Effective February 19, 2026, NOAA Fisheries is implementing the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s recommended 2026 summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish specifications and 2026-2027 bluefish recreational fishery management measures. This rule also announces the projected 2027 specifications. The catch limits are based on the results of recently conducted stock assessments and the recommendations of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee for all four species. These final specifications include any adjustments required by the summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish accountability measures based on available catch data.
Specifications (in millions lb) | Summer Flounder | Black Sea Bass | Scup | Bluefish | ||
2026-2027 | 2026-2027 | 2026 | 2027 | 2026 | 2027 | |
Overfishing Limit (OFL) | (2026) 31.89 (2027) 32.42 | 21.79 | 42.98 | 37.79 | 48.43 | 49.22 |
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) | 30.01 | 21.34 | 42.09 | 37.01 | 44.61 | 45.41 |
Commercial Annual Catch Limit (ACL) | 16.50 | 9.60 | 27.36 | 24.06 | 6.25 | 6.36 |
Commercial Annual Catch Target (ACT) | 14.52 | 9.60 | 27.36 | 24.06 | 4.68 | 4.77 |
Commercial Quota | 12.78 | 7.83 | 17.70 | 15.57 | 4.66 | 4.75 |
Recreational ACL | 13.50 | 11.74 | 14.73 | 12.95 | 38.36 | 39.05 |
Recreational Accountability Measures | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | 1.68 | ---- |
Recreational ACT | 11.88 | 11.74 | 14.73 | 12.95 | 25.17 | 27.34 |
Recreational Harvest Limit (RHL) | 8.79 | 8.14 | 13.17 | 11.58 | 20.34 | 22.50 |
The final rule also approves the final summer flounder and bluefish commercial state quotas, adjusted for previous overages, as required by the summer flounder and bluefish regulations.
State | Summer Flounder Quota (lb) | Bluefish Quota (lb) |
ME | 15,283 | 12,537 |
NH | 10,785 | 12,693 |
MA | 1,040,403 | 426,280 |
RI | 1,896,868 | 410,612 |
CT | 614,695 | 45,220 |
NY | 1,129,431 | 796,248 |
NJ | 1,996,380 | 658,379 |
DE | 12,440 | 41,483 |
MD | 593,878 | 103,833 |
VA | 2,434,894 | 284,457 |
NC | 3,020,221 | 1,493,521 |
SC | ---- | 3,912 |
GA | ---- | 3,533 |
FL | ---- | 293,118 |
Total | 12,765,277 | 4,585,827 |
This action also implements a 2-fish bag limit increase to the bluefish recreational fisheries, resulting in a 7-fish bag limit for the for-hire sector and a 5-fish bag limit for private anglers.
Any potential changes to recreational management measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass will be done through a separate rulemaking.
There are no changes to the federal commercial management measures for any of the four species.
