The North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing License Advisory Committee has agreed that 12 of 19 programs requesting should get a grant.
Its recommendation goes to the state Marine Fisheries Commission, which meets in November.
The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk, Va., reported that the state Wildlife Resources Commission also must sign off on the projects.
The advisory committee has collected about $7.9 million since the licenses were required as of Jan. 1, 2007.
After deducting costs for other obligations and fisheries projects, the fund has about $4.3 million.