Fishermen, seafood dealers, seafood restaurateurs, marketers and other involved in catching, growing, buying and selling North Carolina seafood are encouraged to register now to join NC Catch and this year’s host, the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association at the Summit. Registration is free and open to anyone working in or interested in North Carolina’s local seafood industry.

Learn from the success of other Catch groups and hear the latest updates on marketing opportunities related to NC seafood. With presentations focused on business resources, new product development, expanding distribution networks, and consumer trends, the March Summit will be a great opportunity to learn about ways to grow or improve your local seafood business whether you are new to the North Carolina seafood industry or an experienced old salt.

The Summit opens at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 23 with a fresh, local seafood dinner at the beautiful Berkley Manor sponsored by the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association. Dinner is included with registration for the Summit.

Tuesday’s events will take place at the Ocracoke Community Center, beginning at 9:00 a.m. and concluding at 3:15 p.m. Discussion will focus on growing North Carolina’s local seafood industry with presentations from the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, statewide seafood distributors Pate-Dawson/Southern Foods and Locals Seafood, and seafood processors pioneering the market of value-added products. There will also be a forum for hearing from Summit participants about ideas and needs related to NC seafood. A box lunch from Eduardo’s Taco Stand will be provided to all participants courtesy of Tideland Electric Membership Corporation.

To register for the Summit and dinner, call or email Rosemary Johnson (252.926.4474) or rjohnson@hydecountync.gov. Registration closes at 5:00 p.m. on March 17th.

Preview the complete 2015 NC Catch Summit agenda online at: ­http://www.nccatch.org/news-events/2015-annual-catch-summit-ocracoke

The Ocracoke Community Center is located at 999 Irvin Garrish Hwy, Ocracoke, NC. The Berkley Manor is located on Water Plant Rd.

NC Catch thanks NCDA-Seafood, Sea Grant, the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuarine Program, Tideland EMC, NC Farm Bureau, Dare to Hyde Adventures and the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association for generously sponsoring this year’s Summit.

For more information or to register, please call or email Rosemary Johnson (252.926.4474) or rjohnson@hydecountync.gov.