- Lease and business information
- Oyster production
- Outlook for the industry
The survey and report were funded by the NOAA Sea Grant Aquaculture Extension and Technology Transfer 2010 program through Grant # NA10OAR4170080.
Bottom Lease Process & Rules
Fees
- Lease Application Fee - $200
- Lease Rental Fee - $10 per acre per year
- Lease Renewal Fee - $100 (every five years from original year of granting)
Process Before Applying for Lease
- Read North Carolina Marine Fisheries Rules for Shellfish Leases prior to submitting an application.
- Select a site for a possible lease and complete the application package.
- Submit the completed package along with the $200 filing fee.
- If the application is approved, the $200 check will be processed and the applicant will be notified by letter. Enclosed with the letter will be signs to be posted at the proposed lease site.
- If the application is denied, a letter will be sent to the applicant stating why application was denied and the unprocessed $200 lease application fee check will be returned.
Process if Lease Application Is Approved
- Notify the Resource Enhancement Section of the Division of Marine Fisheries once the proposed lease signs have been posted.
- Division biologists will conduct an investigation of the proposed lease site.
- A public hearing will be held in the general area where the proposed lease is located if specific criteria are met and the Director recommends approval.
- Upon the granting of the lease by the Director, the applicant will be required to provide to the Division, at his or her expense, a survey and written description of the lease site by a licensed surveyor.
- If the survey is found to be acceptable, the applicant will pay all fees and rents due in advance and mark his or her lease with permanent lease signs.
Rules for a Shellfish Lease
The lease area must not contain 10 bushels or more of shellfish per acre.
One bushel equals:
- 300 oysters(seed)
- 400 clams (seed)
- 400 scallops (seed)
- 40 lbs. of scallop shell (cultch)
- 60 lbs. of oyster shell (cultch)
- 75 lbs. of clam shell (cultch)
- 90 lbs. of fossil shell (cultch)
The lease area must not be closer than 100 feet to a developed shoreline.
- Exception: No minimum setback is required when the area to be leased borders the applicant's property or the property of riparian owners who have consented in a notarized statement.
- Exception: In an area bordered by undeveloped shoreline, no minimum setback is required.
The proposed lease area shall not be less than one-half acre and shall not exceed five acres for all areas.
- Exception: Areas open to the mechanical harvest of oysters where proposed lease area shall not exceed 10 acres.
Contact Information
For more information, including additional rules and standards, contact:
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
Shellfish Lease and Franchise Program
