NC S441

Adopts Jackson County as the official trout capital of the State of North Carolina by amending Chapter 145 of the General Statutes to add § 145-52.

Jackson County contains the nation's first fly fishing trail with 15 designated public spaces and hosts three of the 13 Mountain Heritage Trout Waters designations in North Carolina (25% of the state's total).

County waters receive 92,800 fish annually (the most of any North Carolina county) and contain over 4,600 miles of fishable water, including the Tuckasegee River which flows 40 miles through the county.

The county supports native eastern brook trout preserved and protected by the Department of Natural Resources, United States Forest Service, and conservation groups like Trout Unlimited.

The act becomes effective upon passage.