MISSION STATEMENT
PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND RESTORE wild NATIVE FISH POPULATIONS THROUGH STEWARDSHIP OF THE FISH AND THEIR HABITATS
NORTH CAROLINA native fishes
North Carolina is home to seventeen major river systems, over 274,000 acres of lakes and ponds, and five distinct geographic ecosystems from the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains, in the western edge of the state to the Outer Banks off the eastern shoreline. This diverse range of aquatic habitat is home to a variety of warmwater and coldwater native fishes. Freshwater species include multiple species of bass, sunfish, and catfish; chain pickerel, redfin pickerel, muskellunge, white and yellow perch, black crappie, walleye, bowfin, Carolina redhorse, Waccamaw killifish, Roanoke logperch, warmouth, tangerine darter, lake sturgeon, and brook trout, the state’s only native salmonid and official State Freshwater Trout. Anadromous species include shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon, American and hickory shad, and sea lamprey. North Carolina has over 3,375 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline which are home to striped bass, sea trout, flounder, sheepshead, grouper, tuna, and channel bass (red drum,) the official State Salt Water Fish of North Carolina.
status, threats, and conservation
North Carolina’s native fishes face many threats including habitat degradation, pollution, development, climate change, angler exploitation, stocking, and nonnative fish introductions. Fifty-four of the 234 freshwater fish species said to inhabit North Carolina are listed as Endangered, Threatened, or Special Concern at the state or federal level. Thirteen species are listed as Endangered at the state level, five of which are also listed as Endangered at the federal level: Atlantic sturgeon, shortnose sturgeon, Cape Fear shiner, Carolina madtom, and Roanoke logperch. The sickle darter, spotfin chub, and Waccamaw silverside are listed as Threatened at the federal level. A number of other fish species native to North Carolina are classified as being at risk. The paddlefish, known to inhabit rivers in North Carolina through the 19th century is now extirpated from the state. Efforts are underway to improve habitat, restore species, and educate the masses in regard to the plight of native fish in North Carolina and what can be done to preserve them.
NORTH CAROLINA nfc board
Below is our North Carolina State Board. This dedicated group of volunteers are our "boots on the ground" in North Carolina, home to miles of river and stream, numerous lakes and ponds, and a number of wild native fish species.
NORTH CAROLINA nfc ADvisory CounCil
Below is our North Carolina Advisory Council. This group of volunteers represents a veritable all-star team of subject matter expertise and hands-on experience. They work with the North Carolina board to identify areas in need of attention, while providing technical assistance.
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LEE SETZER grew up in Tampa, Florida, and spent his summers in the…