The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met June 16-18, 2026 in Alexandria, VA. The following is a summary of actions taken and issues considered during the meeting. Presentations, briefing materials, motions, and webinar recordings are available on the Council’s June 2026 meeting page. Download a PDF version of this meeting report here.
Highlights
During this meeting, the Council:
Reviewed and provided feedback on a draft range of alternatives for the Scup Winter I Framework
Adopted 2027-2029 specifications for blueline tilefish
Reviewed previously adopted 2027 specifications for golden tilefish and recommended no changes
Received an update on the joint Mid-Atlantic and New England Councils’ evaluation of vessel baseline restrictions
Reviewed the 2026 Mid-Atlantic State of the Ecosystem Report and the EAFM risk assessment summary report
Reviewed an annual report on commercial landings of unmanaged species
Received a presentation on upcoming Atlantic mackerel cooperative research
Received updates on a variety of topics from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Fishery Monitoring and Research Division
Scup Winter I Framework
The Council reviewed a draft range of alternatives for the Commercial Scup Winter I Framework. This action considers options to provide additional management flexibility to the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) during the Winter I quota period, and to preserve harvest opportunities across all three quota periods (Winter I, Summer, and Winter II) when practicable.
Currently, the Winter I possession limit is reduced from 50,000 pounds to 1,000 pounds once 80 percent of the Winter I quota is landed. This system was designed to distribute landings more evenly across the period and prevent quota overages. An analysis presented at the April 2026 Council meeting highlighted how certain factors prevented timely implementation of the trip limit reduction in recent years (2023-2026), and 2026 experienced an unprecedented overage of the Winter I quota. Under current Accountability Measures (AMs), this overage must be deducted from the 2027 Winter I quota.
The range of alternatives presented to the Council included options that would modify 1) Winter I trip limit requirements, 2) catch reporting requirements for limited access scup permits and/or dealers, and 3) landings-based AMs for the commercial scup fishery. To streamline the framework for expedient implementation, the Council agreed to remove two reporting alternatives from further consideration. Alternative 2D, which would require federally permitted commercial vessels to report scup catch through the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, was removed because it would be duplicative with Alternative 2C, which would require reporting through the Vessel Monitoring System. The Council also removed Alternative 2B, which would require vessels and/or dealers to report scup catch on a shortened timeline, noting that other alternatives under consideration would provide the tools and information needed to avoid future Winter I quota overages.
The Council also requested that staff add language to the framework document emphasizing that the combined use of alternatives 1B and 1C would provide the Regional Administrator with the greatest level of flexibility to manage the Winter I quota.
The modified range of alternatives will be further developed, with final action tentatively scheduled for August 2026. Updates on this action can be found here.
2027-2029 Blueline Tilefish Specifications
The Council reviewed the stock status and performance of the blueline tilefish fishery and adopted multi-year specifications (catch and landings limits) for 2027-2029, as summarized in the table below.
Blueline tilefish are considered a single stock along the U.S. Atlantic Coast, and the assessment is conducted through the Southeast Data and Assessment Review (SEDAR) process; however, due to limited data for the portion of the stock north of Cape Hatteras, NC, the assessment evaluates areas north and south of Cape Hatteras separately. The stock was last assessed in 2025 (SEDAR 92) using the data limited methods (DLM) toolkit. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) concluded that new information was insufficient to alter the previous Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and therefore recommended maintaining the ABC at 205 metric tons for 2027-2029. The Council endorsed this recommendation and agreed to maintain the previously approved catch and landing limits with the updated estimates of dead discards for 2027-2029. The Council recommended no changes to commercial or recreational management measures.
During the discussion, the Council noted several sources of uncertainty, including the lack of stock status information and the high uncertainty in private recreational catch estimates. The Council agreed to write a letter to NOAA’s Highly Migratory Species (HMS) requesting they add a short description related to the private recreational tilefish permit and reporting on their HMS permit webpage, given the high overlap between the two fisheries.
| Summary of Blueline Tilefish 2027-2029 Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Acceptable Biological Catch | 452,200 pounds |
| Recreational Total Allowable Landings | 313,601 pounds |
| Recreational Trip Limits |
Private vessel: 3 fish USCG uninspected for-hire vessel: 5 fish USCG inspected for-hire vessel: 7 fish |
| Commercial Total Allowable Landings | 109,885 pounds |
| Commercial Trip Limits | 500 pounds (reduced to 300 pounds once 70% of the quota has been landed) |
2027 Golden Tilefish Specifications
In 2027, golden tilefish will be in year 3 of multiyear specifications previously adopted for the 2025-2027 fishing years. After reviewing updated fishery information and considering recommendations from its SSC, Tilefish Monitoring Committee, Advisory Panel, and staff, the Council recommended no changes to the 2027 specifications. Additional details about these specifications are provided in the August 2024 Meeting Summary.
Vessel Baseline Evaluation
The Council received an update on the joint Mid-Atlantic and New England Council evaluation of vessel baseline restrictions, including a summary of permit data and input received during three recent Advisory Panel meetings and an associated comment period. Council members shared differing opinions on the costs and benefits of vessel baseline restrictions and discussed how considerations vary by fishery and gear type.
Current regulations require that, for most limited access fisheries managed by the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils, a vessel or engine replacement or upgrade cannot exceed 10% of the length and 20% of the horsepower of the permit's baseline specifications. The evaluation is intended to inform whether the Councils should consider initiating a management action to revise these restrictions.
The evaluation is expected to be completed in time for the October Council meeting, when the Council will discuss its draft priorities for 2027.
