Flounder Season shortens for 2022

Article by: Mark Mayo

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission adopted the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3 at its May 2022 meeting. Amendment 3 includes robust management strategies, such as commercial and recreational quotas, options for commercial trip limits, and a spring Gulf and summer flounder season for recreational hook and line in the ocean.

The 2022 recreational flounder season will open at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 1 and close at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30 in internal and ocean waters of North Carolina. The minimum size limit will remain at 15 inches total length, and the creel limit will be 1 fish per person per day  during the open recreational season. Since all species of flounder are managed under the same recreational regulations, the recreational season applies to all recreational flounder fishing.

The 2019 South Atlantic Southern Flounder Stock Assessment found that southern flounder is overfished and overfishing is occurring throughout the region (North Carolina through the eastern coast of Florida). Overfished means the population is too small. Overfishing means the removal rate is too high. North Carolina law mandates that fishery management plans include measures to end overfishing within two years of adoption and rebuild the stock to achieve sustainable harvest within 10 years of adoption of a fishery management plan.

Mark Mayo

I research and report on fishing, fishing gear/equipment, survival topics, and marketing for outdoors related businesses. I assist here on CB Fishing as the editor. Articles may contain AI researched content. All content is published for education and entertainment purposes only, NOT LIFE, HEALTH, SURVIVAL, FINANCIAL, BUSINESS, LEGAL OR ANY OTHER ADVICE. Learn more about Mark Mayo