Saltwater Fishing & Boating Newsletter

In This Issue:

• New Recreational Fishing Regulations for Black Sea Bass and Scup
• ASMFC Striped Bass Coastwide Recreational Emergency Action 
• Environmental Conservation Police on Patrol
• Upcoming Fishery Meetings

New Recreational Fishing Regulations for Black Sea Bass and Scup

DEC announced new recreational saltwater fishing regulations for black sea bass and scup in New York's Marine and Coastal District. These regulatory changes are necessary for New York State to remain in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) by reducing recreational harvest of scup and black sea bass.

Black Sea Bass

Minimum Size Limit: 16.5"

Season Dates & Possession Limit

• June 23 - Aug. 31, 3 fish 
• Sept. 1 - Dec. 31, 6 fish

The New York State is required to reduce harvest by 10 percent per a joint decision by the ASMFC and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC). New York is complying with the new rule by increasing the minimum size limit by one half-inch.

Scup

Minimum Size Limits:

• Shore-based anglers: 9.5"
• Vessel-based anglers: 10.5"

Season Dates & Possession Limit: 
May 1 - Dec. 31, 30 fish

Anglers aboard licensed party/charter boats: Sept. 1 - Oct. 31, 40 fish, 10.5"

New York State's changes to the open season and possession limit for for-hire anglers during September and October maintains consistency with the rules in federal waters.​ Combined with the increase in the minimum size for vessel-based anglers, these changes are expected to reduce harvest of recreational scup in New York waters by 10 percent, as required by the ASMFC and MAFMC.

Public Comment Opens on May 18

The complete text of the rulemaking is available on DEC's website. DEC is accepting comments on the regulations from May 18, through July 17, 2023. Written comments can be sent by mail to Rachel Sysak, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 123 Kings Park Blvd., Kings Park, NY 11754, or by email to fw.marine@dec.ny.gov.

For current regulations, check DEC's Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations. Anglers must enroll in the annual no-fee Recreational Marine Fishing Registry before fishing New York's Marine and Coastal District waters or when fishing in the Hudson River and its tributaries for "migratory fish of the sea". Anglers can enroll for the registry online, by phone (1-866-933-2257, option 2), or by visiting a license issuing agent location.

ASMFC Striped Bass Coastwide Recreational Emergency Action

On May 2, 2023, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board approved an emergency action to implement a 31-inch maximum size limit for striped bass recreational fisheries (PDF). The emergency action was taken as a result of the 40% increase in recreational removals between 2021 and 2022. ASMFC’s rebuilding plan seeks to rebuild the striped bass stock by 2029 and updated projections show that the probability of rebuilding the stock by 2029 dropped from 97.5% to 15%. The ASMFC Striped Bass Technical Committee describes the decline in probability of reaching the rebuilding target as a result of increased recreational removals, driving increased fishing mortality rates and lowering the rebuilding probability.

DEC continues to work cooperatively with ASMFC to sustainably manage Atlantic striped bass and will implement emergency regulations to address the finding of the ASMFC Striped Bass Management Board to remain in compliance with Fishery Management Plan requirements. 

• Action implementation in New York will not occur until passage of New York State emergency regulations. 
• Once New York State regulations are put into effect, DEC will seek public comment on the proposed regulation once it is finalized. 
• This emergency action does not change the size limit on the Hudson River (north of the George Washington Bridge). The 31-inch maximum size limit applies to all existing recreational fishery regulations where a higher (or no) maximum size applies.

Anglers are encouraged to continue to check DEC's Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations webpage for the current limits in effect. 

Environmental Conservation Police on Patrol

DEC Division of Law Enforcement enforces the 71 chapters of New York State’s Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York. In 2022, Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators across the state responded to more than 25,600 calls and worked on cases that resulted in nearly 13,800 tickets or arrests for violations ranging from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the black market pet trade, and excessive emissions violations. 

Visit DEC's website for the recent ECOs on Patrol across the state. 

NYPD Calls for Backup to Apprehend Striped Bass Poachers - Bronx County
On April 8, members of the New York Police Department (NYPD) training unit contacted ECO Ableson about a pair of poachers fishing on the beach behind the NYPD firing range in Rodman's Neck. The poachers were seen filling garbage bags with striped bass. Officer Ableson contacted ECOs Korey and Broughton, already deployed at the beach, and he and the NYPD Officers led the ECOs to the men concealing the fish. The two poachers, both found in possession of 13 striped bass, received tickets for possessing striped bass out of season and failure to release a catch without undue harm. These Environmental Conservation Law violations carry a fine of up to $250 and/or up to 15 days in jail per charge upon conviction.

ECOs Ableson, Korey, and Broughton with recovered striped bass

Little Neck Bay Bass Bust - Queens County
A few weeks later, in Queens County, ECOs Rappold, and Kortz received a similar complaint about striped bass poachers catching and hiding undersized fish in high marsh grass near their fishing location. The Officers responded and watched from a distance under the cover of darkness. The ECOs later discovered eight illegal striped bass below the legal slot size of 28 inches hidden in the grass. The Officers issued 10 tickets to the group for possession of undersized striped bass and failure to possess a marine registry.

Illegally possessed striped bass recovered by ECOs Rappold and Kortz

Upcoming Fishery Meetings

Marine Resources Advisory Council Meeting
Tuesday, May 23, 2023, 2:00 PM
DEC Division of Marine Resources, 123 Kings Park Blvd., Kings Park, NY 

A link to listen to the meeting will be available before the meeting on DEC's website.

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council June 2023 Meeting
Tuesday, June 6 - Thursday, June 8, 2023
Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront, 3001 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA

Additional details will be posted on MAFMC's webpage at a later date. Please note that the start/end times above are subject to change.