Comments due January 17, 2023
NOAA Fisheries is seeking comments on proposed changes to the process used to set recreational management measures (bag, size, and season limits) for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board. The changes also include modifications to the recreational accountability measures. The proposed changes are part of a broader long-term effort by both the Council and Commission to improve recreational management of these four species. The new management program aims to provide greater stability and predictability in recreational measures from year-to-year while accounting for uncertainty in recreational catch estimates.
The proposed process would allow managers to consider two factors: 1) biomass compared to the target, and 2) estimated recent recreational harvest compared to future harvest limits, to determine if management measures need to change, and if so, by how much.
Additional information can be found on the Council’s webpage, or read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register today. Submit your comments through the e-rulemaking portal. The comment period is open through January 17, 2023.
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