NCMEF: The organization working to galvanize North Carolina’s coastal economy

North Carolina’s coastal environment is both remarkable and uniquely diverse. Home to the nation’s second-largest estuarine system, which spans more than 2 million acres, its intricate blend of inlets, shorelines, islands, and waterways forms a vibrant and dynamic coastal mosaic.

While the allure of white sand beaches and charming coastal communities draws millions in tourism revenue each year, the region’s true economic engine may well be its fisheries.

Consider a few statistics from 2024 that highlight the economic influence of commercial and recreational fisheries along our coast:

Commercial Fishing:

• 1,993 commercial fishermen reported selling 45 million pounds of fish and shellfish, with a dockside value of $83 million.
• Commercial fishing activity supported 4,873 full- or part-time jobs, producing an income impact of more than $116 million and a total sales impact of $279 million.

Recreational Fishing:

• Coastal anglers took an estimated 18.5 million fishing trips, spending more than $3 billion on durable goods and trip expenditures.
• Recreational fishing supported 28,581 jobs, with an income impact of $1.3 billion and an output impact of $3.7 billion.

No matter how you look at them, these numbers are impressive. But a closer examination reveals concerning downward trends. For example, jobs supported by recreational fishing have declined by 30% since 2014, while commercial fishing jobs have dropped by 42% over the same period.

The reasons behind these stagnant economic indicators are, quite literally, fishy. Many of North Carolina’s most important and popular fish and shellfish species are either depleted or trending downward. Robust coastal economies, after all, require robust fisheries.

Take southern flounder, for example. Beloved by anglers and restaurateurs alike, the species is currently listed as depleted, with this year’s recreational harvest season reduced to just two weeks. Shortened seasons lead to fewer fishing trips, which in turn means fewer purchases of bait, ice, fuel, food, beverages, and other gear, as well as fewer restaurant visits and hotel stays.

North Carolina Marine & Estuary Foundation Executive Director Chad Thomas said,  “Shortened harvest seasons for flounder, along with coastwide moratoriums on striped bass and river herring, are particularly troubling for our small coastal towns that depend on the seasonal economic boost. Developing solutions that will revitalize these fish populations—along with others like blue crab, weakfish, spot, and croaker—is critical to stimulating economic growth in our eastern counties.”

The nonprofit Foundation is working to do exactly that by educating and advocating to create world-class fisheries and thriving coastal economies across the state.

As Allen Gant Jr., chairman of North Carolina-based Glen Raven Inc., shared on this platform last year, the Foundation champions data-driven policies and regulations that will restore fisheries, support jobs, and unlock multi-billion-dollar economic potential statewide.

With that in mind, we’d like to highlight a few of the Foundation’s recent projects and how they are making a positive impact in North Carolina.

Red Drum Satellite Tracking Research

Red drum is North Carolina’s official state saltwater fish, and a cornerstone of the state’s coastal economy. Nearly 3 million fishing trips each year target red drum, contributing to an estimated $3 billion in annual coastal fishing expenditures.

But despite its prominence, many questions remain: Where do red drum spawn? How far do they travel? Do they stay in our estuaries, or do they visit other states? How often do they move through ocean inlets? Do they head north to Virginia or wander south beyond South Carolina?

To answer these questions, the Foundation partnered with the state Division of Marine Fisheries on a multi-year satellite tracking research initiative.

This project builds on a successful 2024 pilot study that tagged 10 red drum in Pamlico Sound. Lessons learned, including optimized tag-attachment methods and satellite transmission settings, guided an expanded 2025 effort, during which 40 additional fish are being tagged along the coast. Including the monthly subscription costs to transmit and store satellite data, the tags are $2,500 each. 

Each satellite tag is programmed to detach from the fish and “pop up” at the surface after 30 days to 12 months. Once released, the tags transmit daily location data to the Argos satellite network, creating a detailed map of each fish’s movements. Because red drum often swim near the surface, some tags may transmit data even before their scheduled release, offering early glimpses into movement patterns.

The Foundation prioritized blending public education and outreach with this new scientific research. In doing so, it unveiled a groundbreaking interactive tracking platform for red drum—the first tool of its kind in North Carolina. This platform brings cutting-edge marine science directly to the public, offering unprecedented insight into the behaviors of one of the state’s most important coastal species.

The platform was funded by the Foundation and developed in collaboration with Mapotic, a Czech technology company specializing in interactive mapping and known for powering OCEARCH, the popular shark-tracking platform. After months spent tagging fish, developing software, and troubleshooting technical challenges, the Foundation debuted the new platform this past week.

Thomas said, “This exciting new tool invites the public to engage directly with real-time science from the field—to see where these fish travel and to understand why protecting their habitat matters.” 

Striped Bass Restoration & Genetic Evaluation

Like red drum, striped bass are a fan favorite among North Carolina anglers. Unfortunately, the striped bass population in the Albemarle Sound and Roanoke River has experienced a series of recruitment failures. Because natural reproduction has stalled in recent years, the number of adult fish returning from the Atlantic Ocean to spawn each spring is dropping to levels not seen since the mid-1980s, when the stock was considered collapsed.

In both 2024 and 2025, regulators did not allow a striped bass harvest season in the Albemarle Sound or in the rivers and creeks that feed into it.

To help jumpstart recovery, the Foundation partnered with two state agencies to financially support stocking more than 5 million striped bass into the Albemarle Sound and Roanoke River. This multi-year partnership began in 2023 and will continue through 2026.

With millions of juvenile fish released each year, evaluating the effectiveness of these stockings is critical. A separate ongoing partnership between the Foundation and the Division supports the genetic analysis of each unique batch of stocked striped bass. This research enables fisheries managers to determine whether a recaptured striped bass originated from a hatchery or from the wild. If the fish is hatchery-born, managers can determine the release year and the exact set of parents. While increased angling opportunity is a short-term benefit of the stocking program, the ultimate goal is for these hatchery-raised fish to return to the spawning grounds and contribute to a self-sustaining wild population.

These two examples represent just a snapshot of the important work being conducted by the North Carolina Marine & Estuary Foundation.

Click here to learn more and support their efforts. To receive their weekly newsletter with exclusive Coastal Insights and Foundation updates, click here.