Fishing License Will Be Required January 1, 2007

A Coastal Recreational Fishing License will be required for all fishermen who recreationally fish in coastal waters in North Carolina effective January 1, 2007.

The license can be purchased on a 10-day, annual, or lifetime basis, or combined with a variety of licenses issued by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC).

The license allows recreational fishermen to harvest finfish for personal consumption; finfish harvested under this license cannot be sold.  Fishermen using this license are held to the state’s recreational size and possession limits.

The license is required to recreationally harvest finfish in the state’s Coastal Fishing Waters, which include sounds, coastal rivers and their tributaries, out to three (3) miles in the ocean.  Recreational anglers, who catch fish in the ocean, including waters beyond three (3) miles, will be required to have this license to land fish.  Fishing in Joint Waters (areas managed by both the Marine Fisheries and the Wildlife Resources commissions) will require either this or a WRC inland fishing license.

The new license will be available from any Division of Marine Fisheries office, WRC license agents (which include Wal-Mart and Bait and Tackle stores), online at WRC’s Website www.ncwildlife.org or by calling toll-free to 888-248-6834.