State officials are asking recreational fishermen to donate Red Snapper carcasses to science.
When cleaning the fish, officials with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries say anglers should leave the head and tail intact and, if possible, leave the guts in the fish.
Those who fished on a charter boat or head boat should let the fish cleaner know the carcass will be donated.
The information collected will be provided to the National Marine Fisheries Service for use in future Red Snapper stock assessments.
The recreational Red Snapper season will open for one day this year, on Friday.
The division has set up three temporary freezer locations, in addition to the 12 carcass collection locations available throughout the year.
Temporary locations:
- Bridge Tender Marina, 1418 Airlie Road, Wilmington
- Capt. Stacy Fishing Center, 416 Atlantic Beach Causeway, Atlantic Beach
- Carolina Princess Headboat Dock, 604 Evans St., Morehead City
Year-round locations:
- Oden’s Dock, Hatteras
- Cape Pointe Marina, Harkers Island
- Frisco Rod & Gun, Frisco
- Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head
- Eastside Bait & Tackle, Washington
- Dudley’s Marina, Swansboro
- Pelagic Hunter Fishing Center, Sneads Ferry
- Eastern Outfitters, Hampstead
- Sea View Crab Company, Wilmington
- Tex’s Tackle, Wilmington
- N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Headquarters, Morehead City
- Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point - Environmental Affairs Office (available only to those with military base access)
Instructions for how to deposit the carcasses are posted on each freezer.
