Can I Keep?North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Regulations (2026)
Recreational size limits, bag limits and seasons for 59 saltwater species in North Carolina, from the NC Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Marine Fisheries. Last checked November 7, 2026. Where a species has several rules (by area or water), the table shows the first; open the species for all of them.
Check what's open at your harbor today
Official North Carolina regulations · Saltwater fishing license
Inshore
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alewife and Blueback Herring | — | — | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS |
| American Eel | 9" TL | 25/Day | Season open January 1 – August 31, except year-round when taken by… |
| American Shad | None | — | — |
| Black Drum | 14" Min - 25" Max TL | 10/Day | — |
| Croaker | None | 50/Day | — |
| Flounder | 15 in minimum | 1 per person | It shall be unlawful to possess flounder for recreational purposes… |
| Hickory Shad | None | — | — |
| Mullet | — | 100/Day (species combined) | — |
| Red Drum | 18" Min - 27" Max TL | 1/Day | — |
| Sheepshead | 14" TL | 5/Day | — |
| Spot | None | 50/Day | — |
| Spotted Seatrout | 14"- 20" TL, 1 greater than 26' TL | 3/day | — |
| Striped Bass (2 rules) | harvest slot limit of 28 inches to 31 inches TL | 1 per person per day | Year-round |
| Tarpon | — | — | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS |
| Weakfish | 12" TL | 1/Day | — |
Reef fish
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Sea Bass (2 rules) | 13" TL | 15/Day | Season open May 1-Dec. 31 |
| Blueline Tilefish | — | — | except from May 1 through August 31 each year |
| Deepwater Complex | — | — | — |
| Golden Tilefish | — | — | It shall be unlawful to possess golden tilefish taken from waters… |
| Goliath grouper | — | — | Prohibited Finfish Species |
| Gray Triggerfish | 12 in minimum | — | — |
| Greater Amberjack | 28 in minimum | 1 per person | It shall be unlawful to possess greater amberjack taken from waters… |
| Groupers | It shall be unlawful to possess black grouper or gag grouper less… | It shall be unlawful to possess from a private vessel more than two… | It shall be unlawful to possess the following grouper species taken… |
| Hogfish | 17 in minimum | 2 per person | — |
| Nassau grouper | — | — | Prohibited Finfish Species |
| Other Jacks | — | — | — |
| Other Porgies | — | — | — |
| Other Snappers | It shall be unlawful to possess yellowtail snapper, cubera snapper… | — | — |
| Red Porgy | 14 in minimum | 1 per person | except from May 1 through June 30 each year |
| Red Snapper (2 rules) | — | — | It shall be unlawful to possess red snapper taken from waters under… |
| Scup | 9" TL | 30/Day | — |
| Speckled hind | — | — | Prohibited Finfish Species |
| Vermilion Snapper | 12 in minimum | 5 per person | — |
| Warsaw grouper | — | — | Prohibited Finfish Species |
| Wreckfish | — | It shall be unlawful to possess more than one (1) wreckfish per… | except from July 1 through August 31 of each year |
Offshore & pelagic
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Marlin | 99" LJFL | 1 per vessel per trip, either blue or white marlin | — |
| Bluefish | None | 5/Day | — |
| Cobia | 36 in minimum | 1 per person | The season for the recreational harvest of cobia will be May 1, 2026… |
| Dolphin | None | 10/Day | — |
| King Mackerel | 24" FL | 3/Day | — |
| Prohibited Sharks | — | — | Prohibited Finfish Species |
| Sailfish | 63" LJFL | 1/Day | — |
| Sharks | — | See most recent DMF proclamations | — |
| Spanish Mackerel | 12" FL | 15/Day | — |
| Spiny Dogfish | None | None | — |
| Tuna: Bluefin, Bigeye and Yellowfin | Bigeye and Yellowfin Tuna - 27" Curved FL | Yellowfin Tuna - 3/Day | — |
| Wahoo | None | 2/Day | — |
| White Marlin | 66" LJFL | 1 per vessel per trip, either blue or white marlin | — |
Crabs, lobster & shrimp
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Crab (2 rules) | 5" Carapace Width | 50 Crabs/Day not to exceed 100 Crabs per Vessel per Day | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS from Jan 1-31 North of Highway 58 bridge |
| Shrimp (2 rules) | None | 48 quarts (heads on) or 30 quarts (heads off) of shrimp per person… | — |
| Spiny Lobster | 3" Carapace Length (L) | 2/Trip | — |
| Stone Crab Claws | 2.75" Propodus Length | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS from June 15 – August 15 (no possession limit… | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS from June 15 – August 15 (no possession limit… |
Clams, oysters & scallops
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Scallop | — | — | SEASON CLOSED; UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS |
| Conchs and Whelks | None | 10/Day not to exceed 20/Vessel/Day | — |
| Hard Clam | 1" Thick | 100 Clams/Day not to exceed 200 Clams/Vessel/Day | — |
| Mussels | None | 100/Day not to exceed 200/Vessel/Day | — |
| Oyster | 3" Shell Length | 1 Buschel Oysters/Day not to exceed 2 Bushels Oysters/Vessel/Day | — |
Other species
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic sturgeon | — | — | Prohibited Finfish Species |
| Shortnose sturgeon | — | — | Prohibited Finfish Species |