North Raleigh Today

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Marine Fisheries is preparing to hold a public hearing concerning proposed shellfish leases in Hyde County. Scheduled for April 29, 2025, at 6 p.m., the hearing will take place at the Hyde County Courthouse in Swan Quarter, N.C., and will also be accessible virtually via Webex.

Ethan G. Credle has submitted an application for a lease covering 2.28 acres in Germantown Bay. This includes both a shellfish bottom lease and a water column lease, designated as Lease Nos. 24-026BL and 24-027WC. The proposed lease site will be marked with signs at its corners, identifying it as a potential lease area.

Public participation is encouraged, with options to comment in person or online during the hearing. To speak via Webex, individuals must register by 4 p.m. on April 28, 2025, at the designated registration page. Participants attending in person can sign up to speak from 5 to 6 p.m. on the day of the hearing.

Supplementary materials, including Webex access details, presentation slides, and a biological investigation report, are available online. Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on April 30, 2025, and can be submitted via an online form or by mail to the Division of Marine Fisheries.

For additional information, Marla Chuffo from the Division's Habitat and Enhancement Section can be contacted.