North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 2 R cosponsors

SB 977 — Moratorium on New Coastal Fishing Regulations.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced April 30, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 18% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    0 primary, 2 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (2 R).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

27 added · 28 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to Senate Bill 977 include the addition of a temporary moratorium on regulatory actions affecting fishery management, which aims to stabilize the economy, food supply, and tourism linked to coastal fishing. This matters because it seeks to reduce uncertainty for commercial and recreational fishermen by preventing changes that could disrupt their activities. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for careful assessment before making any significant regulatory changes, ensuring that decisions are based on sound science and consistent with state responses to emergencies.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA Apr 30, 2026 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 977 Short Title:
977 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS35433-NPa-31 Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED ANACT TOESTABLISHA TEMPORARYMORATORIUM ON REGULATORYACTIONS AFFECTING COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHING PENDING REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLABORATORY STUDY OF THE COASTAL AND MARINE FISHERIES OF THE STATE AND TO REESTABLISH THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON SEAFOOD AND AQUACULTURE.
Rules and Operations of the Senate May 4, 2026 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED ANACT TOESTABLISH A TEMPORARYMORATORIUM ON REGULATORYACTIONS AFFECTING COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHING PENDING REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLABORATORY STUDY OF THE COASTAL AND MARINE FISHERIES OF THE STATE AND TO REESTABLISH THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON SEAFOOD AND AQUACULTURE.
(1) The seafood industry and recreational fishing sector are essential to the economicstability, food supply, tourism economy, and cultural heritageofthe State.
(1) The seafood industry and recreational fishing sector are essential to the economicstability, food supply,tourism economy, and cultural heritageofthe State.
(4) Ongoing regulatory changes and instability have created significant economic uncertainty for commercial fishermen, charter operators, recreational anglers, seafood dealers, seafood processors, and related businesses.
(4) Ongoing regulatorychanges and instabilityhave created significant economic uncertainty for commercial fishermen, charter operators, recreational anglers, seafood dealers, seafood processors, and related businesses.
*DRS35433-NPa-31* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (1) Collaboratory Study.
*S977-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (1) Collaboratory Study.
Theissuanceofaproclamation bytheFisheriesDirectorin accordance with authority delegated by the Marine Fisheries Commission under G.S.
Theissuanceofaproclamation bythe FisheriesDirectorin accordance with authority delegated by the Marine Fisheries Commission under G.S.
– Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in Subchapter IV of Chapter 113 of the General Statutes or Part 5D of Article 7 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes, except as otherwise provided in Section 8 of this act, no State marine fisheries agency may establish, implement, or enforce a regulatory action imposing new or expanded restrictions on the seafood industry or on recreational fishing in thecoastal fishing waters.
– Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in Subchapter IV of Chapter 113 of the General Statutes or Part 5D of Article 7 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes, except as otherwise provided in Section 8 of this act, no State marine fisheries agency may establish, implement, or enforce a regulatory action imposing new or expanded restrictions on the seafood industry or on recreational fishingin thecoastal fishingwaters.
Page 2 DRS35433-NPa-31 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (3) Closing of coastal fishing waters, whether entirely or only as to the taking of particular classes of fish or the use of particular equipment.
Page 2 Senate Bill 977-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (3) Closing of coastal fishing waters, whether entirely or only as to the taking of particular classes of fish or the use of particular equipment.
143B-289.52, and any other provision of law to the contrary, no State marine fisheries agency shall reallocate or modify the harvest quotas allocated to the commercial and recreational fishing sectors, respectively.
143B-289.52, and any other provision of law to the contrary, no State marine fisheries agency shall reallocate or modifythe harvest quotas allocated to the commercial and recreational fishing sectors, respectively.
– No State marine fisheries agency shall take any actions or series of actions to avoid the requirements of this Part or to circumvent its purpose and intent, including through (i) the reinterpretation of existing rules or fisheries management plans or (ii) the implementation and development of adaptive management measures.
– No State marine fisheries agencyshall take any actions or series of actions to avoid the requirements of this Part or to circumvent its purpose and intent, including through (i) the reinterpretation of existing rules or fisheries management plans or (ii) the implementation and development of adaptive management measures.
SECTION8.(a) LimitedExceptions;FederalCompliance.–AStatemarinefisheries agency may take regulatory actions that would otherwise be prohibited under this Part if strictly necessary to comply with a condition imposed on the receipt of federal funds, or to implement or comply with federal law, including:
SECTION8.(a) LimitedExceptions;FederalCompliance.
–AStatemarinefisheries agency may take regulatory actions that would otherwise be prohibited under this Part if strictly necessary to comply with a condition imposed on the receipt of federal funds, or to implement or comply with federal law, including:
DRS35433-NPa-31 Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (1) To protect against imminent threats to public health and safety.
Senate Bill 977-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (1) To protect against imminent threats to public health and safety.
(2) To respond to a declared state of emergency in accordance with Chapter 166A of the General Statutes.
(2) To respond to a declared state of emergencyin accordance with Chapter 166A of the General Statutes.
(4) To address fishery collapse as confirmed by peer-reviewed stock assessments.
(4) To address fisherycollapse as confirmed bypeer-reviewed stock assessments.
– Any person aggrieved by a regulatory action taken by a State marine fisheries agency in violation of this Part may petition for judicial review in the Wake County Superior Court.
– Any person aggrieved by a regulatory action taken by a State marine fisheries agency in violation of this Part may petition for judicial review in the Wake CountySuperior Court.
Page 4 DRS35433-NPa-31 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 "§ 120-70.175.
Page 4 Senate Bill 977-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 "§ 120-70.175.
(4) To evaluate actions of the Division of Marine Fisheries of the Department of Environmental Quality, the Wildlife Resources Commission, and of any other board, commission, department, or agency of the State or local government as such actions relate to the seafood and aquaculture industries.
(4) To evaluate actions of the Division of Marine Fisheries of the Department of Environmental Quality, the Wildlife Resources Commission, and of anyother board, commission, department, or agencyof the State or local government as such actions relate to the seafood and aquaculture industries.
Evaluating the necessity to substantially increase penalties for trespass and theft of shellfish and other aquaculture products.
Evaluating the necessityto substantiallyincrease penalties for trespass and theft of shellfish and other aquaculture products.
DRS35433-NPa-31 Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (9) To undertake such additional studies as it deems appropriate or as may from time to time be requested by the President of the Senate, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, either house of the General Assembly, the Legislative Research Commission, or the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and to make such reports and recommendations to the General Assembly regarding such studies as it deems appropriate.
Senate Bill 977-First Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (9) To undertake such additional studies as it deems appropriate or as may from time to time be requested by the President of the Senate, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, either house of the General Assembly, the Legislative Research Commission, or the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and to make such reports and recommendations to the General Assembly regarding such studies as it deems appropriate.
– If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this act that can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application and, to this end, the provisions of this act are severable.
– If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, the invaliditydoes not affect other provisions or applications of this act that can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application and, to this end, the provisions of this act are severable.
Page 6 DRS35433-NPa-31
Page 6 Senate Bill 977-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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0 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 177 not signed on

Sponsors (0)

None.

Co-sponsors (2)

Not signed on (177)

177 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 177 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 977?
SB 977 is sponsored by Norman W. Sanderson (Republican) and Bobby Hanig (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 977?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced April 30, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 977?
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