The NC Division of Marine Fisheries defines recreational fishery as:

Harvesting fish for personal use, fun, and challenge. Recreational fishing does not include sale of catch. *The term refers to and includes the fishery resources, fishermen, and businesses providing needed good and services.

(www.ncfisheries.net/stocks/glossary.htm)

A survey study of NC recreational fishermen revealed that recreational fishermen contribute to the by-catch and take of shrimp, while restrictions on recreational fishing are inadequate or loosely enforced. Some use commercial trawling gear, but they do not use it in the federally approved and appropriate manner. Additionally, 66% of the surveyed recreational fishermen reported that they sold their landings.

(Griffith and Rulifson, 1997)

It is estimated that recreational landings have accounted for 75% of total landings in the U.S. In 1998, the estimated recreational harvest was 5,800 mt compared to 2,900 mt of commercial landings, although the two fisheries landed nearly the same number of fish (1.22 million fish landed by commercial fishermen vs. 1.36 million fish landed in the recreational fishery). During 1998, an estimated 16.3 million striped bass were caught by recreational anglers; 92% of these were released alive.

(www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/af/sbass/)

Blue crabs are harvested in North Carolina via crab pots, trawls, hand lines, and dip nets. No license is required to harvest crabs recreationally, unless a vessel is used. There are per person per day limits on allowable crabs caught, however, there are no records kept regarding the actual amount of blue crabs taken recreationally.

(legacy.eos.ncsu.edu/eos/info/mea/mea469_info/bluecrab/fishery.html)

Since restrictions on recreational fishing are inadequate or loosely enforced, there is minimal data on landings from recreational fishermen. As a result, little is known about the impact recreational fishermen have on North Carolina fisheries.

There is currently no fishing license required for recreational saltwater fishing in North Carolina, however, recreational fishermen using commercial gear are required to obtain a fishing license.

(Eggleston, pers. comm. 4/1/03; www.ncfisheries.net/)