North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H442 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	H 1
4		-	HOUSE BILL 442
	3	+	H D
	4	+	HOUSE BILL DRH30208-MH-25
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Restore Flounder/Red Snapper Season. (Public)
8		-	Sponsors: Representatives Iler, Goodwin, Davis, and Kidwell (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
10		-	Referred to: Wildlife Resources, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules,
11		-	Calendar, and Operations of the House
12		-	March 20, 2025
13		-	H442 -v-1
	9	+	Sponsors: Representative Iler.
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRH30208 -MH-25
14	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
15	14		AN ACT TO RESTORE RECREATIONAL FISHING FOR SUMMER FLOUNDER AND 2
16	15		RED SNAPPER IN NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH THE CREATION OF A 3
17	16		FOUR-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM. 4
18	17		Whereas, in 2024, the Division of Marine Fisheries of the Department of 5
19	18		Environmental Quality issued proclamations limiting the recreational harvest of summer 6
20	19		flounder to four days in joint fishing waters and the recreational harvest of red snapper to one 7
21	20		day; and 8
22	21		Whereas, the recreational fishing industry contributes significantly to the economy of 9
23	22		coastal North Carolina; and 10
24	23		Whereas, North Carolina's restrictions on recreational fishing of summer flounder and 11
25	24		red snapper are more stringent than any other Southeastern state from Virginia to Texas; and 12
26	25		Whereas, there is considerable overlap in the fish population between southeastern 13
27	26		counties of the State, such as Brunswick County, and South Carolina; and 14
28	27		Whereas, higher creel and season limits in South Carolina in 2024 gives that state a 15
29	28		significant competitive advantage in the competition for recreational fishing tourism; and 16
30	29		Whereas, state policies regarding recreational catch and release reporting and data 17
31	30		analysis overestimate overall mortality, thus skewing the science on the summer flounder fishery; 18
32	31		and 19
33	32		Whereas, coastal fishing charters or individual boats report catching large amounts of 20
34	33		these species by accident and having to release them, indicating the populations are plentiful; and 21
35	34		Whereas, these unnecessarily strict and possibly unscientific restrictions on the 22
36	35		recreational fishing industry forces recreational fishing customers and captains to move much of 23
37	36		their business to South Carolina and Virginia; Now, therefore, 24
38	37		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 25
39	38		SECTION 1. Directive. – Notwithstanding G.S. 113-221.1 and G.S. 143B-289.52 26
40	39		and any other provision of law to the contrary, the Fisheries Director (as defined in 27
41	40		G.S. 113-251), the Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission), and the Division of Marine 28
42	41		Fisheries of the Department of Environmental Quality (Division) shall do all of the following: 29
43	42		(1) Issue proclamations and undertake amendments to the fishery management 30
44	43		plan for summer flounder and red snapper in order to allow a recreational 31
45	44		season between May 15 and July 31 of each year, with a limit of one fish or 32
46		-	more per person per day, and no seasonal limit. All other size and manner of 33 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
47		-	Page 2 House Bill 442-First Edition
48		-	take limits shall continue to apply to the summer flounder and red snapper 1
49		-	fisheries. 2
50		-	(2) Revise any regulations, guidelines, or policies regarding the catch and release 3
51		-	fishery so that flounder and red snapper caught and released by recreational 4
52		-	fishermen will not be counted towards catch limits or quotas set by the 5
53		-	Division or the Commission. 6
54		-	SECTION 2. Report. – The Division shall annually report no later than August 1 to 7
55		-	the chairs and members of the House Wildlife Resources Committee and the Senate Agriculture, 8
56		-	Energy, and Environment Committee. The report will include an assessment of progress in 9
57		-	conserving summer flounder and red snapper populations and an estimate of the time line for the 10
58		-	Division to be able to increase the daily creel limit above one fish per day for the red snapper and 11
59		-	summer flounder fisheries. 12
60		-	SECTION 3. Effective Date; Expiration. – This act is effective when it becomes law 13
61		-	and expires August 1, 2029. 14
	45	+	more per person per day, and no seasonal limit. All other size and manner of 33
	46	+	take limits shall continue to apply to the summer flounder and red snapper 34
	47	+	fisheries. 35
	48	+	H.B. 442
	49	+	Mar 18, 2025
	50	+	HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	51	+	Page 2 DRH30208-MH-25
	52	+	(2) Revise any regulations, guidelines, or policies regarding the catch and release 1
	53	+	fishery so that flounder and red snapper caught and released by recreational 2
	54	+	fishermen will not be counted towards catch limits or quotas set by the 3
	55	+	Division or the Commission. 4
	56	+	SECTION 2. Report. – The Division shall annually report no later than August 1 to 5
	57	+	the chairs and members of the House Wildlife Resources Committee and the Senate Agriculture, 6
	58	+	Energy, and Environment Committee. The report will include an assessment of progress in 7
	59	+	conserving summer flounder and red snapper populations and an estimate of the time line for the 8
	60	+	Division to be able to increase the daily creel limit above one fish per day for the red snapper and 9
	61	+	summer flounder fisheries. 10
	62	+	SECTION 3. Effective Date; Expiration. – This act is effective when it becomes law 11
	63	+	and expires August 1, 2029. 12