MAFMC Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass Amendment 23/ASMFC Addendum XXXIII
Overview
Amendment 23/Addendum XXXIII modified the allocations of the black sea bass commercial quota among the states of Maine through North Carolina. The allocations now account for the distribution of the stock and will be updated through the specifications process each time the stock assessment indicates the regional distribution has changed. This action also modified the commercial in-season closure regulations to reduce impacts on states that have not harvested their full allocations when the fishery closes in-season due to overages in other states.
Because black sea bass are managed cooperatively by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission), the Council considered these changes jointly with the Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board.
Status
On August 2, 2023, NOAA Fisheries announced disapproval of the portion of Amendment 23 which would have added the state allocations to the Council’s Fishery Management Plan (FMP). However, the revised allocations have been implemented through the Commission’s FMP and are effective as of January 1, 2022. On October 1, 2024, NOAA Fisheries published a Final Rule to implement the in-season closure accountability measure contained in Amendment 23.
Contact
Julia Beaty, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, jbeaty@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5250
Action Development Timeline
October 2019 Council/Board Meeting: The Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board (Board) initiated an addendum to consider modifications to the state allocations.
December 2019 Council/Board Meeting: The Council voted to make this a joint action. For the Council, the allocation changes under consideration must be made through a fishery management plan amendment.
May 2020: The Council held two scoping webinars.
October-November 2020: The Council and Commission held a series of public hearing webinars to gather public input on this action.
December 2020 Council/Board Meeting: The Council and Commission selected preferred alternatives related to federal management of the black sea bass state allocations but agreed to postpone a decision on the state allocation percentages until the following meeting.
Supplemental: Additional Public Comment, CT Delegation Letter
February 1, 2021 Council/Board Meeting: The Council and Commission jointly approved the Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment/Draft Addendum XXXIII.
August 4, 2021 Council/Board Meeting: In response to a remand from the ASMFC’s Policy Board, the Council and Commission revisited the commercial allocations and voted to revise the commercial state quota allocations previously recommended in February.
January 1, 2022: Addendum XXXIII’s measures became effective for state waters (0-3 miles from shore).
May 4, 2023: NOAA Fisheries published a Notice of Availability.
May 15, 2023: NOAA Fisheries published a Proposed Rule.
August 2, 2023: The Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator informed the Council that NOAA Fisheries had partially approved Amendment 23. The agency disapproved the portion of the amendment that would add the commercial state allocations to the Council’s FMP.
October 1, 2024: NOAA Fisheries published a Final Rule to implement the in-season closure accountability measure contained in Amendment 23.