NOAA Fisheries is approving the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s recommended 2022 and 2023 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass specifications. The catch limits are based on the results of recently conducted stock assessments for all three species and the recommendations of the Council’s Science and Statistical Committee. No changes to the federal commercial management measures are being made.
|
2022 Specifications |
Summer Flounder |
Scup |
Black Sea Bass |
|
Overfishing Limit (OFL) |
36.28 |
32.56 |
19.26 |
|
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) |
33.12 |
32.11 |
18.86 |
|
Commercial ACL = Commercial Annual Catch Target (ACT) |
18.48 |
25.05 |
10.10 |
|
Commercial Quota |
15.53 |
20.38 |
6.47 |
|
Recreational ACL = ACT |
14.64 |
7.06 |
8.76 |
|
Recreational Harvest Limit (RHL) |
10.36 |
6.08 |
6.74 |
|
2023 Specifications |
Summer Flounder |
Scup |
Black Sea Bass |
|
OFL |
34.98 |
30.09 |
17.01 |
|
ABC |
33.12 |
29.67 |
16.66 |
|
Commercial ACL = Commercial ACT |
18.48 |
23.15 |
8.93 |
|
Commercial Quota |
15.53 |
17.87 |
5.71 |
|
Recreational ACL = ACT |
14.64 |
6.53 |
7.74 |
|
RHL |
10.36 |
5.41 |
5.95 |
This rule also sets the 2022 summer flounder state commercial quotas. The state quotas account for adjustments necessary to address any long-standing overages or preliminary 2021 overages.
|
State |
Final 2022 Quotas (lb) |
|
ME |
24,488 |
|
NH |
19,990 |
|
MA |
1,391,846 |
|
RI |
2,238,216 |
|
CT |
956,043 |
|
NY |
1,470,779 |
|
NJ |
2,337,728 |
|
DE |
-19,173 |
|
MD |
935,226 |
|
VA |
2,776,242 |
|
NC |
3,361,569 |
|
Total |
15,512,127* |
*Summed not including Delaware.
