SlotGaugeCheck a catchAlewife and Blueback Herring regulations in North Carolina
· Saltwater · 2026 season
Alewife and Blueback Herring size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC coastal and joint waters (to 3 mi) | Open year-round | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS |
Notes
- A 2026-10-31 check against the official source found a discrepancy in this species' zones. Read the official wording before keeping the fish: https://www.eregulations.com/northcarolina/fishing/nongame-fish-size-creel-limits
- Unlawful to possess.
Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording
- Season
- Closed
- Size
- UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS
- Limit
- UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS
- statewide — as printed
- “Alewife and Blueback Herring | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS”
Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).
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About the alewife and blueback herring
Species of North American shad
The alewife or river herring is a species of herring found in North America. It is commonly anadromous but there are also significant landlocked populations. It is one of the smaller species of shad, of the subgenus Pomolobus. As an adult it is a marine species found in the northern West Atlantic Ocean, moving into estuaries before swimming upstream to breed in freshwater habitats, but some populations live entirely in fresh water.
Read more about Alewife (fish) on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NC Division of Marine Fisheries, not Wikipedia.
All 120 North Carolina species A–Z →
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Alewife and Blueback Herring in North Carolina?
UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS in North Carolina state waters.
How many Alewife and Blueback Herring can you keep per day in North Carolina?
UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS.
When is Alewife and Blueback Herring season in North Carolina?
Open year-round.
Is my Alewife and Blueback Herring a keeper today?
Alewife and Blueback Herring is closed to harvest. Release it.