- NOAA Recreational Fishing Services
- Marine Recreational Information Program Report to Congress
- Discover the Numbers -- Recreational Fishing Catch Data
- Marine Recreational Fisheries Economic Contribution
- Fisheries of the United States
- Save Habitat and Recycle Fishing Line
- Concerned About Aquaculture?
Going Fishing
Golden Tilefish
(Credit: MAFAC)
Other News
- Recent Bulletins & Permit Holder Letters
- NOAA and State of Massachusetts collaborating on recreational fishing economic study
- NOAA releases regional saltwater recreational fishing plans designed to improve fishing, stewardship and science
- Marine Recreational Information Program
- National Saltwater Angler Registry
- Prohibition on harvest and sale of red drum and striped bass -- striped bass transit area map
- Atlantic shortfin mako catch and release program
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
(Credit: NOAA)
Federal Laws
Bluefish
(Credit: MDMF)
Facts
- Approximately 24.5 million recreational fishing trips took place in the Northeast in 2009
- Overall, there were $1.8 billion in expenditures on fishing trips and durable equipment expenditures across the New England Region in 2009
- Overall, total fishing trip and durable equipment expenditures across the Mid-Atlantic Region in 2009 were $3.5 billion
- An average of 1.4 million anglers fished in New England Region annually from 2000 to 2009
- An average of 2.7 million anglers fished in Mid-Atlantic Region annually from 2000 to 2009
- Offer residents and visitors to the northeast an opportunity to experience the ocean and the complex web of life it supports first hand
- Experiences can foster an appreciation for conservation of sea life, and provide insight into the need and type of programs required to maintain and protect fisheries, and the habitat that supports them
- View the full report, "Fisheries Economic of the United States 2009. Economics and Sociocultural Status and Trends"
MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHING IN NORTHEAST
NOAA Fisheries Service's Northeast Regional Office is responsible for conducting catch monitoring programs and implementing management measures to promote sustainable recreational fisheries in Federal waters (3 to 200 nautical miles offshore) from Maine to Virginia. We encourage all recreational fishermen to share their information and experience and help us develop and implement these programs and measures.
Northeast Region Recreational Fisheries
In Northeast federal waters cod, haddock, flounders, bluefish, black sea bass, tuna, and scup are the primary species sought by recreational fishermen. Other species such as Atlantic sea herring, Atlantic mackerel, squid, black sea bass and butterfish are also caught by anglers. While not directly targeted, recreational fishermen also frequently encounter spiny dogfish and northeast skates while fishing for other species.
NOAA Fisheries Role in Managing Marine Resouces
To promote healthy marine fisheries and local economies, NOAA Fisheries works with Federal Fishery Management Councils, created under the Magnuson Stevens Act, to manage fish, marine mammals, and sea turtles and protect their habitat. In the Northeast region, NOAA Fisheries works with two councils, the New England and Mid-Atlantic councils. NOAA Fisheries also provides funding to and coordinates with the coastal states through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to develop and implement consistent or complimentary regulations in both state and federal waters.
Specifically, NOAA Fisheries develops and implements regulations, administers grants, analyzes trade and economic conditions and related opportunities and impacts associated with fishery management activities, coordinates state/Federal cooperative activities, provides advice and recommendations to other Federal permitting agencies on marine conservation and management issues; and conducts outreach efforts to commercial and recreational fisheries community and other members of the public to explain proposed measures, and gather information and feedback about the direction of its programs.
NOAA encourages ethical angling, and is in the process of implementing a Regional Fisheries Action Plan as part of the NOAA Fisheries Action Agenda. In an effort to improve data collection on recreational fisheries, NOAA established the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), which includes a national registry for saltwater anglers. Saltwater anglers in the northeast (Maine through Virginia) should not register through the Federal MRIP registry website. These states have new state fishing license and/or registration requirements that automatically register their license/registry holders with NOAA's national registry. The Northeast Region Coordinator for recreational fisheries issues is Paul Perra (paul.perra@noaa.gov).
