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North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries issued Proclamation M-9-25 effective at 12:01 a.m., April 20, 2025, that closed the use of gill nets with a stretched mesh length less than four inches, except as described in Section II and Section IV, in internal coastal and joint fishing waters south of Management Unit A.

In Section II, the added language states: “It shall be unlawful to use gill nets with a stretched mesh length less than 4 inches in the Internal Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters in Management Unit D1 (northern and southern subunits), except as described in Section IV.”

Section IV has the definitions for gear exemptions run-around, strike, drop, and drift gill nets.

All other existing gill net rules and proclamations remain in effect.

For additional gill net restrictions in areas south of Management Unit A refer to the most recent M-type proclamation that applies to gill nets with a stretched mesh length of 4-inches to 6 ½-inches.

“The intent of this proclamation is to manage the gill net fishery to maintain compliance with the Incidental Take Permit for endangered and threatened sea turtles and endangered sturgeon. Adjusted boundaries for Management Units B, C, and D1 (including subunits) are included to be consistent with boundaries outlined in the new Incidental Take Permit for sea turtles and sturgeon.”

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