Funds under this grant award will be used to provide fishery dependent landings data from major harvest sources, fishery independent indices of relative abundance, and biological and movement data for…

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality received a $547,310 Formula Grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service under the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605), effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2030. The award funds the collection and analysis of fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data for North Carolina's striped bass stocks, including landings data from major harvest sources, relative abundance indices, and biological and movement information. This data collection effort supports the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) and Atlantic Coast fishery management agencies in conducting stock assessments and monitoring population recovery status.

The project delivers critical deliverables including maintenance of a long-term biological database, annual reporting of survey findings through Fishery Management Plan updates and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission compliance reports, and continued operation of fishery-independent surveys including juvenile assessment and gill net surveys. These data collection activities are essential for informing effective management decisions while the striped bass stock remains under a harvest moratorium and at low abundance levels. By reducing reliance on commercial and recreational landings data alone, the award enables the NCDMF to better assess stock status and implement evidence-based population recovery measures.

Funds under this grant award will be used to provide fishery dependent landings data from major harvest sources, fishery independent indices of relative abundance, and biological and movement data for north carolina stocks of striped bass. Data from this project will be used by the north carolina division of marine fisheries (ncdmf) and other atlantic coast fishery management agencies to conduct stock assessments and evaluate the stock status. Continuing a long-term database of biological data and developing indices of relative abundance allows the ncdmf to better assess the status of stocks without relying solely on commercial and recreational landings data. In addition, data collected in fishery- independent and dependent surveys is reported annually in fishery management plan (FMP) updates, species stock overviews, and atlantic states marine fisheries commission compliance reports to monitor population trends. Data from the fishery independent surveys funded through previous segments of this grant including the juvenile assessment, independent gill net survey and information gathered from the dependent surveys were key components of previous striped bass stock assessments. Continued collection of this data will be essential for monitoring and assessing the recovery status of the stock in response to management measures while the stock is at low levels of abundance and under a harvest moratorium. If collection of data from these projects is not continued uncertainty about stock status will increase and the division will have limited ability to adequately assess population recovery and implement effective management measures.