Next Steps and Funding
The legislation directs the Division of Marine Fisheries and the Wildlife Resources Commission to begin their rulemaking processes immediately to ensure the successful implementation of the new mandatory harvest reporting program by December 1, 2024. To provide ample opportunity for anglers and commercial license holders to become aware of the new requirements, citations will not be written for lack of compliance until December 1, 2026, as part of the “phased in” approach. Securing funding for the Division of Marine Fisheries to implement the new program was another critical step in the legislative process. The 2023-2024 state budget includes an appropriation of $5 million to the Division of Marine Fisheries for the development of the harvest reporting platform. The NC Marine & Estuary Foundation will continue to work closely with our state agency partners, the Coastal Conservation Association, the NC Fisheries Association, and others, to support this exciting new program and to assist with critical education and messaging. Read the entirety of the new North Carolina harvest reporting legislation here.
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