Immediate Release: April 1, 2002

RECREATIONAL ANGLERS FACE SEASON CLOSURES
FOR OCEAN-CAUGHT FLOUNDER

MOREHEAD CITY - The recreational season for ocean-caught flounder will close
April 3 - July 3 and again Nov. 25 - Dec. 31, according to officials with the
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF).

The closure is part of an effort by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
and the National Marine Fisheries Service to reduce the east coast recreational
summer flounder landings by 42 percent. Last year, recreational fishermen along
the Atlantic seaboard exceeded their harvest target by 5 million pounds.

Each state is required to make harvest reductions based on past landings. Decreases
range from 44 percent for Virginia to 4 percent for Delaware - North Carolina
will have to reduce its recreational summer flounder landings by 32 percent.

The season closure is only for ocean-caught flounder. Fishermen will still be
able to catch flounder in the state's sounds, bays and other internal waters.
North Carolina has two major species of founder, summer and southern. Summer
flounder are typically found in ocean waters and southern flounder are found
primarily in the state's internal waters.

For more information on summer flounder, please contact Rick Monaghan by e-mail
at Rick.Monaghan@ncmail.net or by calling 1-800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021.