MAFMC and ASMFC Approve Changes to Process for Setting Recreational Management Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board (Policy Board) have approved modifications to the process for setting recreational measures (bag, size, and season limits), as well as the recreational accountability measures, for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The Council recommended these changes through a framework action, and the Policy Board adopted these changes through Addendum XXXVI to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Addendum III to the Bluefish FMP. These changes are part of a broader long-term effort by both the Council and Commission to improve recreational management of these jointly managed species.

The current process for setting recreational measures, referred to as the Percent Change Approach, was implemented in 2023 and will sunset at the end of 2025. During a joint meeting last week in Galloway, New Jersey, the Council and Policy Board discussed several options to improve or replace the Percent Change Approach for 2026 and beyond. After reviewing public comments and recommendations from technical committees and advisory panels, the Council and Policy Board agreed to maintain the current process with several modifications based on lessons learned over the past few years. These changes will be implemented in two phases.

The first phase of changes aims to better account for stock status when setting measures and will create more opportunities for stability in management measures. The current system uses three biomass categories to guide whether measures should change; the revised approach adds a fourth category for stocks near their biomass target and establishes a separate process for overfished stocks. These changes will take effect starting with the 2026 recreational measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The Council and Policy Board delayed the implementation of these changes for bluefish until 2028 to allow time for development of an appropriate methodology for evaluating the impacts of measures on bluefish harvest and discards. The bluefish stock has been under a rebuilding plan since 2022, and recreational measures will continue to be set based on the rebuilding plan until the stock is declared rebuilt.

The second phase of modifications, which will be implemented for setting 2030 recreational measures and beyond, will update the process to use a catch-based target. Unlike the current process – which focuses on achieving a specific level of predicted harvest – a catch-based approach aims to achieve a target level of total dead catch, including both harvest and dead discards. This approach will allow for more explicit consideration of how measures affect discards. Some advisors and members of the public raised concerns about the potential for this change to create greater instability in management measures. After extensive discussion of each approach, the Council and Policy Board delayed the transition to a catch-based target until 2030 to allow time for additional analysis on the potential impacts to measures.

The Council and Policy Board also approved changes to the recreational accountability measures. These changes will be effective starting in 2026 for all four species. Under these revisions, when an accountability measure is triggered due to recent overages of the recreational annual catch limits, managers will also consider if those overages contributed to overfishing when determining the appropriate response.

The Council will submit the framework to the National Marine Fisheries Service for review and implementation, while the Commission’s measures are final for state waters. Additional information about this action is available on the Council and Commission websites.

Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment

In other related business, the Council and Policy Board also reviewed scoping comments on the Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment from public hearings and written comments, as well as input provided by the joint Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass and Bluefish Advisory Panels and the Fishery Management Action Team/Plan Development Team. Based on these comments, the Council and Policy Board agreed that recreational sector separation and recreational data collection should be addressed separately. Further development of the amendment will focus on management options for recreational sector separation, including mode management, as well as consideration of for-hire permitting and reporting requirements.

The Council and Policy Board separated out the recreational data collection and use issue from the amendment due to concerns that the complexity of this issue would cause significant delays in the amendment timeline. Council and Policy Board members also noted there is a need to more clearly define the objectives for recreational data collection improvement. This issue will be explored through a white paper which will consider the feasibility of various approaches and help the Council and Policy Board clarify goals for a potential future action. Additional information and updates are available on the Council and Commission action pages.

Press Contacts:

ACCSP, NOAA Fisheries Release Plan to Improve Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Data

The Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) and NOAA Fisheries have jointly released the Marine Recreational Information Program Regional Implementation Plan for the Atlantic Coast. It highlights data needs and funding priorities over the next 5 years for improving recreational fisheries data collection on the Atlantic Coast.

“Our regional and state partners are essential to developing, executing and improving our national network of recreational fishing surveys that inform catch estimates,” said Evan Howell, NOAA Fisheries, director of the Office of Science and Technology. “We rely on partners like ACCSP to efficiently facilitate regional partnerships and joint data collection activities, as well as identify regional priorities through tools like our regional implementation plans. I want to thank all of our partners for their hard work to develop this plan together, and we look forward to our continued partnership as the plan is implemented.” 

ACCSP is the state-federal partnership that collects, manages, and disseminates Atlantic commercial and recreational fisheries data and serves as the MRIP Regional  Implementation Team for the Atlantic Coast. It also coordinates state conduct of the MRIP Access Point Angler Intercept Survey and For-Hire Survey from Maine to Georgia. Program partners include coastal resource agencies from 15 states and the District of Columbia, 2 interstate marine fisheries commissions, 3 regional fishery management councils, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and NOAA Fisheries. To provide better data for stock assessment and management, the ACCSP Coordinating Council and Recreational Technical Committee (RecTech) identified top priorities for improving recreational data collection on the Atlantic Coast through 2027. 

Atlantic Coast Prioritized Activities

  • Improved precision and presentation of MRIP estimates

  • Comprehensive for-hire data collection and monitoring

  • Improved recreational fishery discard and release data

  • Improved timeliness of MRIP recreational catch and harvest estimates

  • Expanded biological sampling of recreational fisheries 

  • Improved in-season monitoring

“Through the ACCSP, state, regional and federal partners are able to cooperatively identify and prioritize recreational fishery data needs for the entire Atlantic Coast and coordinate efforts to address these needs and improve recreational data collection,” said Angela Giuliano, ACCSP RecTech chair. RecTech is composed of ACCSP partner personnel who specialize in survey design, statistical estimation of fishing effort, catch, and participation, and the operation of recreational sampling programs.

