NC Marine & Estuary Foundation – “The Wait is Over! Our Red Drum Tracking Platform is Live”

Friday November 14, 2025

Early last year, our foundation launched a multi-year research initiative with the Division of Marine Fisheries to track adult red drum movements using satellite tags. The project started with a pilot study in which Division staff tagged 10 red drum in Pamlico Sound. From there, the 2025 plans expanded to include 40 additional red drum tagged along the North Carolina coast.

Throughout the process, our foundation toyed with the idea of creating an interactive platform to showcase the movements of these tagged fish in near real time. What began as a far-fetched concept became a real possibility when we connected with a development company called Mapotic. After countless video calls, long email chains, and plenty of beta testing, our vision was brought to life. And now, we’re thrilled to share that our red drum tracking platform is officially live!

This project would not have been possible without the generous support of our donors, partners, recreational guides, Division staff, and many others who contributed along the way.

We would love for you to join our growing community of supporters, whether it be through financial contributions, sporting our merch, or simply sharing our content with friends and family. So, check out the platform, and feel free to contact us with questions, comments, or even a creative fish name! To learn more about the platform launch, check out our press release.

Update :: New Mandatory Harvest Reporting Requirements Begin Dec. 1 in this Old North State – Not as Difficult as I Thought

From NC Wildlife Resources Commission … “Click on the fish icon at the bottom and then the link that says DMF Saltwater Fishing Harvest Report. Screen shots below. This link takes you to the DMF page with all the information. We will be able to report on the DMF page on or after December 1st. “

I drilled down and it appears that it will work without a lot of hassle. It will be better when DMF releases the APPS.

New Mandatory Harvest Reporting Requirements Begin Dec. 1 in this Old North State

Check out reporting requirements on flounder, Red Drum, Striped Bass, Spotted Seatrout (speckled trout), and Weakfish (gray trout). Harvests can be reported through an online webform or soon-to-be-released iPhone app.

More on Reporting … https://www.ncwildlife.gov/news/press-releases/2025/10/31/new-mandatory-harvest-reporting-requirements-begin-dec-1

Sea Trail Fishing Club Meets with Jesse Bissett

At our October monthly meeting Jesse Bissett discussed the Mandatory Reporting Program of NC Division of Marine Fisheries. Here is a synopsis of the presentation.

Please plan to attend our monthly meetings.

Jessie began by explaining the background behind the upcoming NC mandatory requirement to report all fish harvests (catch and keep) of the five targeted species including Red Drum, Speckled Trout, Striped Bass, Flounder, and Weakfish in coastal, joint, and shared NC waters. He explained that while the program may not please the sport fisheries / fisherpersons, it was intended to help the State establish programs to ensure sustainable populations of the targeted species are maintained.


Key points to Jessie’s presentation include:


✴ The program will be phased in starting in December 2025. Any harvests of the 5
targeted species must be reported before leaving the dock via cell phone and failure to
do so may result in a verbal warning if cited. Starting December 1, 2026, the warning
will be written, and starting December 1, 2027, a fine of $35 plus court costs may be
levied.

✴ If a cell phone is not available, a paper form must be filled in upon returning home and hand delivered to NC DNR. There are no provisions to mail in the forms and there is currently no app available to facilitate reporting.


✴ Required reporting only includes identified species that are kept, not those returned to the water.


✴ If landing in NC, all fish, regardless of State where caught, must be reported.

At the conclusion of the presentation, a brief question and answer session was held with many members expressing their doubts around the feasibility or reasonableness of the Mandatory Harvest Reporting Program. While the members appreciated the reasoning behind the Program, as structured, they questioned the accuracy of results and the sustainability of the Program.

—- Thanks to our Secretary Jim Baumgartner for recording these salinet points!