On December 1, 2025, a major update dropped from DEQ’s Division of Marine Fisheries: from now on, if you go fishing in the waters around North Carolina, and you harvest your catch (keep your fish), you might have to report your catch.
This isn’t for every fish you catch; only certain species. The five “report‑your‑catch” fish are: Flounder, Red Drum, Spotted Seatrout (also called speckled trout), Striped Bass, and Weakfish (Gray Trout).
DEQ tried to make it as easy as possible. You’ve got two options:
Use the online reporting form via smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Or, if you’re old‑school (or in a dead zone with no signal), grab a paper report card — you can print that from the DEQ website or get it from certain offices or tackle shops.
You report when your trip ends:
If you fished from a boat — once you’re docked (or ashore).
If you fished from land (pier, bank, dock) — once you’re done fishing and gear’s stowed.
If you use the paper card, you have until midnight the next day to submit your info electronically.
Here’s what you’ll need to report: license number (or name & ZIP), date, number of each species kept, where you caught them, and what gear you used (hook and line, gig, etc.). Released fish don’t need to be reported.
This applies to folks fishing in most of the coastal zone: waters designated as Coastal Fishing Waters, Joint Fishing Waters, and Inland Waters next to those.
The rule came into effect as of December 1, 2025.
There’s also a phased enforcement schedule. First year (2025–2026): you’ll get a verbal warning if you forget. Then in 2026–2027 written warnings. Starting December 2027, you risk a fine ($35 plus possible court costs) and repeat violations might affect your fishing license or permit status.
This change comes from a state law — Session Law 2023‑137 — that tasked DEQ’s Division of Marine Fisheries with rolling out mandatory harvest reporting.
The idea is to collect better, more accurate data than before. The new reporting program won’t replace existing fish‑survey tools (like creel surveys), but will supplement them so regulators get a clearer view of what’s actually being kept. That helps with healthier fisheries and smarter rule‑making.
If you go fishing, even occasionally, you need to treat it more like filling out a quick online form rather than just keeping your catch. It adds a small step, but also means you’re part of a broader effort to help keep fish populations healthy and the coast sustainable.
If you hit the water, and catch any of those five species, plug in a few details when you get back, your future‑you (and future fishers) will thank you. And as always, if you have questions about your coverage on the water, contact us at Wells Marine Insurance.