GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 442
Short Title: Restore Flounder/Red Snapper Season. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Iler, Goodwin, Davis, and Kidwell (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Wildlife Resources, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules,
Calendar, and Operations of the House
March 20, 2025
*H442 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO RESTORE RE CREATIONAL FISHING FOR SUMMER FLOUNDER A ND 2
RED SNAPPER IN NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH TH E CREATION OF A 3
FOUR-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM. 4
Whereas, in 2024, the Division of Marine Fisheries of the Department of 5
Environmental Quality issued proclamations limiting the recreational harvest of summer 6
flounder to four days in joint fishing waters and the recreational harvest of red snapper to one 7
day; and 8
Whereas, the recreational fishing industry contributes significantly to the economy of 9
coastal North Carolina; and 10
Whereas, North Carolina's restrictions on recreational fishing of summer flounder and 11
red snapper are more stringent than any other Southeastern state from Virginia to Texas; and 12
Whereas, there is considerable overlap in the fish population between southeastern 13
counties of the State, such as Brunswick County, and South Carolina; and 14
Whereas, higher creel and season limits in South Carolina in 2024 gives that state a 15
significant competitive advantage in the competition for recreational fishing tourism; and 16
Whereas, state policies regarding recreational catch and release reporting and data 17
analysis overestimate overall mortality, thus skewing the science on the summer flounder fishery; 18
and 19
Whereas, coastal fishing charters or individual boats report catching large amounts of 20
these species by accident and having to release them, indicating the populations are plentiful; and 21
Whereas, these unnecessarily strict and possibly unscientific restrictions on the 22
recreational fishing industry forces recreational fishing customers and captains to move much of 23
their business to South Carolina and Virginia; Now, therefore, 24
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 25
SECTION 1. Directive. – Notwithstanding G.S. 113-221.1 and G.S. 143B-289.52 26
and any other provision of law to the contrary, the Fisheries Director (as defined in 27
G.S. 113-251), the Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission), and the Division of Marine 28
Fisheries of the Department of Environmental Quality (Division) shall do all of the following: 29
(1) Issue proclamations and undertake amendments to the fishery management 30
plan for summer flounder and red snapper in order to allow a recreational 31
season between May 15 and July 31 of each year, with a limit of one fish or 32
more per person per day, and no seasonal limit. All other size and manner of 33 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 442-First Edition
take limits shall continue to apply to the summer flounder and red snapper 1
fisheries. 2
(2) Revise any regulations, guidelines, or policies regarding the catch and release 3
fishery so that flounder and red snapper caught and released by recreational 4
fishermen will not be counted towards catch limits or quotas set by the 5
Division or the Commission. 6
SECTION 2. Report. – The Division shall annually report no later than August 1 to 7
the chairs and members of the House Wildlife Resources Committee and the Senate Agriculture, 8
Energy, and Environment Committee. The report will include an assessment of progress in 9
conserving summer flounder and red snapper populations and an estimate of the time line for the 10
Division to be able to increase the daily creel limit above one fish per day for the red snapper and 11
summer flounder fisheries. 12
SECTION 3. Effective Date; Expiration. – This act is effective when it becomes law 13
and expires August 1, 2029. 14