The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries announced the recreational flounder season will not open this year “in order to preserve the southern flounder resource.”

Citing continuing pressures on the fishery, state officials announced Thursday that there will be no recreational flounder season in 2024.

The move comes after years of smaller and smaller windows for recreational fishermen to catch the popular fish, culminating in last year’s short two-week harvest window.

But officials said even that short fishing period was too much for the already depleted flounder fishery.

“Estimates from 2023 indicate the recreational catch exceeded the quota allowed under a stock rebuilding plan that was included in Amendment 3 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan and adopted by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission,” stated a release from the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.

Under current rules, exceeding a quota in one year means the following year’s allowable catch number must be reduced by the amount that exceeded the limit.

“After subtracting the recreational overage from 2023, the recreational quota remaining for 2024 is not large enough to allow for a season opening. The leftover quota will be used to account for the anticipated dead discards that will occur due to incidental catch and release,” states the release.

“The commission discussed holding a special meeting to consider alternatives to not holding a 2024 recreational season but ultimately did not move forward with that approach.” 

The state’s move on Thursday continues a series of steps that regulators hope will help the struggling fishery rebound, although the moves have frustrated local anglers who never had to deal with a closed flounder season until 2019 and watch neighboring states adopt much less stringent rules.

NEW RULES COMING: Catch a flounder or red drum? NC recreational fishermen will soon have to report it

Among the responses to the restrictions on the fishery, which many recreational fishermen see as heavy handed, has been a lawsuit filed by the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina alleging the state has mismanaged its coastal fisheries, including flounder.

Pressures on the flounder fishery have been growing for decades, with recreational fishermen and commercial fishermen blaming each other for depleting near-shore flounder populations.

Climate change is another concern among scientists, with warming sea temperatures potentially impacting the sex ratio of the fishery. Since juvenile flounders hang out in shallow, inland estuary waters, warmer water temperatures likely trigger more of the fish to be male. That also could be a growing problem because female flounders grow bigger than males, and thus are more highly sought than the smaller males.

For the past two years, recreational fishermen have caught more flounder than allowed under the recreational quota approved by the marine fisheries commission in the N.C. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3. The amendment, adopted in May 2022, called for a 72% reduction in the southern flounder harvest, with both commercial and recreational fisheries seeing dramatic cuts.

Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on X/Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from the Green South Foundation and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY Network maintains full editorial control of the work. 

RALEIGH, N.C., May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Business North Carolina announced its Power List 2024 at an evening reception in Raleigh on April 25. Four community college presidents and two members of the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges were among the 500 individuals named as the most influential people in North Carolina.

“I couldn’t be prouder to have four of our fantastic local presidents and two state board members all making Business NC’s list of most influential leaders across our great state. This underscores the tremendous value our community colleges are making across North Carolina,” said System President, Dr. Jeff Cox.

Dr. Scott Ralls, renowned for his innovative leadership at Wake Technical Community College, has spearheaded initiatives that bridge the gap between education and workforce needs, ensuring students are equipped with the skills necessary to thrive in today’s competitive job market.

Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, President of Central Piedmont Community College, has been instrumental in fostering partnerships with local industries, facilitating workforce training programs that address the evolving needs of employers and empower students to achieve their career aspirations. She has led Central Piedmont since 2017.

Dr. Laura Leatherwood, President of Blue Ridge Community College, has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to expanding access to quality education in rural areas, empowering individuals to pursue higher education and contribute meaningfully to their communities. Leatherwood was named President of the Year in 2022 and has led Blue Ridge since 2017.

Dr. John Hauser, President of Gaston College, has been a driving force behind initiatives aimed at promoting student success and enhancing educational opportunities for underserved populations, ensuring that all students have the support they need to achieve their academic and professional goals. Hauser became president of Gaston in 2020 after leading Carteret Community College.

Tom Looney became chair of the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges in July 2023, bringing extensive business and education experience to the position. He chaired the Wake Technical Community College and North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics boards for a combined six years.

John Kane is Raleigh’s best-known developer and recently retitled himself founder and chair of Kane Realty, a company he started nearly 50 years ago. In November, he was sworn in as a new member of the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges.

SOURCE North Carolina Community College System

DURHAM, NC (KSLA) – Stan Humphries continues to collect victories, decades after his NFL playing career ended.

The Southwood High School alum won the 42nd annual Dale Morey Championships in Durham, North Carolina.

The former ULM Warhawks and San Diego Charger quarterback shot a -3-under 213 over a three-day period, including winning the tournament by one shot.

Humphries was taken in the sixth round of the 1988 NFL Draft by Washington. In 1992, he was traded to the Chargers. During his time in San Diego, the quarterback led the franchise to their lone Super Bowl appearance in 1994.

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