2025 commercial estuarine flounder season opening dates announced
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries today announced the 2025 commercial flounder season opening dates for Internal Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters.
Landings will be split by the Flounder Management Area and Gear categories as outlined in Amendment 4 to the Southern Flounder FMP, and season opening dates will vary by category. The open harvest period for each Flounder Management Area and Gear Category will close to maintain harvest within the landings sub-allocation when the allowable landings are approached. DMF will announce the closings by proclamation as necessary during the season.
Pound Net Management Areas
All pound net management areas will open for the harvest of flounder with initial trip limits. Trip limits may be decreased during the season based on the amount of quota available.
| Pound Net Management Area | Opening Date | Opening Trip Limit |
| Northern (waters north of Pamlico Sound) | Mon., Sept. 15 | 500 pounds |
| Central (Pamlico Sound and its tributaries) | Wed., Oct. 1 | 1,000 pounds |
| Southern (waters from Core Sound to the South Carolina line) | Wed., Oct. 1 | 500 pounds |
Mobile Gear Management Areas
Mobile gears are all gears other than pound nets used to harvest flounder. Mobile gears are split into two Management Areas:
- Northern - waters south of the North Carolina/Virginia border to a line in Core Sound which runs approximately from the Club House on Core Banks westerly to a point on the shore at Davis near Marker “1.”
- Southern - waters from the line in Core Sound described above south to the North Carolina/South Carolina border.
Large-mesh (greater than and equal to 4 inches stretched mesh) gill nets in both the Northern and Southern Management Areas will open for the harvest of flounder one day per week:
- Wed., Oct. 1 (nets may be set no sooner than one hour before sunset on Tues., Sept. 30).
- Every Wednesday thereafter so long as enough quota remains available. Nets may be set no sooner than one hour before sunset the day before.
All other mobile gears for the harvest of flounder in both the Northern and Southern Management areas will be open seven days per week beginning Wed. Oct. 1 until the season closes by proclamation.
The minimum size limit for southern flounder is 15 inches total length.
These management measures comply with requirements of Amendment 4 to the N.C. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan and maintain harvest within the total allowable landings.
More information will be available in a forthcoming proclamation. Check here.
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