2026 Mid-Atlantic State of the Ecosystem Report
Dr. Abby Tyrell, Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), presented key findings from the 2026 Mid-Atlantic State of the Ecosystem (SOE) report. This report gives information on the status and trends of relevant ecological, environmental, economic, and social components of the Mid-Atlantic Bight ecosystem. The report evaluates the performance of different ecosystem indicators relative to management objectives and the potential climate and ecosystem risks to meeting management objectives. For the first time, the 2026 report included seasonal bottom temperature forecasts that are predicting normal to below average temperatures throughout most of the Northeast shelf in 2026. Other highlights from the 2026 report include:
Globally, 2025 was the third warmest year on record but the seasonal surface and bottom temperatures for the Northeast shelf were similar to or cooler than the long-term average.
The Cold Pool, an important oceanographic feature in the Mid-Atlantic for fish spawning and nursery habitat, had been getting warmer and shrinking but saw a return to near normal conditions in 2025.
Commercial landings in 2024 were at a historic low and total commercial revenue continues to decline and near an all-time low.
Recreational landings continued to decline in 2024, while recreational effort was near average.
There are long-term changes in zooplankton biomass and composition, fish community composition, and reduced fish productivity for many managed stocks suggests a potential change in the ecosystem to faster growing and lower trophic level species.
The NEFSC continues to look for fishing industry input to help inform future SOE reports. Fishing community observations on unusual events, including high/low abundance or differences from recent conditions, are encouraged and can be provided at northeast.ecosystem.highlights@noaa.gov.
Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) Risk Assessment Report
The Council reviewed the 2026 EAFM risk assessment summary report. The risk assessment is updated annually and is a tool that allows the Council to look across all species and sectors to identify high risk interactions in which to prioritize for further consideration and evaluation. The 2026 risk assessment utilizes the most recent information, new analyses, and updated indicators to inform the level of risk for 28 risk elements across ecological, socioeconomic, and management factors. Nearly 79% of all risk elements are low or low-moderate risk, an increase by over 6% from 2025 indicating lower risk, in general, across all Council managed stocks relative to the previous year. Both the State of the Ecosystem and risk assessment reports indicate that conditions and risk at the species/stock level are generally positive, but when looking at broader ecosystem both reports show declining trends and higher risk and there may be some underlying dynamics at play that may be worth investigating.
Unmanaged Commercial Landings Report
The Council reviewed an annual report that summarizes commercial landings of species in locations where they are not managed at the state or federal level with a possession limit, size limit, seasonal closure, or limited access. The report also summarizes commercial landings of the species designated as Ecosystem Components through the Council’s Unmanaged Forage Omnibus Amendment. The goal of this report is to look for signs of developing commercial fisheries. This year’s report included new data visualizations and statistical analyses. Unmanaged commercial landings have been generally declining in recent years; however, a few species had statistically significant increases in landings in the most recent 5 years (2021-2025) compared to the prior 15 years (2006-2020), including Atlantic cutlassfish, ribbonfish, silversides, and mantis shrimps. The Council did not express any concerns with the landings trends shown in this year’s report.
NEFSC Atlantic Mackerel Cooperative Research Initiative (“MackPack”)
Dr. Anna Mercer, NEFSC Cooperative Research Branch Chief, provided an overview of upcoming Atlantic mackerel cooperative research to be conducted in 2026, 2027, and 2028. The results of the research are expected to inform future mackerel assessments, possibly in 2029 (results would likely not be available soon enough to inform the scheduled 2027 assessment). Key research elements include acoustic detection, egg survey uncertainty/spawning timing refinements, U.S. - Canada movement/mixing, and ecosystem drivers. Industry collaboration will occur across all elements. For more information, contact Dr. Mercer at anna.mercer@noaa.gov.
NEFSC Fisheries Monitoring and Research Division (FMRD) Programs
KB McArdle, NEFSC Fishery Monitoring Research Division Director, provided an update on the NEFSC Fishery Monitoring and Research Division, including FMRD’s role in collecting commercial fishery information for use in fisheries science and management. The presentation covered the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology, 2025 NEFOP and Industry-Funded Scallop coverage accomplishments, biological port sampling, and the NEFOP/NEPBSP contract merge. Key updates included the upcoming 2026 SBRM 3-year review, observer coverage accomplishments, spiny dogfish sampling changes, expanded biological port sampling coordination, and future efforts to improve sampling efficiency and flexibility. For more information, contact KB at Katherine.McArdle@noaa.gov.
Departing Council members Sonny Gwin and Michelle Duval
Other Business
Departing Council Members
The Council bid farewell to two Mid-Atlantic Council members, Sonny Gwin (Maryland) and Michelle Duval (Pennsylvania). Mr. Gwin completed nine years of service on the Council after his appointment in 2017. He chaired the Spiny Dogfish Committee for the past six years, helping guide discussions on dogfish specifications and the development of revised accountability measures intended to provide greater stability for the fishery. He also served as the Council’s liaison to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council for three years. Dr. Duval completed six years of service on the Council after being appointed in 2020. During her tenure, she chaired both the Research Steering Committee and the Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Committee, helping advance several important ecosystem initiatives, including reviews of ecosystem risk assessment processes, exempted fishing permit policies, and the Essential Fish Habitat review process. The Council thanked both members for their years of dedicated service to the Council.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “Shellfish” Definition
Dr. Jenifer Chatfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would soon be publishing a final rule to amend the definition of “shellfish” in the Code of Federal Regulations by removing the phrase “having a shell” and adding specific taxa. This change would clarify that squid and other cephalopods are included within the regulatory definition of shellfish. This change brings the definition in line with current biological understanding and addresses a long-standing concern of the Mid-Atlantic Council and the U.S. squid industry.
Next Council Meeting
The next Council meeting will be held August 11-13, 2026, in Philadelphia, PA. A complete list of upcoming meetings can be found at https://www.mafmc.org/council-events.