The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has announced the removal of pound net trip limits for the upcoming commercial flounder season. This decision applies to all pound net management areas, which will open for harvest without initial trip limits. The agency stated that trip limits could be imposed later in the season if needed to avoid exceeding the set quotas.
Commercial flounder quotas are divided by both Flounder Management Area and gear categories, with opening dates varying accordingly. For pound nets, the Northern area (waters north of Pamlico Sound) opens on Monday, September 15. Both the Central area (Pamlico Sound and its tributaries) and Southern area (waters from Core Sound to the South Carolina line) open on Wednesday, October 1.
Mobile gears—defined as any gear other than pound nets used for harvesting flounder—are managed in two areas: Northern and Southern. The Northern mobile gear area extends from south of the North Carolina/Virginia border to a specific line in Core Sound, while the Southern area runs from that line south to the North Carolina/South Carolina border.
Harvesting flounder with gill nets in both mobile gear management areas will be allowed one day per week starting Wednesday, October 1. Nets may be set no sooner than one hour before sunset on Tuesday, September 30, and then every Wednesday as long as quota remains available. Gill net configuration rules will remain consistent with previous years and details will be provided in upcoming proclamations.
Other mobile gears for flounder harvest in both management areas will be permitted seven days a week beginning Wednesday, October 1.
The minimum size limit for harvested flounder is set at 15 inches total length. Each management area’s harvest period may close early if landings approach their sub-allocation limit; such closures will be announced by proclamation during the season.
“These management measures comply with requirements of Amendment 4 to the N.C. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan and maintain harvest within the total allowable landings,” according to information released by the Division of Marine Fisheries.
For further details about these changes or future announcements regarding closures or additional restrictions, see Proclamation FF-29-2025 through official Division channels.
