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fishing effort for each stock. They also evaluate the total weight of the fish in a stock that are old enough to spawn, the number of juvenile or immature fish in a stock, and fishing mortality. Other information, such as natural mortality, migration, size and age at maturity, and by-catch, is also taken into consideration when determining the status of a stock.
The chart below shows the status of fish species commonly caught on Davis Island. The "comments" column contain the Division of Marine Fisheries' assessment.
For the full assessment report call the division at 800-682-2632 or visit its web site at www.ncdmf.net.

Stocks

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Along with southern flounder, species listed as "concern" are Atlantic croaker, black sea bass south of Cape Hatteras, striped mullet, reef fish and blue crabs.
Fish and shellfish stocks considered "viable" or healthy are Atlantic menhaden, dolphin, Spanish and king mackerel, spot, speckled trout, striped bass in Albemarle Sound and the ocean, bay scallops and shrimp.
Summer flounder is the other "recovering" stock.
To conduct a stock assessment, the division staff collects data and analyze long-term trends in the length, weight, age, catch and

The stocks of five of the eight species caught on Davis are healthy or recovering. The red drum, though, is considered over fished.