Conchs and Whelks regulations in North Carolina

· Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Conchs and Whelks has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 10.

Conchs and Whelks 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	10 per day, max 20 per vessel

Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: None
Limit: 10/Day not to exceed 20/Vessel/Day
statewide — as printed: “Conchs and Whelks | None | 10/Day not to exceed 20/Vessel/Day”

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

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About the conchs and whelks

Species of gastropod

The knobbed whelk is a species of very large predatory sea snail, or in the US, a whelk, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Busyconidae, the busycon whelks.

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 Conchs and Whelks in North Carolina?

No size limit in North Carolina state waters.

How many Conchs and Whelks can you keep per day in North Carolina?

10 per day, max 20 per vessel.

When is Conchs and Whelks season in North Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Conchs and Whelks a keeper today?

Conchs and Whelks has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 10.