Why It Matters: Southern flounder are among the most popular targeted species of saltwater fish in North Carolina and along most of the South Atlantic. Striking a balance between recreational and commercial anglers is critical to conserving this commonly targeted species and ensuring access for North Carolina’s recreational anglers.
Highlights:
- The North Carolina Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3 (Amendment 3) establishes that commercial to recreational southern flounder allocations be as follows: 2023 and 2024 – 70/30, 2025 – 60/40, and 2026 – 50/50, respectively between commercial and recreational
- The North Carolina Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 4 (Amendment 4) would move the 50/50 commercial to recreational southern flounder allocation, originally scheduled for 2026, up to 2025.
- In 2024, the recreational southern flounder season was closed in North Carolina after estimates indicated that the 2023 recreational harvest exceeded the allowed quota.
- The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted written testimony to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries supporting the adoption of Amendment 4 before their May 21st meeting.
Following last year’s disappointment of there being no recreational flounder season in North Carolina, recreational anglers will be glad to hear that parity is on the horizon for one of the state’s most popular saltwater species. Following the approval of Amendment 4 to the North Carolina Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan, recreational fishing access was prioritized at last week’s Division of Marine Fisheries Commission meeting.
A strong case can be made to protect access to North Carolina’s recreational marine fisheries by just following the money alone, not to mention the many other benefits that these time-honored traditions offer to sportsmen and women. According to a report from the American Sportfishing Association, North Carolina’s recreational saltwater fishing alone generates more than a $1.7 billion economic impact. Additionally, anglers in the Old North State generate over $40 million in funding for conservation through the “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding.
The 2024 southern flounder recreational season closure opened the eyes of anglers and fisheries managers in North Carolina and around the nation. Efforts laid out in Amendment 3 to bring parity between commercial and recreational southern flounder fisheries was a step in the right direction but may not have come soon enough. It is reasonable to believe that if the 50/50 allocation shift would have been implemented in 2024 as originally proposed, rather than be postponed to 2026, the closure of recreational flounder season in 2024 may have been avoided all together.
Following last week’s approval of Amendment 4 by the Division of Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission), the 50/50 commercial to recreational allocation shift scheduled for 2026 will now be moved up to 2025 pending Legislative Oversight Committee review and final adoption of the new rule by the Commission. Following the loss of last year’s recreational flounder season, this expedited shift in southern flounder allocation is necessary to avoid future loss of access and near certain negative economic impacts.
CSF commends the Commission for taking action to protect one of North Carolina’s most popular saltwater species and is hopeful for a 2025 recreational southern flounder season.
