The Division of Marine Fisheries has closed the harvesting of Blue Crabs “By any Means” starting May 1 at all the inlets on Onslow Bay. From Cape Lookout to Cape Fear, the banks and surrounding inland waters will be closed to any commercial crabbing until Oct 31. The use of crab pots, dredges, and similar devices are all outlawed in these areas during this period.

Heavily used recreational areas such as Bouge, New River, New Topsail, Masonboro, and Carolina Beach Inlet were all included. A popular activity for many that frequent these inlets will now be protected in the summer months. 

Along with other States in the Mid Atlantic, this closure is the result of North Carolina adopting a Blue Crab Management Plan. Field sampling has shown stocks of The Blue Crab is overfished and overfishing is currently ongoing.

Sanctuary’s of this type were established as far back as 1965 in the Northern inlets of the Outer Banks, and this year’s proclamation extends this policy down as far south as Tubbs Inlet in Brunswick County.

Inlet areas have a higher salinity than the marshes and rivers that feed them. Females require that stronger solution to mate, thus making inlets the ideal spot to offer protection for the species. We have added below the maps provided by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) that outline the Blue Crab Sanctuary Boundary for areas of the closure.