On May 4, 2023, NOAA Fisheries published a Notice of Availability for Amendment 23 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP), also known as the Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission jointly developed this action, which proposes to establish commercial state-by-state allocations for black sea bass in the Federal fishery management plan and regulations and change the trigger for the in-season closure accountability measures. Amendment 23 is intended to address the allocation-related impacts of the significant changes in the distribution of black sea bass that have occurred since the original allocations were implemented.
The Notice of Availability explains that the agency is considering disapproving the portion of the amendment that would add the commercial state black sea bass allocations to the Federal FMP. Comments are due July 3, 2023.
Request for Comments (click the green “Submit a Formal Comment” button to submit comments)
MAFMC Comments on the Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment (5/18/23)
Learn More
Additional information about the background and development of this action are available on the Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment page. The full amendment, including an Environmental Assessment, is available here.