Mid Atlantic Saltwater Fishing Facts

Fishing Boats

Saltwater fishing is one of the most popular outdoor activities in the Mid Atlantic region.

This article includes a few facts about recreational saltwater fishing in the Mid Atlantic including popular species, statistics, regulations, and other information.

Mid Atlantic Facts - Statistics

According to Fisheries Economics of the United States (FEUS) 2016:

The Mid-Atlantic Region includes Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. In 2016, there were 2.4 million recreational anglers who fished in the Mid-Atlantic Region, with14 million fishing trips taken.

In the report, recreational fishing refers to fishing for fun rather than to resell fish (commercial fishing) or for subsistence.

Key Mid-Atlantic Region Recreational Species:
• Atlantic croaker
• Black sea bass
• Bluefish
• Scup
• Spot
• Striped bass
• Summer flounder
• Tautog
• Weakfish drum
• Winter flounder

Top Mid Atlantic Catches:
summer flounder (12.2 million fish)
black sea bass (9.3 million fish)
and striped bass (8.6 million fish)

Top Catches by State:
Virginia caught the most Atlantic croaker and spot (5.6 million fish)
New Jersey caught the most summer flounder (6.9 million fish)
Maryland anglers caught the most striped bass (5.1 million fish)

Recreational Fishing Regulations

In the Mid Atlantic region, recreational fishing regulations are set by a combination of federal and state entities.

Federal Fisheries Management

Federal fisheries are generally defined as fishing activities that take place in the U.S.Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ, between 3 and 200 nautical miles from the coastline). Generally, individual states retain management authority over fishing activities within three nautical miles of their coasts.

The authority to manage federal fisheries in the United States was granted to the Secretary of Commerce by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA).

NOAA Fisheries is the federal agency with delegated authority from the Secretary of Commerce to oversee fishing activities in federal waters.

The MSA has been reauthorized twice since its enactment, in 1996 and again in 2006.

The 2006 MSA reauthorization included a requirement to use annual catch limits (ACLs) to end and prevent overfishing.To limit ACL overages, regional fishing councils implement management measures as necessary.

In 2018, the MSA was amended by the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act, which focused on improvements to recreational fishing data and management of mixed-use fisheries.

Fishery management plans (FMPs) provide a framework for managing the harvest of fish stocks and stock complexes. FMPs are developed by Regional Fishery Management Councils (FMCs).

Federal fisheries in the Mid Atlantic region are managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) and NOAA Fisheries under seven fishery management plans (FMPs).

Two of these FMPs are developed in conjunction with the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC). The MAFMC is the lead council for the Spiny Dogfish FMP; the NEFMC is the lead for the Monkfish FMP.

In addition, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) (www.asmfc.org) serves as a deliberative body of the Atlantic coastal states, coordinating the conservation and management of 27 nearshore fish species.

Highly migratory species such as tunas, mackerels, sharks, and billfish are managed by NOAA Fisheries. Several HMS species are subject to cooperative management by NOAA and international fishing organizations.

Recent Federal Actions Impacting the Mid Atlantic

In the fall of 2019, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board approved Addendum VI to Amendment 6 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass.

The Addendum reduces all state commercial quotas by 18%, and implements a 1 fish bag limit and a 28”-35” recreational slot limit for ocean fisheries and a 1 fish bag limit and an 18” minimum size limit for Chesapeake Bay recreational fisheries. States may submit alternative regulations through conservation equivalency to achieve an 18% reduction in total removals relative to 2017 levels.

Addendum VI was initiated in response to the 2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment, which indicates the resource is overfished and experiencing overfishing. The Addendum’s measures are designed to reduce harvest, end overfishing, and bring fishing mortality to the target level in 2020.

Since catch and release practices contribute significantly to overall fishing mortality, the Addendum requires the mandatory use of circle hooks when fishing with bait to reduce release mortality in recreational striped bass fisheries.

Mid Atlantic Region State Agencies:

New York DEC (www.dec.ny.gov)
New Jersey Fish and Wildlife (www.njfishandwildlife.com)
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (www.dnr.state.md.us)
Delaware DNREC (www.dnrec.delaware.gov)
Virginia Marine Resources Commission (www.mrc.state.va.us)
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (www.ncwildlife.org)

Related Information

2016 NOAA USA Recreational Fishing Statistics (saltwater)

RBFF 2017 Special Report on Fishing

Mid Atlantic Striped Bass EEZ Enforcement

2013 Atlantic Billfish Recreational Landings

NOAA Fisheries recently released preliminary landings (in numbers of fish) for Atlantic blue and white marlin, roundscale spearfish, and western Atlantic sailfish for the 2013 fishing year through December 31, 2013.

Landings are compiled using self-reported angler reports from the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Non-Tournament Recreational Swordfish and Billfish Landings Database, tournament landings from the Recreational Billfish Survey (RBS), catch card reports from North Carolina and Maryland, and individual billfish intercepted by the Large Pelagic Survey (LPS) and Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP).

Estimates are subject to late reporting, According to NOAA Fisheries.

The recreational billfish fishery is limited to a maximum of 250 Atlantic blue marlin, white marlin, and roundscale spearfish landings, combined, per year.

