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NOAA Fisheries Announces the 2020-2021 Recreational Fishing Season for Black Sea Bass in the South Atlantic Region

March 20, 2020

FB20-021: South Atlantic Fishery Bulletin, For more information, contact: Nikhil Mehta, 727-551-5098, nikhil.mehta@noaa.gov

image of black sea bass

 

KEY MESSAGE:

  • The 2020-2021 recreational fishing season for black sea bass in federal waters of the South Atlantic, south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (35°15.9′ N. latitude), will open on April 1, 2020, at 12:01 a.m., local time and remain open through March 31, 2021.
  • The recreational fishing season for black sea bass in the South Atlantic region begins on April 1st and ends when the recreational catch limit is predicted to be met.
  • Estimates indicate recreational landings for the 2020-2021 fishing year will be below the 2020-2021 recreational catch limit.  Therefore, black sea bass will be open for the entire 2020-2021 recreational fishing year.

 

WHY THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS HAPPENING:

  • NOAA Fisheries projects that the 2020-2021 recreational catch limit of 381,330 pounds whole weight will not be met because recreational landings in the past three fishing years were substantially below this amount.
  • This announcement is in compliance with the current regulations which require NOAA Fisheries to announce the length of the recreational season. 

    SIGN UP FOR TEXT MESSAGE ALERTS - FIND OUT ABOUT IMMEDIATE OPENINGS AND CLOSURES

NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery related alerts via text message (SMS).  Standard message & data rates may apply.  You may opt-out at any time.

Text alerts you may receive include:

  • Immediate fishery openings and closures
  • Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly

Sign up for one or more of the following groups:

  • Gulf of Mexico Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
    • Text GULFRECFISH to 888777
  • Gulf of Mexico Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
    • Text GULFCOMMFISH to 888777
  • South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
    • Text SATLRECFISH to 888777
  • South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
    • Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777
  • Caribbean Fisheries Related Alerts
    • Text CARIBFISH to 888777

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Other contacts:

Media: Kim Amendola, 727-551-5707

            Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750

Last updated by Southeast Regional Office on March 20, 2020