United States of America · Spearfishing zone
Monitor National Marine Sanctuary — USS Monitor wreck site (North Carolina)
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Monitor National Marine Sanctuary — USS Monitor wreck site (North Carolina).
The whole of Monitor National Marine Sanctuary — a one-mile-diameter water column over the wreck of the USS Monitor, about 16 nautical miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras — is closed to "Diving of any type" under 15 CFR 922.61(c), and vessels may not anchor, stop, remain or drift without power there under 922.61(a). This is a diving and vessel restriction, not a fishing regulation: §922.61 does not prohibit hook-and-line fishing as such. But because spearfishing requires a diver in the water, it cannot lawfully be conducted here without a permit from the ONMS Director.
On the coast
Location
Approximate reference point for this zone. See the full picture on the interactive map.
35.0064°N, 75.4089°W
View on the mapSource
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for United States of America
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
Purchase from the relevant state fish and wildlife agency online portal, license vendors, or in person. Requirements differ by state and by resident/non-resident status.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · fisheries.noaa.gov



