AN ACT to extend the moratorium on shellfish leasing in the new hanover county area.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  Section 7 of S.L. 2019‑37, as amended by Section 12.3 of S.L. 2021‑180, reads as rewritten:

SECTION 7.  Notwithstanding G.S. 113‑202 and G.S. 113‑202.1, a moratorium on new shellfish cultivation leases and new water column leases for aquaculture shall be imposed for all those waters enclosed by a line beginning at 34° 43.24641' N ‑76° 41.68436' W; running easterly following the Highway 70 High Rise Bridge to a point at 34° 43.27819' N ‑76° 41.22259' W; running southerly to a point 34° 42.375275' N ‑76° 40.80078' W on the southern tip of Radio Island; running southerly to a point 34° 41.98273' N ‑76° 40.81929' W; following the shoreline westerly to the Emerald Isle Bridge at a point 34° 40.05410' N ‑77° 03.80531' W; running northwesterly following the bridge to a point 34° 40.77658' N ‑77° 04.02674' W on the mainland near the Emerald Isle High Rise Bridge; running easterly following the shoreline to the point of beginning. The moratorium shall expire July 1, 2026. July 1, 2031. For purposes of this section, a new shellfish cultivation lease or water column lease shall include applications for either type of lease received by the Secretary, but not granted as of July 1, 2019.

SECTION 1.(b)  This section is effective June 30, 2026, and applies to the Department's consideration of applications for shellfish leases submitted to the Department on or after that date as well as applications for a new shellfish cultivation lease or a new water column lease received by the Secretary, but not granted as of July 1, 2019.

SECTION 2.  The sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026‑2027 fiscal year is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Marine Fisheries, for public education activities and other notifications regarding the moratorium extension provided in this act.

SECTION 3.  Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective July 1, 2026.