The potential benefits provided by this innovative data collection program are far-reaching. Senator Norm Sanderson, the bill’s primary sponsor, remarked, “The new fisheries data program, which will be phased in over a period of three years, positions the state of NC as a pioneer in the field of commercial and recreational harvest reporting.” With rare exceptions (see the state of Alabama’s “Snapper Check“), few states along the Atlantic or Gulf coasts require reporting of fish kept by recreational anglers to better inform management decisions. The new program contains requirements for both commercial and recreational fishing license holders, and the Foundation was pleased to work with the NC Fisheries Association and others on the development of the bill’s language and intent. North Carolina’s New Mandatory Fish Harvest Reporting Policy - 2024 A premier part of the NC Marine & Estuary Foundation’s policy is now on the verge of changing our fisheries landscape for the first time in more than two decades. On September 22, 2023, the NC General Assembly passed groundbreaking harvest reporting legislation that will fill data gaps to provide a better understanding of how fish are harvested from our coastal waters.
Breaking Down the Legislation
1. Commercial fishers must report all harvested fish and shellfish, regardless of sale.
The Division of Marine Fisheries sold 6,243 commercial fishing licenses with selling privileges in fiscal year 2022, of which 2,502 licenses were used. Only fish and shellfish that were sold to a dealer were required to be reported on a trip ticket. Harvest from the remaining 3,741 commercial fishing license holders is unknown and has been identified by the Division of Marine Fisheries as a longstanding data gap in many fishery management plans. The new program will require reporting of all species kept by commercial fishing license holders whether they sell their catch or not.
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