In November 2025, the North Carolina Marine & Estuary Foundation unveiled a groundbreaking interactive tracking platform for red drum, North Carolina’s official state saltwater fish. As the first tool of its kind in North Carolina, this platform brings cutting-edge marine science directly to the public, offering new insight into the movement patterns of one of the state’s most important coastal species.
Just over three months after its launch, the platform has attracted thousands of North Carolinians and is positioned for continued growth in 2026. Since going live, the platform has recorded more than 28,000 views and has been featured in more than a dozen media outlets. Our work has also garnered national recognition from Mossy Oak Properties. One of our dedicated fishing guides, Bryan DeHart, won the Fist Full of Dirt Award, which recognizes the best conservation project of the year.
We have added more red drum to the platform through tagging expeditions led by the Foundation and the Division of Marine Fisheries, in conjunction with local fishing guides along the North Carolina coast. Over roughly 25 expeditions, Foundation and Division staff tagged 33 red drum in 2025. This year, they intend to build on that effort by tagging 25 additional red drum in North Carolina.
“Red drum are an iconic symbol of North Carolina’s coastal communities, and the public interest in our red drum tracker demonstrates North Carolinians’ strong affinity for the species,” said Foundation Executive Director Chad Thomas. “This year, we are excited to continue developing our platform and aim to tag 25 additional red drum in partnership with the Division. Our work enables researchers, anglers, and the public to better understand the migratory habits of one of North Carolina’s most economically and culturally significant species.”
The tracking platform builds on a successful 2024 pilot study in which 10 adult red drum were tagged in Pamlico Sound. Lessons learned from that effort, including tag attachment methods and optimal satellite transmission settings, guided the expanded 2025 tagging project. The work is being conducted with assistance from recreational fishing guides as part of the Division’s annual longline survey.
Each satellite tag is programmed to detach from the fish and “pop up” at the surface after intervals ranging from 30 days to 12 months. Once released, the tags transmit daily location data to the Argos satellite network, creating a detailed map of each fish’s journey. Because red drum often travel near the surface, some tags may send data before their programmed release, providing early insights into fish locations.
The red drum tracking platform was funded by the Foundation and developed in collaboration with Mapotic, a technology company specializing in interactive mapping. The platform allows users to explore dynamic maps that track the movements of tagged fish, including spawning locations and travels through coastal inlets.