{"id":1532,"date":"2020-07-20T06:00:17","date_gmt":"2020-07-20T06:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/hooklinescience\/?p=1532"},"modified":"2023-07-27T16:34:16","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T20:34:16","slug":"the-most-popular-hook-line-science-posts-so-far-from-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/hooklinescience\/the-most-popular-hook-line-science-posts-so-far-from-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Popular Hook, Line & Science Posts So Far from 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Posts on flounder identification, historic dock photos and North Carolina shrimp were the most read during the first six months of 2020.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the launch of Hook, Line & Science<\/em> in December 2018, we have consistently covered news and research related to saltwater angling in North Carolina. Each post generally falls into one of three categories: fisheries science and management, boating and angling practices, or conservation and habitat conservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Periodically, we like to share the posts our readers like best. Below are the most popular posts from Hook, Line and Science<\/em> so far in 2020. As always, to find details about the studies and to access the original research articles, check out Hook, Line & Science<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks for reading! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Can You Identify North Carolina\u2019s Three Species of Flounder?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Interesting finding:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In North Carolina estuarine and marine waters, there are three flounder species \u2014 southern flounder, summer flounder and Gulf Flounder \u2014 that all look alike to the untrained eye. They\u2019re so similar that even most anglers have a hard time correctly identifying the flounder they catch, according to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most distinguishing feature between species is the type and patterns of spots. Summer and Gulf flounder have \u201cocellated\u201d spots, or ringed markings that look like eyes, whereas southern flounder have non-ocellated spots. In addition, summer and Gulf flounders have distinctive patterns of spots while southern flounder sport random spots and markings. The NCDMF has a developed a two-page guide<\/a> that elaborates on this information, along with helpful images of all three species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n