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Monkfish Management Plan

New England
Mid-Atlantic

About

The commercial monkfish fishery is conducted from North Carolina to Maine primarily using trawl gear in northern waters and gillnet gear in southern waters. 

The fishery is managed using a days-at-sea and trip limit management system. There is no known directed recreational fishery for monkfish.

Implementing regulations are found at 50 CFR part 648 subpart F. Find out more about Managing Sustainable Fisheries in the Greater Atlantic Region.

SAFE Reports

Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) reports are documents or sets of documents that summarize the best scientific information available for federally managed fish stocks. This includes information concerning the biological condition of stocks and marine ecosystems, essential fish habitat (EFH), and the socioeconomic condition of commercial and recreational fisheries. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires that SAFE reports be made available on a publicly accessible website to facilitate use of the information. Monkfish SAFE report documents are available on the New England Fishery Management Council's website.

Species Managed

More Information

Actions

Under Development Implemented Actions

Proposed Rule for Southern New England Habitat Area of Particular Concern

NOAA is requesting comment on Proposed Rule for Southern New England Habitat Area of Particular Concern
Proposed Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Published
09/26/2023

Final Rule to Implement 2025 Monkfish Fishing Year Quotas

NOAA Fisheries is implementing monkfish quotas for the 2025 fishing year based on specifications approved by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils.
Final Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
05/07/2025

Framework Adjustment 15 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan/Framework Adjustment 6 to the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan

NOAA Fisheries has published a final rule for Framework 15/6 that implements measures in the monkfish and spiny dogfish fisheries to reduce Atlantic sturgeon bycatch by gillnet vessels in those fisheries. Effective May 1, 2025
Final Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Published
12/18/2024

Final Rule to Implement 2024 Monkfish Fishing Year Quotas

NMFS is implementing specifications for the 2024 monkfish fishery. This action is necessary to ensure allowable monkfish harvest levels that will prevent overfishing and allow harvesting of optimum yield.
Final Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
05/01/2024

Framework Adjustment 13 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan

NOAA Fisheries has published a final rule for Framework 13 to the Monkfish FMP that implements specifications for fishing years 2023 - 2025, adjustments to the annual days-at-sea allocation and an increase the minimum mesh size for gillnet vessels.
Final Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
08/11/2023

Final Rule to Implement 2022 Monkfish Fishing Year Quotas

NOAA Fisheries is implementing monkfish quotas for the 2022 fishing year based on specifications approved by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils and announced on September 2020.
Final Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
05/01/2022

Final Rule to Implement 2021 Monkfish Fishing Year Quotas

2021 monkfish specifications, 2021 monkfish quotas
Final Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
05/01/2021

Framework Adjustment 12 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan

2021-2022 monkfish specifications
Final Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
10/19/2020

Monkfish Fishery: 2019 Specifications

We are implementing specifications for the 2019 monkfish fishery. This action is necessary to ensure allowable monkfish harvest levels that will prevent overfishing and allow harvesting of optimum yield. This action is intended to establish the allowable
Final Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
05/01/2019

Final Action to Close Nantucket Lightship and Closed Area I Closure Areas to Gillnet Gear

NOAA Fisheries closes Nantucket Lightship and Closed Area I Closure Areas to gillnet gear.
Final Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
12/17/2018

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Monkfish Fishery; 2018 Monkfish Specifications

We are implementing specifications for the 2018 monkfish fishery, including total allowable landings limits, trip limits, and day-at-sea limits. This action is necessary to ensure allowable monkfish harvest levels that will prevent overfishing and allow h
Final Rule
Effective
06/04/2018

Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2

This action implements approved regulations for the New England Fishery Management Council's Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2. This rule revises essential fish habitat and habitat area of particular concern designations, revises or creates habit
Final Rule,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
04/09/2018

Last updated by Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office on 10/18/2023