Coast Guard warns boaters of significant shoaling in Oregon Inlet, NC

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Coast Guard Sector North Carolina is urging mariners to use extreme caution when transiting the channel at Oregon Inlet due to significant shoaling and extremely shallow water. The shoaling, especially in the vicinity of Oregon Inlet Buoys 4 (LLNR 27990) and 6 (LLNR 28003), poses a significant threat to mariners. The Coast Guard […]

Peer review workshop for North Carolina blue crab stock assessment set

MOREHEAD CITY — Staff with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a three-day, in-person workshop March 27-29 with scientists who are peer reviewing a draft assessment of the North Carolina blue crab stock.   The workshop will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel New Bern Riverfront, 100 Middle St., New Bern. […]

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments for….

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments for an Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit to Test Trap Targeting of Lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Federal Waters   KEY MESSAGE:   NOAA Fisheries is accepting comments on an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from Salty Bones Fisheries.  The applicant proposes to test […]

Carolina Beach Navigation Update

Navigation Update The Carolina Beach Inlet Association and others were recently notified of a change in the channel currently being dredged in Carolina Beach Inlet.   You may recall, there has been a "dog-leg" that you had to navigate, and the buoys would help you through it. Big Change – Don&#\1;t Follow the Buoys!!   […]

Coast Guard, partners monitoring stray cargo container response off Oregon Inlet

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Coast Guard, NOAA and Environmental Protection Agency are monitoring the tracking and assessment of approximately 76 stray cargo containers about 17 miles off Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, Saturday. On Sunday, March 4, the cargo ship Maersk Shanghai alerted watchstanders at Sector North Carolina’s command center via VHF-FM channel 16 that they […]

2017 Bluefin Tuna Fishing Year Summary January 1, 2017 December 31, 2017

NOTES 1 Currently, the best available annual estimate of dead discards for the 2017 pelagic longline fishery is the 2016 estimate of 25.0 mt. 2 The Adjusted Quota column in the table above reflects the adjusted quota as of December 31, 2017. Category quotas were adjusted by inseason and other actions during the year as shown below. […]

Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee to meet

MOREHEAD CITY – The Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee will meet at 6 p.m. March 21 at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Washington regional office, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington.   The committee is meeting to continue assisting the Division of Marine Fisheries with development of Amendment 2 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan. […]

70 stray cargo containers pose threat to mariners off North Carolina

PORTSMOUTH, Va.— The Coast Guard is warning mariners of navigation hazards after about 70 cargo containers fell off of a cargo ship Saturday night, about 17 miles off Oregon Inlet, North Carolina.   The cargo ship Maersk Shanghai contacted watchstanders at Sector North Carolina’s command center via VHF-FM marine radio channel 16, notifying them that […]