Federal Recreational Fisheries Regulations for the Northeast Region (As of 11/21/11)
Federal regulations are for Federal waters only (Generally 3-200 miles off shore from Maine to Virginia) except for bluefin tuna and shortnose sturgeon which have Federal regulations that apply in both state and Federal waters. Also, party/charterboat vessels holding Federal permits may need to abide by stricter Federal regulations when fishing in state waters. Recreational anglers or divers, once entering with and/or landing their catch in state waters, must also abide by state regulations. State regulations can be obtained through individual state marine fisheries agencies. Click here for links to Atlantic coast state marine fisheries agencies.
Species |
Season |
Minimum Size (See Note 5) |
Possession limit |
Closed Area | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atlantic cod in Gulf of Maine Regulated Mesh Area | Apr 16 - Oct 31 | 19 in | 9 fish | Closed Area: April 1 - June 30 - Cod Gulf of Maine Spawning Protection Area | Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) |
Atlantic cod outside Gulf of Maine Regulated Mesh Area | All year | 22 in | 10 fish | N/A | Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) |
American lobster | All year | Legal size vary by area (See Note 4) | 6 per person on board the vessel | N/A | Allowed by diving. Fishing with pots for lobsters requires a commercial permit. Size is measured by carapace length. No possession of V-notched or egg-bearing lobsters allowed. (See Note 3) |
American plaice (dab) | All year | 14 in | No limit | N/A | Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) |
Atlantic herring | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | To harvest Atlantic herring as bait with gear other than hook and line, Federal commercial permit needed |
Atlantic mackerel | All year |
No limit |
No limit |
N/A | Recreational allocation set in management plan |
No retention |
No retention |
No retention |
N/A | N/A |
|
No retention |
No retention |
No retention |
N/A | N/A |
|
Atlantic surfclam | All year | None | 2 bushels | See comments | Check state regulations There are a number of areas closed to the harvesting of surfclams/ocean quahogs. Please refer to our charts website additional information. |
Atlantic tunas, sailfish and sharks (excluding spiny dogfish) | Consult NOAA Highly Migratory Species Division | Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Regulations apply in Federal and state waters | |||
Black sea bass | Season Closed as of Nov 1, 2012 | No retention | Closed | N/A |
Federal coast-wide regulations are put in place each year for black sea bass. States or groups of states implement individual measures through ASMFC. Vessels with a Federal permit are subject to the more restrictive measures (See Bulletin). |
See Atlantic States Marine Fisheris Commission (ASMFC) webpage | |||||
Black drum | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | Check state regulations |
Bluefish | All year | No limit | 15 fish | N/A | N/A |
Butterfish | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | N/A |
All year | No limit |
No limit |
N/A | Species of Concern (See note 6) |
|
Golden tilefish | All year | No limit | 8 per angler | N/A | In effect from the VA/NC border north |
Haddock outside Gulf of Maine Regulated Mesh Area | All year | 18 in | No limit | N/A |
Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) |
Haddock in Gulf of Maine Regulated Mesh Area | All year | 18 in | No limit | N/A | Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) |
Hake- offshore, red, white and silver (whiting) | All year | No limit | no limit | N/A | N/A |
Halibut | All year | 41 in | 1 fish/vessel/trip | N/A | Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) Species of Concern (See note 6) |
Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | N/A |
Monkfish (goosefish) | All year | 17 in | No limit | N/A | Whole fish or tails may be landed (See Note 5) |
Ocean pout | No retention | No retention | Closed | N/A | N/A |
Ocean Quahogs | All year | None | 2 bushels | See comments | Check state regulations There are a number of areas closed to the harvesting of surfclams/ocean quahogs. Please refer to our charts website additional information. |
Pollock | All year | 19 in | No limit | N/A | Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) |
Red Drum | No retention | No retention | Closed | N/A | N/A |
Redfish (ocean perch) | All year | 9 in | No limit | N/A | Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) |
Scup | All year | 10.5 in | 20 fish per person per trip | N/A | Federal coast-wide regulations are put in place each year for black sea bass. States or groups of states implement individual measures through ASMFC. Vessels with a Federal permit are subject to the more restrictive measures (See Bulletin). |
See Atlantic States Marine Fisheris Commission (ASMFC) webpage | |||||
Skate, barndoor | No retention | No retention | Closed | N/A | N/A |
Skate, clearnose | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | Charter/partyboats with a commercial permit, retaining fish for sale or bait, have a 1,135 lb whole weight or 500 lb wing limit for clearnose, little, rosette and winter skates. |
