NOAA Fisheries is implementing the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s recommended 2025 summer flounder, scup, and bluefish specifications. These specifications are consistent with those adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission). The catch limits are based on the results of recently conducted stock assessments for summer flounder, scup, and bluefish, and the recommendations of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee for all three species.
We are implementing 2025 catch limits for black sea bass in compliance with the implementing regulations of the Federal Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. These regulations require us to take action to mitigate impacts on Federal permit holders in the event of different specifications between the Council and Commission.
2025 Catch Limits | Scup | Black Sea Bass | Summer Flounder | Bluefish |
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) | 41.31 | 16.66 | 19.32 | 21.83 |
Commercial ACL = Commercial Annual Catch Target (ACT) | 26.85 | 7.50 | 10.62 | 3.06 |
Commercial Quota | 19.54 | 6.00 | 8.79 | 3.03 |
Recreational ACL = ACT | 14.46 | 9.16 | 8.69 | 18.78 |
Recreational Harvest Limit | 12.31 | 6.27 | 6.35 | 15.70 |
The final rule also approves the final summer flounder commercial state quotas.
State | Quota (lb) |
ME | 4,180 |
NH | 40 |
MA | 571,147 |
RI | 1,378,507 |
CT | 198,393 |
NY | 672,157 |
NJ | 1,470,098 |
DE | 1,564 |
MD | 179,233 |
VA | 1,873,707 |
NC | 2,412,443 |
Total | 8,761,471 |
The final rule also approves the final bluefish commercial state quotas.
State | Percent Share | Quota (lb) |
Maine | 0.35 | 10,582 |
New Hampshire | 0.30 | 9,123 |
Massachusetts | 8.66 | 262,663 |
Rhode Island | 8.41 | 255,061 |
Connecticut | 1.16 | 35,309 |
New York | 15.74 | 477,518 |
New Jersey | 14.26 | 432,630 |
Delaware | 1.09 | 32,990 |
Maryland | 2.38 | 72,265 |
Virginia | 8.44 | 256,125 |
North Carolina | 32.04 | 972,012 |
South Carolina | 0.07 | 2,250 |
Georgia | 0.06 | 1,897 |
Florida | 7.04 | 213,625 |
Total | 100 | 3,033,561 |
There are no changes to the Federal commercial or recreational management measures.