2013 Atlantic Billfish Recreational Landings

Atlantic Blue Marlin 51
Atlantic White Marlin 42
Roundscale Spearfish 1
Western Atlantic Sailfish 113*

* Western Atlantic sailfish are not included in the 250 fish landings limit for Atlantic blue and white marlin/roundscale spearfish. 

Highly migratory species (HMS) catch statistics can be found at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/.

source: NOAA Fisheries

2013 USA Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Landings

NOAA Fisheries recently released its final landings numbers for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna As of December 31, 2013.

U.S. fishermen landed a total of 5518 Atlantic bluefin tuna, weighing 518.3 metric tons (mt).

The following is a summary by category:

General        1801
Harpoon        121
Longline    299
Trap        0
Purse Seine    192
Angling        3105
Reserve        0

Dead discards totaled 205.8 mt. The United States accounts for dead discards annually in the quota specifications and reports them to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

According to NOAA Fisheries, the final 2012 dead discards estimate (205.8 mt) was used because 2013 dead discard estimates are not yet available.

The final 2013 Atlantic bluefin tuna specifications (78 FR 36685, June 19, 2013) adjusted the 2013 base quota and subquotas to account for 2012 underharvest and accounted for half of the estimated dead discards at the beginning of the year, with the remainder to be accounted for at year-end.

For more information, visit:

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/hmsdocument_files/Tuna.htm

source: NOAA Fisheries

USA Pacific Bluefin Tuna Catches

The U.S. catch of Pacific bluefin tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) represents a relatively minor component of Pacific bluefin tuna landings within the area, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

Landings receipts of U.S. commercial vessels fishing in the EPO from 2007 to 2011 indicate that Pacific bluefin tuna catches  represent only two percent of the average annual landings for all fleets fishing in the EPO during the period. The average annual U.S. catch of Pacific bluefin tuna was 113 metric tons for 1999 through 2012.

Most of the landings are made by small coastal purse seine vessels operating in the Southern California Bight with limited additional landings made by the drift gillnet fleet that targets swordfish and thresher shark. Small numbers of Pacific bluefin tuna are also caught by surface hook and line and longline gear.

The number of purse seine vessels that have landed tuna in California averaged 197 annually from 1981 through 1990. However, from 2000 to 2013, six small purse seiners have been registered with the IATTC to target Pacific bluefin tuna in the Convention Area each year.

source: National Marine Fisheries Service

2013 HMS SAFE Report

NOAA Fisheries recently released its 2013 HMS Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report. The report includes a review of the current status of Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) stocks (tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks), describes the year's accomplishments in managing Atlantic HMS fisheries, and provides an assessment of short-term future management of Atlantic HMS fisheries.

The annual SAFE Report is required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The 2013 HMS SAFE Report is available on the HMS Management Division website at:

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/hmsdocument_files/SAFEreports.htm.

source:  NOAA Fisheries

HMS Compliance Guides

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has released updated versions of Commercial and Recreational Compliance Guides for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks.

Thee guides have been updated based on recent regulatory changes made via Final Amendment 8 to the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan on Commercial Swordfish Management Measures and a final rule modifying Vessel Monitoring System requirements.

NMFS Commercial and Recreational Compliance Guides are intended to provide a plain-language summary of how to comply with the HMS regulations and can be found at:

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/Compliance_Guide/index.htm

source: NOAA Fisheries

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel Meeting

NMFS plans to hold an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel Meeting on September 9-12, 2013, at the Sheraton Hotel, 8777 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

The intent of this meeting is to consider alternatives for the conservation and management of Atlantic tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks.

For more information, visit: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/Advisory%20Panels/Advisory_Panel.htm

source: NOAA Fisheries

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Angling Category Regulations

The National Marine Fisheries Service is taking two actions regarding the recreational Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) Angling category fishery:

(1) closure of the southern area trophy BFT fishery (73" or greater) effective 11:30 p.m. local time, Thursday, April 4, through the remainder of 2013; and

(2) adjustment of the daily retention limit that applies to the HMS Charter/Headboat category (when fishing recreationally), effective April 4, 2013, from 1 fish measuring 27 to <73" to:

1 school BFT (27 to <47”) and 1 large school/small medium BFT (47 to <73”) per vessel.

The recreational daily retention limit that applies to HMS Angling category vessels remains at the default level of 1 school, large school, or small medium BFT (27 to <73”) per vessel.

For more information, visit the NOAA HMS website at:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/breaking_news.htm

source: NOAA HMS News

Draft Amendment 5 to the Consolidated HMS Plan for Management of Atlantic Sharks

The National Marine Fisheries Service recently introduced Draft Amendment 5 to the Consolidated HMS Plan for Management of Atlantic Sharks.

The amendment includes measures to prevent overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks of several species, including Sandbar, dusky, Atlantic blacknose, and scalloped hammerhead sharks.

If approved, the amendment could impact fishermen who use pelagic or bottom longline gear, recreational fishermen who catch sharks of any species, and dealers who buy or sell sharks or shark products.

Comments on the amendment are being accepted through February 5, 2013.

For more information go to: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ or contact Peter Cooper at peter.cooper@noaa.gov  or 301-427-8503.

source: NOAA Fisheries

Atlantic HMS Advisory Panel Meeting

NOAA Fisheries will hold a 3-day Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel meeting March 13 through March 15, 2012. During the event, options will be considered for the conservation and management of Atlantic highly migratory species. The meeting is open to the public. The meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 8777 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Source:  NOAA fisheries