In 2004, the N.C. General Assembly created the Under Dock Oyster Culture (UDOC) Program to allow people the opportunity to grow oysters under their coastal docks or piers.  The program allows qualified permit holders to attach up to 90 square feet of oyster cultivation containers to a dock or pier owned by the permit holder. Only docks located in waters approved for the harvest of shellfish are eligible for this permit.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, in conjunction with N.C. Sea Grant, administers the program. 

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries 3441 Arendell Street; P.O. Box 769 Morehead City, N.C.  28557 252-726-7021 www.ncdmf.net Contact:  Craig Hardy

N.C. Sea Grant North Carolina State University Box 8605 Raleigh, N.C.  27695-8605 919-515-2454 http://www.ncseagrant.org/ Contact:  Steve Rebach

Please use the following links to access the Permit Application and Conditions Form, Information Package (Manual), and the Quiz. The eligibilty requirements, purpose, and conditions of the permits are provided in the UDOC Manual. UDOC - Permit Application (Download PDF) UDOC - Manual (Download PDF) UDOC - Quiz (Download PDF) The UDOC files are in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. If you have troubles with the files try clicking the Get Adobe Reader icon.