July 22-24, 2025 SSC Meeting

The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee met July 22–24, 2025 at the Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown (1421 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA).

Staff contact: Brandon Muffley, bmuffley@mafmc.org, 302-526-5260

• Meeting Report

Agenda and Briefing Materials

• Agenda

• Combined briefing materials (zip file)

Bluefish 2026-2027 ABC Specifications

1. SSC Terms of Reference for Bluefish

2. Staff Memo: 2026-2027 Bluefish ABC Recommendations

3. 2026-2027 Bluefish OFL/ABC Stock Projections

4. Draft Bluefish OFL CV Decision Criteria Summary

5. Draft 2025 Bluefish Management Track Assessment Report

   • White Paper: Recreational Discard Weight Calculation

   • See the Stock Assessment Support Information (SASINF) Search Tool for additional information including tables and figures

6. 2025 Management Track Peer Review Panel Summary Report

7. February 27, 2025 Assessment Oversight Panel (AOP) Report

8. 2025 Bluefish Advisory Panel Fishery Performance Report

9. 2025 Bluefish Fishery Information Document

10. Bluefish Habitat Crosswalk

11. Supplemental Information:

    • 2022 Bluefish Research Track Assessment Working Group Report

    • Summary Report of the 2022 Bluefish Research Track Stock Assessment Peer Review

12. Presentation 1 - NEFSC

13. Presentation 2 - Council Staff

Summer Flounder 2026-2027 ABC Specifications

1. SSC Terms of Reference for Summer Flounder

2. Staff Memo: 2026-2027 Summer Flounder ABC Recommendations

3. OFL/ABC Summer Flounder Stock Projections

4. Draft Summer Flounder OFL CV Decision Criteria Summary

5. Draft 2025 Summer Flounder Management Track Stock Assessment Report

   • See the Stock Assessment Support Information (SASINF) Search Tool for additional information including tables and figures

6. 2025 Management Track Peer Review Panel Summary Report (same report as found under Bluefish above)

7. February 27, 2025 Assessment Oversight Panel (AOP) Report (same report as found under Bluefish above)

8. 2025 Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel Fishery Performance Report

9. 2025 Summer Flounder Fishery Information Document

10. Summer Flounder Habitat Crosswalk

11. Supplemental Information:

    • 66th SAW/SARC Stock Assessment Report (2018)

12. Presentation 1 - NEFSC

13. Presentation 2 - Council Staff

Scup 2026-2027 ABC Specifications

1. SSC Terms of Reference for Scup

2. Staff Memo: 2026-2027 Scup ABC Recommendations

3. OFL/ABC Scup Stock Projections

4. Draft Scup OFL CV Decision Criteria Summary

5. Draft 2025 Scup Management Track Stock Assessment Report

   • See the Stock Assessment Support Information (SASINF) Search Tool for additional information including tables and figures

6. 2025 Management Track Peer Review Panel Summary Report (same report as found under Bluefish above)

7. February 27, 2025 Assessment Oversight Panel (AOP) Report (same report as found under Bluefish above)

8. 2025 Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel Fishery Performance Report (same report as found under Summer Flounder Bass above)

9. 2025 Scup Fishery Information Document

10. Scup Habitat Crosswalk

11. Supplemental Information:

    • 60th SAW/SARC Stock Assessment Report (2015)

12. Presentation 1 - NEFSC

13. Presentation 2 - Council Staff

Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Profile Snapshot – Black Sea Bass

1. SSC Terms of Reference for Black Sea Bass ESP Snapshot

2. Draft Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Profile Snapshot for Black Sea Bass

3. Presentation

Black Sea Bass 2026-2027 ABC Specifications

1. SSC Terms of Reference for Black Sea Bass

2. Staff Memo: 2026-2027 Black Sea Bass ABC Recommendations

3. OFL/ABC Black Sea Bass Stock Projections

4. Draft Black Sea Bass OFL CV Decision Criteria Summary

5. Draft 2025 Black Sea Bass Management Track Stock Assessment Report

   • See the Stock Assessment Support Information (SASINF) Search Tool for additional information including tables and figures

6. 2025 Management Track Peer Review Panel Summary Report (same report as found under Bluefish above)

7. February 27, 2025 Assessment Oversight Panel (AOP) Report (same report as found under Bluefish above)

8. 2025 Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel Fishery Performance Report (same report as found under Summer Flounder Bass above)

9. 2025 Black Sea Bass Fishery Information Document

10. Black Sea Bass Habitat Crosswalk

11. Supplemental Information:

    • 2023 Black Sea Bass Research Track Assessment Working Group Report

    • 2023 Black Sea Bass Research Track Peer Review Panel Summary Report

12. Presentation 1 - NEFSC

13. Presentation 2 - Council Staff

Illex Squid 2026-2028 ABC Specifications

1. SSC Terms of Reference for Illex Squid

2. Staff Memo: 2026-2028 Illex Squid ABC Recommendations

3. Draft 2025 Illex Squid Management Track Assessment Report

4. Evaluation of Alternative Catch Limits for Illex Squid in 2025

5. February 27, 2025 Assessment Oversight Panel (AOP) Report (same report as found under Bluefish above)

6. 2025 Longfin Squid Advisory Panel Fishery Performance Report

7. 2025 Illex Squid Fishery Information Document

8. Illex Squid Habitat Crosswalk

9. Supplemental Information:

   • Evaluation of Alternative Catch Limits for Illex in 2023 (Hendrickson, Rago)

   • 2022 Shortfin Squid Research Track Assessment Working Group Report

   • Summary Report of the 2022 Butterfish and Shortfin Squid Research Track Stock Assessment Peer Review

10. Presentation 1 - NEFSC and Rago

11. Presentation 2 - Council Staff

SSC Sub-Group Updates – Sector Specific OFL/ABC White Paper

1. Draft Sector Specific OFL/ABC White Paper

2. Public Comment: June 18, 2025 letter from Seafreeze Ltd/Seafreeze Shoreside

3. Presentation