We mange 14 fisheries in our region, six with the New England Council, five with the Mid-Atlantic Council, and two jointly.
We work cooperatively with the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to develop, review, and implement fishery management plans in federal waters (from 3 to 200 nautical miles). The division is responsible for federal waters from Maine to North Carolina and works on 14 fishery management plans.
Below are the fisheries that we actively manage in our region, six with the New England Council, five with the Mid-Atlantic Council, and two jointly. On these pages, you will find information about commercial and recreational fishing regulations, as well as about our management plans and the science that supports them.
Some species found in the Greater Atlantic Region are managed exclusively by the states under the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission while some species are managed jointly in both state waters (0–3 nautical miles) and federal waters (3–200 nautical miles).
American Lobster: American Lobster is managed in both state and federal waters by ASMFC and NOAA Fisheries respectively. American lobster is managed under the authority of the Atlantic Coastal Act and not under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which means that lobster is not managed by the New England Council even though it is managed in federal waters.
NOAA's Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Management Division manages Atlantic highly migratory species including tunas, sharks, swordfish, and billfish.
The Fishadelphia team. Credit: Dr. Talia Young.
Four North Atllantic right whales.
A Northeast Fisheries Science Center biologist collecting data during buoyless lobster trap tests.
Atlantic sea scallops