FYI: Spearfishing Offshore NC

[rlskill1]

Divers,
If you plan on spearfishing while diving the wrecks offshore NC...

1. Find out if your dive boat has a fishing license that covers all divers.

2. If not, you will need to purchase a temporary permit or annual permit for Coastal Recreation Fisheries permit/license. An out-of-state annual license is only $30 and I think a temporary permit (like 3-5 days) is maybe $10. BEFORE going spearfishing.

3. Some boat captains are requiring a license even for lionfish hunting (its a fin fish)

4. Make sure you know the size limits and season dates for what you are seeking (grouper, black bass, flounder, cobia, etc)

5. Verify there is a fish cooler onboard or bring your own plus ice.

6. If you use the boat fish cooler, please clean it when you get back (or at least offer).

7. Nothing tastes better or more fresh than a fish that you caught and was free swimming just a few hours before.

 

[Scubapro67]

Link to NC fishing regulations. If you're not sure don't shoot it!

NCDENR - Recreational Fishing Size and Bag Limits

 

[Akyla]

It is a good suggestion to ask and to know the rules. I keep a current copy of the size rules on the boat at all times.

There are new size limits for sheepshead and triggers effective July 1, so make sure you look at the rules before you start shooting shorties. I think they should have gone longer on the TL for these species but this is a good start. Groupers and redfish go in and out a lot so you need to know what you are shooting at there too. There will be no mercy from a fisheries officer so it is important to know what's what underwater and to be a good judge of size.

A blanket CRFL permit for charter/headboat is an expensive annual permit, so some boats choose to not have one. I think it just part of offering a complete operation, so I cover the expense and have all the permits. Not only the NC blanket permit is required, but federal fisheries permits for three or four other categories are needed to cover what we might catch/shoot along with a SE fisheries operators permit card for the boat captain, and of course they charge you for each seperate permit and category. The permits expire at different times and all have different reporting requirements so it gets to be difficult. The commercial fisherman have even more permitting and reporting requirements, many of which make no sense at all.

Last thing, lion fish are envasive species. Right now totally unregulated and fair game to kill them all regardless of size. They taste just great so kill as many as you can but I believe we may have already lost the battle against them.