The Atlantic Regional Implementation Plan will help guide NOAA Fisheries’ allocation of resources to best address the data needs of regional fishery stock assessors and managers. 

“Working together, we have allocated targeted increases in sample size by month and mode to improve precision of MRIP estimates,” said Dawn Franco, RecTech vice-chair. “We are also working on methodology to improve for-hire data collection. Over the next 5 years, we can achieve even more by building on our momentum and nurturing the relationships that have been forged.”

National Perspective

NOAA Fisheries maintains a central role in developing data collection and estimation methods, administering recreational fishing surveys, implementing survey and data standards, and producing recreational fisheries statistics. Regional and state partners identify regional data collection priorities, coordinate survey operations and on-site data collection, and participate in quality assurance and quality control procedures.

Through Regional Implementation Plans, each region plays a critical role in identifying  which survey methods are most suitable for its science, stock assessment, and management needs. NOAA Fisheries uses these plans to develop a national inventory of partner needs and associated costs, and to annually specify priority-setting criteria for supporting those needs. These plans inform MRIP decision-making for ongoing research priorities and budget allocation. The Regional Implementation Plans are adjusted at least every 5 years or as necessary based on changing science, management needs, and budget availability.

This collaborative approach is critical to addressing region-specific needs for improving recreational fishing data and supporting fishing opportunities for generations to come.

NOAA Fisheries Approves the Council's Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework

Effective March 9

Today, NOAA Fisheries issued a final rule implementing a new process 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 approved changes also include modifications to the recreational accountability measures. The new approach is 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 scientific variability in stock assessment and management data, including recreational data.

The new process allows 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.

For more information read the final rule as filed in the Federal Register or our bulletin.

Questions?

Fishermen: Contact Emily Keiley, Sustainable Fisheries, 978-281-9116

Media: Contact Allison Ferreira, Regional Office, 978-281-9103

Reminder: Public Comment on Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/Addenda to Close Friday, April 22

The deadline for submitting public comment on the Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/Draft Addenda is this Friday, April 22nd at 11:59 PM

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) are considering changes to the process for setting recreational management measures (bag, size, and season limits) for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The Council is considering these changes through a framework action, and the Commission is considering an identical set of options through draft addenda. Collectively, these management actions are referred to as the Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/ Draft Addenda. The Council and Commission are scheduled to consider final action during the June 2022 Council Meeting.

Written comments may be submitted through April 22, 2022. Comments should be sent to Dustin Colson Leaning at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Harvest Control Rule). 

The Commission’s Draft Document for Public Comment provides detailed information about each option under consideration in the Framework/Draft Addenda. Additionally, an Options Reference Guide has been developed to help stakeholders understanding and compare the proposed management options.

Contact: If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Julia Beaty at jbeaty@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5250.

Public Hearings Scheduled for Recreational Harvest Control Rule Framework/Addenda

This action considers changes to the process for setting recreational management measures (bag, size, and season limits) for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. Eight virtual public hearings will be held between March 16 and April 13, 2022, and written comments may be submitted through April 22, 2022.

Reminder: Electronic Reporting Requirements for Party/Charter Vessels with Mid-Atlantic Permits

Beginning Monday, March 12, 2018, all charter and party vessel operators holding a federal permit for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will be required to electronically submit Vessel Trip Reports for all trips carrying passengers for hire.

Mid-Atlantic Council to Offer Training Workshops on Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting for the For-Hire Community

The Mid-Atlantic Council will hold two workshops to help for-hire vessel operators prepare for upcoming electronic reporting requirements. 

  • Saturday, February 10, Danvers, Massachusetts
  • Saturday, February 24, Toms River, New Jersey

New Electronic Reporting Requirements for Mid-Atlantic Charter/Party Vessels

Beginning March 12, 2018, all charter and party vessels that hold a federal permit for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will be required to electronically submit vessel trip reports for all trips carrying passengers for hire.

April 2014 Council Meeting Summary

The following summary highlights Council actions and issues considered at the Council's meeting on April 8 - 10, 2014 in Montauk, New York. 

NOAA Fisheries: Final Management Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fisheries Announced

Today, NOAA Fisheries announced new management measures for the summer flounder, scup and black sea bass recreational fisheries, including minimum fish size, possession limit, and fishing seasons. Read more...

Council Approves Omnibus Recreational Accountability Measure Amendment

At last week's meeting the Council voted on final management measures to include in the Omnibus Recreational Accountability Measure Amendment and approved the amendment to be submitted for Secretarial review. Read more...

NOAA Fisheries MRIP Update: Results from Electronic Logbook Pilot Study Are Now Available

This week the NOAA's Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) announced the completion of a pilot study that tested the feasibility of using electronic logbooks to collect landings and fishing effort data. The final project report, which provides results and recommendations for future work, is now available online at  www.countmyfish.noaa.gov

Council Requests Public Input on Omnibus Recreational Amendment

Next week the Council will hold five public hearings throughout the Mid-Atlantic region to gather public input on the Draft Omnibus Recreational Accountability Measure Amendment.

Marine Recreational Information Program Update- Watch Online

Earlier this month Rob Andrews from NOAA Fisheries presented an overview of recent and upcoming changes to the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) at the Council's meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina.  His presentation focused on new catch and effort survey methods, is available to watch online. Click Here to watch it.