regulatory Links      Species Limits

By Kevin Blinkoff

Status of the Stocks

Another saltwater fishing season begins; it’s time to take stock and see where New England’s saltwater sport fish stand. How healthy are our fish stocks, and what can anglers expect for regulations this year and beyond?

Regulations are subject to change! Please double-check
with the appropriate regulatory agency before fishing:

Striped Bass
According to the most recent scientific report released this past winter, the striped bass population remains at a high level. Striped bass are not considered overfished, so regulations did not change in New England. The next stock assessment update will be conducted in 2009.

• CT, MA, RI: 2 fish per angler, minimum size 28 inches
• NH: 2 fish per angler, minimum size 28 inches, only one may be over 40 inches
• ME: 1 fish, either between 20 and 26 inches or greater than 40 inches (special rules apply on Kennebec, Androscoggin and Sheepscot rivers)
• NY: 1 fish 28 to 40 inches, 1 fish greater than 40 inches

Bluefish
The bluefish population is currently rebuilding and is predicted to reach 100% of its target size by 2009. The population has been growing steadily since the mid-1990s. Regulations remain unchanged for 2008; remember that possession limit applies to all sizes, including “snappers.”

• CT, RI, MA, NH, NY: 10 fish per angler, no minimum size
• ME: 3 fish per angler, any size

Fluke
Fluke (summer flounder) continued to make headlines this year as the poster fish for the need to increase or decrease the flexibility allowed when setting deadlines to rebuild a depleted stock, depending on which side of the issue you stand. Fluke populations are rebuilding, but not on pace to meet the stock-rebuilding deadline, despite a three-year extension granted by Congress. Regulations will be tightened once again this year in all states except Massachusetts.

CT: Minimum length increased to 19.5 inches, 5 fish per angler, season shortened to May 24 to Sept. 1
MA: The daily limit is 5 fish at a 17.5-inch minimum length, season open June 10 through August 15

Regulation Update
RI: 7 fish at 20-inch year round

NY: May 15 through September 1, 4 fish at 20.5 inches.

Winter Flounder
Blackbacks (winter flounder) are managed as two separate stocks, a Gulf of Maine stock (north of Cape Cod), which is considered healthy, and a Southern New England stock (south of Cape Cod), which is considered depleted with a rebuilding goal of 2015.

• CT: 10 fish per angler, 12-inch minimum size, open season from April 1 to May 30
• RI: 4 fish per angler, 12-inch minimum size, open season from April 26 to May 25 and September 27 to October 26

Regulation Update
• MA (south and east of Cape Cod): 4 fish per angler, 12-inch minimum size, open season from April 26 to May 25 and September 27 to October 26

• MA (Canal and north of Cape Cod): 8 fish per angler, 12-inch minimum size, year-long season
• NH, ME: 8 fish per angler, 12-inch minimum size, year-long season

Scup
The overall status for scup is unknown, but it is considered overfished with a goal of rebuilding by 2010. Note that a Charter/Party Boat season exists in CT, RI and MA with different regulations. Also, minimum lengths apply whether scup are harvested for bait or food.

NY:May 24 through September 26, 10.5-inch minimum, 10 fish limit.

Regulation Update
RI: May 24 through Sept.25, 10.5-inch, 10 fish

MA, CT: May 24 through Sept. 26, 10.5-inch minimum length, 10 fish per angler (50 per private vessel in MA)

Black Sea Bass
Black sea bass status is unknown but believed to be
overfished with a rebuilding target date of 2010.

• CT, RI, NY: Minimum length 12 inches, daily limit is 25 fish
• MA: Minimum length 12 inches, daily limit is 20 fish

Tautog
The ASMFC established a stock rebuilding program for tautog (blackfish) in response to indications that tautog are at low levels of abundance. States were required to reduce mortality on tautog in 2008. Tautog can live for over 30 years, so management must be very conservative. There is also a recognized illegal live fish trade problem, which politicians and fishing groups are pressuring the ASMFC to address.

• NY: Daily limit of 4 fish per angler at a 14-inch minimum size, season from Oct. 1 to Dec. 20, Jan. 17 to Apr. 30
• CT: Daily limit of 4 fish per angler at a 14-inch minimum size from Jan. 1 to April 30 and Oct. 1 to Dec. 6; daily limit of 2 fish per angler from July 1 to Aug. 31
• MA: 3 fish, 16-inch minimum length, open year-round
• RI: 3 fish, 16-inch minimum length, open April 15 to May 31 and July through Oct. 17, closed in June; 8-fish limit October 18 through December 15

Weakfish
Weakfish are at low levels of abundance and believed to be declining, however it is believed that natural mortality is the biggest cause for low numbers of weakfish. Natural mortality may be linked to a lack of forage and/or increased predation by striped bass.

