Atlantic Croaker regulations in North Carolina

· Saltwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Atlantic Croaker has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 50.

Atlantic Croaker size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
NC coastal and joint waters (to 3 mi)	Open year-round	No size limit	50 per person per day

Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: None
Limit: 50/Day
statewide — as printed: “Croaker | None | 50/Day”

Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).

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About the atlantic croaker

Species of fish

The Atlantic croaker is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae and is closely related to the black drum, the silver perch, the spot croaker, the red drum, the spotted seatrout, and the weakfish. It is commonly found in sounds and estuaries from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NC Division of Marine Fisheries, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Atlantic Croaker in North Carolina?

No size limit in North Carolina state waters.

How many Atlantic Croaker can you keep per day in North Carolina?

50 per person per day.

When is Atlantic Croaker season in North Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Atlantic Croaker a keeper today?

Atlantic Croaker has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 50.