NC waters close to commercial and recreational spotted seatrout harvest

MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WITN) – The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will close coastal and joint waters in North Carolina to both commercial and recreational spotted seatrout harvest effective at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24 due to widespread cold stun events.

Cold stuns are natural events that occur when there is a sudden drop in water temperature or prolonged periods of cold weather that makes the fish sluggish. Many fish will die from the cold. Others fall prey to birds and other predators. Studies suggest that cold stun events can have a significant impact on spotted seatrout populations.

The division says significant spotted seatrout cold stun events or water temperatures as recorded by the division’s water temperature monitoring program have exceeded temperature triggers in seven water bodies.

Under the N.C. Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan adaptive management, if a significant cold stun event occurs, the Division of Marine Fisheries will close all spotted seatrout harvests until the spring.

The intent of the closure is to allow the surviving fish a chance to spawn before harvest reopens. Peak spawning occurs from May through June.

The spotted seatrout season will remain closed until June 15 or a date adopted at the February Marine Fisheries Commission business meeting.

Commercial seafood dealers have until 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31 to sell, offer for sale, transport or otherwise dispose of any unfrozen spotted seatrout that remain in their possession from prior to the closure.

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