certificate or citation.
Division biologists will measure the fish, determine the sex, if possible, and remove the otoliths (ear bones) to determine the age of the fish. The information collected will be used in future flounder stock assessments.
The 2022 recreational flounder season will open at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 1 and close at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30 for both the recreational hook-and-line and gig fisheries. There is a one flounder per person per day creel limit with a minimum size limit of 15-inch total length (from the tip of the snout to the tip of the compressed tail).
For specific recreational harvest regulations, go to Proclamation FF-44-2022.
