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On Sunday, May 22, 2022, the commercial red drum fishery in North Carolina coastal fishing waters opened under North Carolina Marine Fisheries Proclamation FF-33-2022.

The per day commercial limit is seven red drum regardless of the number of individuals involved.

That red drum catch must be part of a commercial fishing operation with flounder, bluefish, black drum or striped mullet, which must have a combined weight exceeding the red drum.

The proclamation also details restrictions regarding transport, transfer and sale of red drum along with the other aforementioned species.

“The intent of this proclamation is to manage the annual commercial harvest of red drum within the 250,000 pound cap implemented by Amendment 1 of the North Carolina Red Drum Fishery Management plan. The commercial fishing year is September 1 through August 31. The first harvest period (150,000 pounds) of September through April was closed because the 150,000 pound limit was exceeded. The second harvest period (100,000 pounds) for May through August will now be reduced from the 100,000 pound limit to account for any overages in the first harvest period and keep annual harvest below the 250,000 pound cap,” states the proclamation.

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