Fishers and coastal politicians in North Carolina (NC) have rallied against a proposal to limit blue crab harvest under Amendment 3. This is happening just before the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) meets to discuss the issue on November 19-20, 2025.
A group consisting of county commissioners from at least 15 coastal counties has been opposing the proposal beginning August 5.
On its part, the MFC will use today’s Wrightsville Beach meeting to discuss the controversial Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3.
The amendment seeks to limit bag limits and extend temporary fishery closures over the current ones.
So far, the northern fishery near Carteret County’s bridge experiences January 1-31 closure while the southern one March 1-15.
There are also proposals to add extra closures to the north side of Emerald Isle bridge, beginning January 1, 2026.
If it happens, fishers on the northern banks of the bridge will only access 30 bushels per excursion between September and December. This is even as those on the south side will have a bag limit of 15 bushels daily.
These extra proposals have prompted lawmakers to vote to stop further regulation until a scientific stock assessment happens.
One of the lawmakers is Janet Rose, Commissioner of Currituck County. On November 5, Rose opined that a 30-bushel limit deprives local fishers 40 to 50% of their daily harvest of 50-60 bushels.
The Status so Far
The current regulation by the MFC’s Amendment 3 banks on a pre-2016 stock assessment report.
Those opposed to harvest cuts therefore call for a stock assessment plan before any more regulation.
Regarding the stock status, scientists from the NC State university are citing no evidence of over-harvesting the female crab resource.
Stakeholders add that the imposition of partial harvest limits has allowed in competition from foreign cheap crab sales, affecting local fishermen.
Proponents of the harvest reduction in their part cite that the NC blue crab resource is approaching depletion.
A virtual model by the North Carolina Sea Grant and the state’s university visualizes NC’s blue crab resource going extinct in 10 to 20 years. This would be equivalent to a landings toll of almost 2.2 million pounds, annually. Historical stock conditions however place North Carolina among the U.S.’ key sources of blue crab, per the stats below.
NC Blue Crab Statistics
The state of North Carolina ranks 3rd in blue crab landings in the United States. Along with Louisiana, Maryland and Virginia, NC represents 75% of America’s blue crab annual catch, per the Seafood Watch. The resource ranks first in NC’s seafood production. It also provides around 1,200 jobs mostly in coastline counties such as Chowan, Hyde and Pamlico.
How has the hard/blue crab population of NC progressed through recent history?
Findings show that commercial landings of hard crab from North Carolina historically declined from peaks of nearly 70 million pounds in 1996. Two decades later in 2015, they were under 40 million pounds. The table below interprets historical catches from a graphical representation by the Seafood Watch:
| Highlight Year | Hard Blue crab Landings [pounds] |
| 2015 | Over 30 million |
| 2003 | Over 40 million |
| 1998 | Over 60 million |
| 1996 | Under 70 million |
| 1987 | Over 30 million |