(a)        License Required to Engage in Recreational Fishing. – It is unlawful for any individual to engage in recreational fishing in:

(1)        Coastal fishing waters that are not joint fishing waters without holding a current license issued under this Article or under Article 25A of this Chapter that authorizes the individual to engage in recreational fishing in coastal fishing waters.

(2)        Joint fishing waters without holding a current license issued under this Article or under Article 21 or Article 25A of this Chapter that authorizes the individual to engage in recreational fishing in joint fishing waters.

(a1)      Compliance With Applicable Laws. – It is unlawful for any individual to engage in recreational fishing without complying with applicable requirements of this Article and Articles 21 and 25A of this Chapter and with applicable rules adopted by the Marine Fisheries Commission and the Wildlife Resources Commission.

(a2)      Fourth of July Free Fishing Day. – The fourth day of July of each year is declared a free fishing day to promote the sport of fishing, and no license issued under this Article or Article 25A of this Chapter is required to fish in any of the public waters of the State on that day. All other laws and rules pertaining to recreational fishing apply.

(b)        Sale of Fish Prohibited. – A license issued under this Article or Article 25A of this Chapter does not authorize an individual who takes or lands any species of fish under the authority of the Marine Fisheries Commission to sell, offer for sale, barter, or exchange the fish for anything of value. Except as provided in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 113-168.4, it is unlawful for any individual who takes or lands any species of fish under the authority of the Marine Fisheries Commission by any means to sell, offer for sale, barter, or exchange these fish for anything of value.

(c)        Assignment and Transfer Prohibited. – It is unlawful to buy, sell, lend, borrow, assign, or otherwise transfer a license issued under this Article or Article 25A of this Chapter or to attempt to buy, sell, lend, borrow, assign, or otherwise transfer a license issued under this Article or Article 25A of this Chapter.

(d),      (e) Repealed by Session Laws 2005-455, s. 1.3, effective January 1, 2007.

(f)        Cancellation of Fraudulent License; Penalties. – The Wildlife Resources Commission may cancel a license issued by the Commission under this Article or Article 25A of this Chapter if the license was issued on the basis of false information supplied by the license applicant. The Division may cancel a For Hire Blanket License issued under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 113-174.3 if the license was issued on the basis of false information supplied by the license applicant. A cancelled license is void from the date of issuance. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor for an individual to knowingly do any of the following:

(1)        Engage in any activity regulated under this Article with an improper, false, or altered license.

(2)        Make any false, fraudulent, or misleading statement in applying for a license issued under this Article or Article 25A of this Chapter.

(3)        Counterfeit, alter, or falsify any application or license issued under this Article or Article 25A of this Chapter.

(g)        Reporting Requirements. – A person licensed under this Article or Article 25A of this Chapter shall comply with the biological data sampling and survey programs of the Marine Fisheries Commission and the Division.

(h)        Replacement Licenses. – Upon receipt of a proper application together with a fee of five dollars ($5.00), the Wildlife Resources Commission or the Division may issue a new license to replace one issued by the respective agency that has been lost or destroyed before its expiration. The application must be on a form of the Wildlife Resources Commission or the Division setting forth information in sufficient detail to allow ready identification of the lost or destroyed license and ascertainment of the applicant’s continued entitlement to it. ?(2004-187, s. 2; 2005-455, ss. 1.3, 1.19; 2016-94, s. 14.8.)