Final Recreational Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Published

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Final Recreational Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Published

NOAA Fisheries Service has published management measures for the recreational summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The 2005 coastwide recreational harvest limits are 11.98 million lb for summer flounder, 3.96 million lb for scup, and 4.13 million lb for black sea bass. This final rule contains management measures (minimum fish sizes, possession limits, and fishing seasons) that are intended to keep annual recreational landings from exceeding the harvest limits.

The summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries are managed cooperatively by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, in consultation with the New England and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. The states manage these fisheries within 3 miles of their coasts, under the ASMFC plan for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. Federal regulations apply to vessels fishing in the EEZ, as well as vessels possessing a Federal fisheries permit, regardless of where they fish.

For more information on state-by-state recreational management measures for 2005, including minimum fish size, possession limits and fishing seasons, please read the final rule http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/regs/f...fsbsbrecfr.pdf. Contact Sarah.McLaughlin@noaa.gov with questions.