Sheepshead regulations to change March 1 in North Carolina

MOREHEAD CITY, NC (WWAY) — The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries is reminding fishermen that new sheepshead regulations will take effect March 1 for both recreational and commercial fisheries.

The division said the changes are being implemented because of increases in sheepshead harvest in recent years, particularly among juvenile fish.

Under the new rules, the minimum size limit for both recreational and commercial fisheries will be 14 inches total length.

For recreational fishermen, the bag limit will be five fish per person per day.

For commercial operations, trip limits will vary by gear type. Pound nets will be limited to 1,500 pounds per operation per day. Gigs and spears will be limited to 10 fish per person per day or trip, including trips that occur over more than one calendar day. All other gears will be limited to 300 pounds per trip.

The size limit will no longer be measured using fork length, which is from the tip of the snout to the fork in the tail. Instead, fishermen must measure total length, from the tip of the snout to the longest part of the tail when pinched together.

Officials said the measurement change aligns sheepshead regulations with those for black drum, a similar-looking species commonly caught alongside sheepshead, simplifying regulations for the public.

The division considered public input gathered during the fall public comment period when determining the management changes.