For many years, folks here in Eastern North Carolina have been promoting the idea that the economic future of this part of our state lies in recreation and tourism, the thousands of miles of ocean and brackish water shorelines being far more suited to this type of industry. Access to these waterways plays a major part in helping this highly desirable type of industry to grow in our state.

Perhaps one of the biggest missing links in the proposed plan to develop tourism and recreation has been the lack of quality boating access areas in more remote sections of our coast.

Most boaters and anglers have had access too our inland waters for years. The money for building and maintaining these facilities has come mostly from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and the 75 percent federal-matching monies that come from a tax the federal government places on all of our outdoor equipment. Boaters that rely most heavily on the inland (fresh) water launching facilities have hardly been happy to see their fresh water fishing license movies going over to pay for the salt water boat launching facilities. When the North Carolina State Legislature finally cleared the way for the saltwater fishing license (Coastal Recreational Fishing License), a lot of money became available for the building of boat launching facilities in coastal areas.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries are gradually opening up more and better boat launch facilities, as better funding has helped to bring about the necessary cash to build and maintain these boat launches.

The less populated counties such as Beaufort, Pamlico, Hyde, Washington and Tyrell Counties have not been very successful in seeing that enough boating access areas built and this has been delaying the development of the recreation and tourism industries. More and better boat ramps and parking areas should attract a lot of business from outdoorsmen.

Since the arrival of the saltwater fishing license and the funds that this generated, we “Down Easterners” have been seeing a lot of these boating access areas being built. The NCWRC boating facilities in Blount’s Creek, Belhaven and the rebuilding and enlarging of the Aurora and Rose Bay facilities are good examples of how our hunting and fishing license expenditures are being used. The Wildlife Resources Commission and Marine Fisheries Commission are to be complimented on doing a good job with how they’re spending our tax money.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has recently re-opened the Rose Bay Boating Access Area in Hyde County after completing extensive renovations.

The access area, located at 6740 U.S. Highway 264 East in Scranton, provides access to the Pamlico Sound — a popular destination for anglers looking to catch red drum, southern flounder and spotted sea trout. Recreational oystermen, shrimpers and crabbers will also find that these strategically located facilities give them excellent access to Pamlico Sound. Waterfowl hunters looking for easy access during the hunting seasons will also find that this access area is flourishing.

Wildlife Commission staff completely renovated the area by constructing a new double boat ramp, floating dock, ADA-compliant parking and kiosks, which provide information about the area and fishing opportunities.

“We also installed security lights at the ramps and in the parking area to help early-bird and late-night boaters launch and recover their boats,” said Erik Christofferson, chief of the Commission’s Division of Engineering and Lands Management. “This boating access area is a really popular spot with local anglers and boaters, as well as waterfowl hunters, so we’re happy that the renovations are complete in time for winter waterfowl hunting.”

According to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the total cost for the improvement and renovation of the Rose Bay boat launching facility was $500,000. Of this total cost, the money from the Coastal Recreational Fishing License (saltwater fishing license) amounted to $400,00. This should answer questions many outdoorsmen have had regarding how their license monies were being spent. The Wildlife Commission paid for their part of the renovations of the access area with money from motorboat registration receipts.

The new and improved boat launch facility at the east end of Main Street was scheduled for completion before the fall speckled trout season opened. A lot of fishermen have been disappointed to find that this ramp was closed for repairs and as of one week ago, the trout were biting and the ramp was far from being complete. If the improvements are as good as the NCWRC says they’ll be, it will be well worth waiting for.

For more information on boating in North Carolina, including the locations of more than 200 free, publicly accessible boating access areas, visit the Commission’s online locater map. For more information on fishing in North Carolina, including where to fish, visit the fishing page.