Lawsuit claims NC mismanages fish population; commercial, recreational fishermen debate how much they should catch
Wildlife advocates are suing the state of North Carolina, saying it's failed to protect its coastal fisheries over the years.
Posted — UpdatedThe Atlantic southern flounder is one of the staples of the N.C. coast.
For years, professional fishermen and amateurs alike have flocked to the Morehead City area hoping to reel in the flat fish. But experts say they’ve caught too many.
“The stock assessments for southern flounder show that at least for the last 20 years, the stock has been over-fished,” said David Sneed, the executive director of Coastal Conservation Association NC.
CCA NC has been suing the state since 2020, accusing it of failing to sustainably manage coastal fisheries.
“The argument is, if the state’s not responsible for the proper management of these resources, then who is?” Sneed said.
A spokesperson for the state Department of Environmental Quality declined to comment on the lawsuit, where one of the main issues is the flounder.
Sneed said historically, commercial fishermen have brought in 70 percent of all flounder caught in the state, with 30 percent coming from recreational anglers.
As part of a plan to build back the fish’s population, the state’s Marine Fisheries Commission decided in February to make that 70/30 split a rule — limiting each group to bring in that proportion each year through 2024 before splitting the harvest 50/50 starting in 2026.
Sneed said the plan is unfair to recreational fishermen.
“Those 20 years of overfishing I’m referring to, the commercial industry was taking 70 to 80 percent of the harvest,” said Sneed. “They are the reason that we’re in this boat today. They’re the ones that have made the biggest impact on the stock.”
Commercial anglers have a different take.
“The state destroyed the industry, just plain and simple,” said Rodney Rose, the owner of Rose Seafood Market in Beaufort.
Rose has been catching flounder to sell since the 1980s. He said with commercial fishermen facing shortened fishing seasons and weight limits for their catch already, a 50/50 quota could throw out whatever income they have left.
“Now it’s nearly impossible to even think about making a living out of flounder,” he said.
Until their flounder quota gets lowered, Rose said all they can do is keep fishing and hope for the best.
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