An Amendment to the Fishery Management Plans for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish
Overview
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) Policy Board are developing an amendment to consider modifications to the recreational management program for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. Specifically, the amendment may consider options for managing for-hire recreational fisheries separately from other recreational fishing modes (referred to as sector separation), , as well as options related to for-hire permit and reporting requirements. Click on the topics below to learn more.
Amendment Development Timeline
October 2020 Council/Policy Board Meeting: This amendment was initiated along with several other Recreational Reform Initiative Topics.
Early 2021 – Mid 2024: Work on this amendment was put on hold to prioritize development of other actions.
December 2024 Council/Policy Board Meeting: The Council and Policy Board approved a draft scoping/public information document for public comment in early 2025.
January-March 2025: The Council and Board conducted scoping hearings and collected written scoping comments on this action.
April 2025 Council/Policy Board Meeting: The Council and Board reviewed scoping comments and identified near-term priorities, including continued development of management options for recreational sector separation and options related to for-hire permit and reporting requirements.
Next Steps: The FMAT/PDT will begin to develop alternatives.
Contacts
Kiley Dancy, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, kdancy@mafmc.org, 302-526-5257
Hannah Hart, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, hhart@mafmc.org, 302-526-5263
Tracey Bauer, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, tbauer@asmfc.org
Chelsea Tuohy, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, ctuohy@asmfc.org