Freshwater Mussels (incl. Asian clam) regulations in North Carolina

Mollusks · Freshwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Freshwater Mussels (incl. Asian clam) is closed to harvest. Release it.

Freshwater Mussels (incl. Asian clam) size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
All flowing inland fishing waters, University Lake, Lake Waccamaw	Closed to harvest	—	—
Impounded inland fishing waters (except University Lake and Lake Waccamaw)	Open year-round	No size limit	200 in combination; no limit for Asian clam

Notes

Never take mussels from rivers or streams — many NC river mussels are protected. Impoundments only, 200 per day.

Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording

Season: Open year-round in impoundments; prohibited in flowing waters
Size: None
Limit: 200 in combination (impounded waters only; no limit on Asian clam)
All flowing inland fishing waters, University Lake, Lake Waccamaw — as printed: “Freshwater Mussels Including The Asian Clam (Corbicula Fluminea) — All flowing inland fishing waters | No freshwater mussels including the Asian clam may be taken or possessed. | All impounded inland fishing waters except those listed below | None | 200 in combination, except there is no daily possession limit for the Asian clam | University Lake (Orange Co.), Lake Waccamaw | No freshwater mussels including the Asian clam may be taken or possessed.”

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

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About the freshwater mussels

Class of molluscs

Bivalvia or bivalves, in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of aquatic molluscs that have laterally compressed soft bodies enclosed by a calcified exoskeleton consisting of a hinged pair of half-shells known as valves. As a group, bivalves have no head and lack some typical molluscan organs such as the radula and the odontophore. Their gills have evolved into ctenidia, specialised organs for feeding and breathing.

Read more about Bivalvia 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 Freshwater Mussels (incl. Asian clam) in North Carolina?

No size limit in North Carolina state waters.

How many Freshwater Mussels (incl. Asian clam) can you keep per day in North Carolina?

Possession prohibited.

When is Freshwater Mussels (incl. Asian clam) season in North Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Freshwater Mussels (incl. Asian clam) a keeper today?

Freshwater Mussels (incl. Asian clam) is closed to harvest. Release it.