• MA, CT: 10 fish at 16 inches or greater
• NY, RI: 6 fish at 16 inches or greater

Hickory Shad / American Shad
American shad stocks were assessed in 2007 and most were found to be depressed or in decline. American shad populations are believed to be suffering from depletion due to habitat loss and pollution.

• ME, NH: 2 fish any size
• MA, CT, RI: 6 fish any size (any combination of both species)

Atlantic Cod
Cod are managed as a Gulf of Maine stock and a Georges Bank stock. Both stocks are depleted and being overfished. Gulf of Maine cod are in year 5 of a 10-year rebuilding plan and have stricter regulations. The Georges Bank stock is in year 5 of a 22-year rebuilding plan.

• All state and federal waters, Cape Cod north to Maine: 10 fish, minimum length of 24 inches, open April through October, closed November through March (limited fishing in state waters may be permitted)

• Federal waters, MA (south and east of Cape Cod), CT, RI: 22-inch minimum size, 10 fish limit

• CT: (for-hire boats) minimum size 22 inches, no possession limit

Haddock
Haddock stocks are overfished but have begun to respond to rebuilding efforts. They are currently in year 5 of a 10-year rebuilding plan.

• All New England waters: No daily limit, open year round, minimum length of 19 inches

Pollock
Pollock stocks are no longer overfished and are in year 5 of a 10-year rebuilding plan.

• Federal waters, CT, RI: No daily limit, open year round, minimum length of 19 inches
• ME: No limit on pollock over 19 inches, 6 fish under 19 inches may be kept
• NH, MA: No minimum sizes or limits

Tuna and Billfishes
Atlantic bluefin tuna are in serious danger of collapse due to overfishing in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In the western Atlantic, the United States has pushed for international conservation and led the way with conservative regulations in an attempt to rebuild the western stock. Unfortunately, there is some degree of mixing between the two stocks that may be hampering recovery efforts (for detailed treatment, see Regulation Watch August 2006 and January 2007).
Yellowfin tuna stocks in the Atlantic are currently healthy but in danger of becoming overfished. Bigeye and albacore tuna are already overfished, and efforts are underway to create an international rebuilding program. Swordfish stocks are no longer overfished and are in year 8 of a 10-year recovery plan, while blue and white marlin are overfished and international rebuilding programs have just begun.
Note that billfish are measured by a straight line from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail, while tuna are measured as a curved fork length, by a tape laid along the curve of the tuna’s body to the tail fork.

• Recreational bluefin tuna (BFT) regulations have been tightened for 2008 to keep catches within the available angling subquota. The daily vessel/trip retention limit will be one school BFT (27 to less than 47 inches) and one large school/small medium BFT (47 to less than 73 inches). Also, vessels fishing under the Angling category may retain 1 large medium/giant BFT (73 inches or greater) per vessel per year.

• The recreational yellowfin tuna daily retention limit is three yellowfin/person. The minimum size for yellowfin and bigeye tuna is 27 inches. There are no recreational limits for bigeye, skipjack or albacore tunas.

• The recreational daily swordfish limit is one fish per person, with a maximum of three fish per vessel, and a minimum size of 47 inches. There are no retention limits for sailfish, blue marlin and white marlin. The minimum sizes are 99 inches for blue marlin, 66 inches for white marlin, and 63 inches (one fish at 57 inches in Massachusetts) for sailfish. The recreational limit on sharks is one shark per vessel per trip, with a minimum size of 54 inches. Anglers pursuing tuna, sharks and billfishes must possess an HMS permit, and all catches must be reported.

Get the Latest Regs
Regulations are subject to change! Please double-check with the appropriate regulatory agency before fishing:

Federal Fisheries Regulations
NOAA Fisheries Service Northeast
(978) 281-9300 • www.nero.noaa.gov

NMFS Permit Shop
Buy permits, check regulations and report catch of tunas,
billfish and sharks.
www.nmfspermits.com

State Agencies

Maine Department of Marine Resources
(207) 624-6550 • www.maine.gov/dmr

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
(207) 287-8000 • www.state.me.us/ifw/fishing

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
Inland Fisheries Division (603) 271-2501 • Marine Fisheries Division (603) 868-1095
www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/fishing.htm

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
(617) 626-1520 • www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
(617) 626-1590 (Freshwater regulations) • www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_toc.htm

RI Division of Fish and Wildlife
Marine (401) 423-1920 • Freshwater/Anadromous (401) 789-7481
www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild

CT Bureau of Natural Resources
Fisheries Division (860) 424-3000 • www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/fdhome.htm