The Division of Inland Fisheries maintains an active research program that serves as the basis for developing and evaluating North Carolina's fishing regulations. These regulations not only protect our state's fisheries resources, but also provide diverse fishing experiences. In recent years we have developed regulations for important game fishes in many individual waters. These regulations reflect the desires of anglers and the fish-producing capabilities of the water bodies.

We conduct a variety of fishery management activities on reservoirs, rivers and streams across the state to improve sport fisheries. Other management activities include providing readily accessible fishing opportunities for young people, senior citizens and physically impaired anglers.

The Division of Inland Fisheries operates six fish hatcheries, rearing a variety of fishes for stocking into the public waters of the state. Pisgah Forest Hatchery in Transylvania Co., Armstrong Hatchery in McDowell Co. and Marion Hatchery in McDowell Co. are our trout hatcheries where we produce more than a half million brook, brown and rainbow trout annually. Table Rock Hatchery in Burke Co. is our coolwater hatchery, where we rear muskellunge, walleye and smallmouth bass. Our warmwater hatcheries are Watha in Pender Co. and McKinney Lake in Richmond Co. These hatcheries produce striped bass, striped bass hybrids, channel catfish, largemouth bass and American shad.

A critical part of our program is habitat conservation. All of our fisheries are dependent on habitat maintenance. Our staff works with developers and permitting agencies on hundreds of projects to ensure that fish and wildlife habitats are protected. We restore degraded habitats to levels at which they can support diverse fish and wildlife communities.

In addition to working with fish and their habitats, we also work with people—those who use and enjoy our state's aquatic resources. Many of us are involved in various outreach programs such as Fish For Fun events, the Community Fishing Program or the Fishing Tackle Loaner Program. We recently constructed a mobile aquarium complementing these outreach programs by allowing us to showcase the diversity of North Carolina's fishes across the state.

919 707-0220