Hot off the presses. Have to report Red Drum, Spotted Seatrout, Striped Bass, Weakfish and Flounder. It is mandatory for any kept fish.
Yep, got the email yesterday. I don’t really understand how they plan to gain any useful information from this approach. It doesn’t account for fish that are released, which absolutely no one would report if they tried to enforce. How many people are actually going to report what they keep, maybe 10%?
It also states that if fishing from a vessel, reporting must occur as soon as the vessel reaches the shore, or structure attached to the shore. Just what we need, people taking even longer at the ramp while they try and figure out a survey on their iPhone that was designed to be filled out on a computer (I’ve looked at it).
I’m all catch and release for inshore fish so it doesn’t directly impact me, I’m just genuinely confused on what the DEQ thinks they’ll gain from this process. Maybe I’ll report a few flounder and striper and see if the SWAT team shows up at my house.
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They can go to hell on this one. Unless our dear politicians will also agree to report all the cash and gifts they get from lobbyists to me upon receipt.
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Yes, this is unenforceable. The result of bureaucrats who don’t fish or know anything about what happens on the water…But hopefully, with good intentions.
They expect the guys posting on Facebook pictures of 20 redfish 12"-30" on the deck of thier jonboat or public pier to report their harvest. Its the same with gun laws. Only the law abiding citizens already playing by the rules will comply with the data.
The only solution is a increase in inspections at the ramps and public docks, with Draconian fines enforced with warrants when unpaid. It would be an occasional PITA for us types to be inspected more often, but most here release everything anyway. I’ll let a guest keep a fish if they’re staying with us and we have it for dinner that night…but i gotta really like em.
Something has to be done to stop the decline.
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I seen an article on that the other day that I meant to share. My first intial reaction was WTF?
Much like the deer hunters reporting every deer taken. 
It boils down to manpower. My best friends dad was the head Fisheries Warden (i think they all fall under NCWC now) back in the 80’s and they only had maybe 5 guys tops? New Hanover Cty is one of the smallest but has 8 public ramps. No way to cover that day in day out.
Off topic here but at work we had an Engine Trend Monitoring program that was supposed to track reduced power on deadhead legs. Ostensibly to save fuel.
It was easy to forget sometimes and talking to one of our Program Managers, I asked about it. He said, “we know there are guys that don’t do it, we know there are guys that always do it. We’re hoping to capture the majority…the middle pack that will do it sometimes and maybe forget others…if those numbers tick up, we get good data…”.
The repercussions for not reporting are pretty minimal
Commercial in SC has to report catch, even catch and release.
I’m not for any more gov interaction in my life, especially when it adds time and inconvenience.
On the flip side though, I always hear that DNR numbers “don’t match what I’m seeing” and then the same crowd won’t report what they are seeing to the data. Tough to complain about a data set accuracy then refuse to report your findings to that data set.
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We have to do it with Red Snapper and Grey Triggerfish here in Alabama. Yes its a pain, and Yes it pissed everyone off, but Yes it has resulted in our seasons getting longer and better management of the fishery.
I also have to check in/out on an app when I hunt public land. And I have to report report species observed and species harvested. Even if they are invasives with no restrictions. This reporting resulted in us getting extra antlered deer harvests on the WMA I hunt this year for the first time since i can remember.
So yes, it exposes you to law enforcement more, but if you participate the data really helps them out and if their original guesses about harvest information are wrong then you actually benefit by getting longer seasons or different harvest regs.
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Seems like a way for them to bypass having representatives doing the leg work by having people do their own reporting. Here in Texas they do non mandatory quick surveys at the ramp and let you go about your day.
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The two times I’ve been questioned over the last ten years has been like this. Once coming out of sound and once actively fishing for shad at Lock&Dam #1. Just a survey, never asked to look and see what we caught. We threw everything back both times anyhow.
The survey was maybe 5 questions tops.
Sounds like we have similar optional surveys as in Texas. Usually an individual hanging out by the boat ramp who will walk up to you after the boat is on the trailer and you’re getting things ready to hit the road (which I appreciate, let us get away from all the idiots).
I have no problem talking to these folks for two reasons:
- As Smack said, it’s not mandatory. If I’m in a hurry I don’t have to engage with them.
- I believe the information they gather could actually be somewhat useful for assessing our stocks. Their questions include things such as:
-
What species of fish did you target
How many did you catch
How long did you fish
How many days per year do you fish
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NC and FL both have those “ ramp rangers”. They are not badge holding employees and the surveys are not mandatory, but the questions go far beyond species, size, ect..
Once they get into personal details I end the conversation.
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We have the same thing here in Florida. It is usually college interns or part time employees with the FWC who do the survey. They are usually very nice and easy to deal with, I have no problem providing the catch data to them. Fishermen complain all the time about that the FWC doesn’t have the data to support or not support a regulation, this is what they need to do their job.
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I would have no problem if NCWC had staff stationed at ramps to collect this data. As it is, this is unenforceable and the “form” is laughable in effort for 2025.
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Random people reporting their catch without anyone verifying the accuracy? Sounds sketchy to base regulations or anything on that skewed data, just saying!
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@Smackdaddy53 My issue is when they start asking birthdate, miles driven, married, kids, money spent, ect..
You want to know what I caught and sizes, fine. I get that, all that other “data” is none of their business though.
To your point, I agree with that as well. Basing anything tangible off what random people are reporting is right there with the masking up kinda science.
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I don’t really have a problem with it because this is going to help provide better stock assessments to provide more accurate regulations. We have more people fishing than ever and I want the regulations to match what’s actually sustainable so my son can experience as many of the opportunities that I have had in my life. I can see where in a year or so they will likely up the penalties once people have gotten use to the reporting.
My minor in college was in wildlife and fisheries management so I can see a bit better how the benefits of this data will be used.
The hunting world has been doing this for years with some species and it’s not that big a deal once you get used to it. If I shoot a Deer or turkey in Florida I have to let them know as soon as it’s taken.
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