Black Sea Bass Regulations in North Carolina (2026)

Where

North of Cape Hatteras (ocean)

Size limit

It shall be unlawful to possess black sea bass less than 11 inches total length (excluding the caudal fin filament) north of Cape Hatteras.

Bag limit

It shall be unlawful for persons participating in a commercial fishing operation employing fish pots, traps, and/or hook and line gear, regardless of the number of people involved, to possess or land more than 4,500 pounds of black sea bass per trip.; It shall be unlawful for persons participating in a commercial fishing operation employing trawls, regardless of the number of people involved, to offload more than 7,000 pounds of black sea bass per trip.; It shall be unlawful for persons participating in a commercial fishing operation employing any other gear not listed above, regardless of the number of people involved, to possess or land more than 100 pounds of black sea bass per trip.; Properly licensed vessel Captains employing trawls can possess landing limits for other states, but it shall be unlawful to offload those fish in North Carolina.

Season

The fishery will close by proclamation once 80% of the annual North Carolina quota is reached or at 6:00 P.M., December 31, 2026, whichever occurs first. The black sea bass fishery will close by proclamation once 80% the quota has been reached or at 6:00 P.M., December 31, 2026, whichever occurs first.

• It shall be unlawful to use black sea bass traps or pots that fail to conform with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) rule requirements for escape vents specified in 50 CFR 648.144(b)(2) and for degradable fasteners specified in 50 CFR 648.144(b)(3)(i) and (ii).
• It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of an otter trawl vessel that is issued a federal black sea bass moratorium permit to possess 500 pounds or more of black sea bass from January 1 through March 31, or more than 100 pounds of black sea bass from April 1 through December 31, unless fishing with nets that have a minimum mesh size of 4.5- inch diamond mesh applied throughout the codend for at least 75 continuous meshes forward of the terminus of the net, or for codends with less than 75 meshes, the entire net must have a minimum mesh size of 4.5- inch diamond mesh throughout and all other nets are stowed and not available for immediate use as defined in the CFR (50 CFR 648.2).
• Rollers used in roller rig or rock hopper trawl gear shall be no larger than 18 inches in diameter.
• Proclamation FF-6-2026: BLACK SEA BASS – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN – NORTH OF CAPE HATTERAS (effective 12:01 A.M., January 1, 2026).

Official source

Where

South of Cape Hatteras (ocean)

Size limit

It shall be unlawful to possess black sea bass less than 11 inches total length.

Bag limit

It shall be unlawful to use hook-and-line gear to possess: 1. From January 1 through April 30, more than 354 pounds whole weight (300 pounds gutted weight) of black sea bass per trip.; From May 1 through December 31, more than 1,180 pounds whole weight (1,000 pounds gutted weight) of black sea bass per trip.; It shall be unlawful to possess more than 1,180 pounds whole weight (1,000 pounds gutted weight) of black sea bass per trip.

• It shall be unlawful to fail to use non -offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks (50 CFR Part §622.2) while fishing for or possessing snapper grouper species while using natural baits as specified in 50 CFR Part §622.188.
• It shall be unlawful to fail to possess a descending device on board which is readily available for use while fishing for or possessing snapper grouper species as specified in 50 CFR Part §622.188.
• Section II (Black Sea Bass, south of Cape Hatteras (35° 15.0321’ N. Latitude):) of proclamation FF-46-2026 (SNAPPER GROUPER COMPLEX – COMMERCIAL – MODIFY BLACK SEA BASS POT STOWAGE REQUIREMENTS – REGULATORY AMENDMENT 36).
• It shall be unlawful to sell, offer for sale, or exceed the recreational bag limits of any species of the Snapper-Grouper complex specified in 50 CFR Part §622.187(b) unless the vessel owner has been issued a valid Federal Commercial South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Permit.
• For a vessel with both a valid Federal South Atlantic Charter/Headboat Permit for Snapper Grouper and a valid Federal Commercial South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Permit it shall be unlawful to exceed the recreational bag limits for snapper grouper species when fishing with more than four persons (including captain and mate) on board, or when carrying paying customers.
• For a vessel with both a valid Federal South Atlantic Charter/Headboat Permit for Snapper Grouper and a valid Federal Commercial South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Permit it shall be unlawful to sell or offer for sale any species of the Snapper Grouper Complex harvested when fishing with more than four persons (including captain and mate) on board or when carrying paying customers.
• It shall be unlawful to possess any species of the Snapper Grouper complex except snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, misty grouper, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, and sand tilefish while having longline gear aboard a vessel during open harvest seasons.
• It shall be unlawful to possess any species of the snapper grouper complex without heads and fins intact as specified in 50 CFR Part §622.186.

Official source