We have two different flounder stocks in North Carolina - summer flounder, which is primarily found in our ocean waters and southern flounder, which is primarily found in our estuaries and sounds.
Flounder Size and Bag Limit:
14 inches/ 8 per day
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In the past, summer flounder stocks have been overfished, and while they are now recovering, we still have to be careful about adhering to size and bag limits. Fisheries managers want fish to be able
to spawn or reproduce at least once before being harvested – that is why we have different size limits for different species. If fishermen do not adhere to the size limit restriction for summer flounder, North Carolina may be faced with stricter management measures such as a closed season or a reduced bag limit.
The line marking the break between Ocean and Sound caught fish is the COLREGS line.
Any flounder landed seaward of the COLREGS Demarcation Line must be no less than 14
inches total length. The COLREGS line is designated on NOAA Navigational
Charts.
While it is hard to throw back a 13-inch flounder you catch, by doing so, you are helping ensure summer flounder stocks recover and are once again plentiful. Please remember the size limit for flounder is 14 inches - the future of flounder fishing depends on you!
Want to know more about the COLREGS lines in North Carolina? - Go Here and read the details.
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