A new state report shows North Carolina’s coastal fisheries are facing a mixed future.
The Division of Marine Fisheries has released its 2025 review, and the news is troubling for the state’s most valuable commercial catch: the blue crab.
Commercial landings and fishing trips dropped again last year, with state scientists reporting dangerously low numbers of juvenile crabs. A full health assessment of the blue crab population is expected late this year to determine if new harvest restrictions are needed.
Meanwhile, other species are showing signs of hope. Southern flounder catches showed a noticeable increase in larger fish, and striped mullet landings remained high.