Skate, little | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | Charter/partyboats with a commercial permit, retaining fish for sale or bait, have a 1,135 lb whole weight or 500 lb wing limit for clearnose, little, rosette and winter skates. |
Skate, rosette | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | Charter/partyboats with a commercial permit, retaining fish for sale or bait, have a 1,135 lb whole weight or 500 lb wing limit for clearnose, little, rosette and winter skates. |
Skate, smooth | No retention | No retention | Closed | N/A | N/A |
Skate, thorny | No retention | No retention | Closed | N/A | Species of Concern (See note 6) |
Skate, winter | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | Charter/partyboats with a commercial permit, retaining fish for sale or bait, have a 1,135 lb whole weight or 500 lb wing limit for clearnose, little, rosette and winter skates. |
Spiny dogfish | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | Charter/partyboats with a Federal commercial permit retaining fish for sale must fish under commercial day at sea rules. A 3,000 lb limit is in effect during commercial season. No fish can be retained for sale or bait during closed commercial season. |
Squid (longfin and shortfin) | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | N/A |
Summer flounder (fluke) | See Atlantic States Marine Fisheris Commission (ASMFC) webpage | N/A | Federal coast-wide regulations are put in place each year for black sea bass. States or groups of states implement individual measures through ASMFC. Vessels with a Federal permit are subject to the more restrictive measures (See Bulletin). | ||
Striped bass | No retention | No retention | Closed | N/A | Exception - Block Island, RI, Transit Area |
Sturgeon, Atlantic and shortnose | No retention | No retention | Closed | N/A | |
Tautog | All year | No limit | No limit | N/A | N/A |
Weakfish | All year | 14 in | No limit | N/A | N/A |
Windowpane flounder | No retention | No retention | Closed | N/A | N/A |
Winter flounder (N of Cape Cod) | All year | 12 in | No limit | N/A | Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) See Charter/Party and Recreational Fishing Information Sheet, page 5, for more information. |
Winter flounder (S. and E. of Cape Cod) | No retention | No retention | Closed | N/A | See Charter/Party and Recreational Fishing Information Sheet, page 5, for more information. |
Witch flounder (gray sole) | All year | 14 in | No limit | N/A | Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) |
Wolffish (ocean catchfish) | No retention | No retention | Closed | N/A | Species of Concern (See note 6) |
Yellowtail flounder | All year | 13 in | No limit | N/A | Filleting at sea allowed (See Note 1) |
Notes:
1) Multispecies fillets must have some skin left on, and be consistant in size as that taken form legal size fish.
2) Black sea bass are measured from the tip of the snout or jaw (mouth closed) to the farthest extremity of the tail, not including the tail filament
3) For a guide to measure a lobster, please click here.
4) Lobster size limits vary by area. For more information, please click here.
5) The 17inch minimum fish size applies to the whole fish (total length) and, if tials only are landed, they must be at least 11 inches in length (tail length) at the time of landing. Fish or parts of fish, with the exception of cheeks and livers, must have skin on while possessed on board a vessel and at the time of landing in order to meet minimum size requirements. "Skin on" means the entire portion of the skin normally attached to the portion of the fish or fish parts possessed. Monkfish tails are measured from the anterior portion of the fourth cephalic dorsal spine to the end of the caudal fin. Any tissue anterior to the fourth dorsal spine is ignored. If the fourth dorsal spine or the tail is not intact, the minimum size is measured between the most anterior vertebra and the most posterior portion of the tail.
6) Species of concern: those species about which NMFS has some concerns regarding status and threats, but for which insufficient information is available to indicate a need to list the species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We wish to draw proactive attention and conservation action to these species. "Species of concern" status does not carry any procedural or substantive protections under the ESA. More info can be found by clicking the species name at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/concern/#list
7) How to measure finfish The minimum size for fish (exceptions listed below) is the greatest straight line length (not curved over the body) from the anterior tip of the jaw or snout (mouth closed) to the farthest extremity of the tail. Fish should be firmly grasped with both hands for proper measuring. Care should be taken so that the head firmly contacts the zero mark on rulers and tapes simultaneously with the tail extremity. For fish with forked tails, the upper and lower fork may be squeezed together to measure the tail extremity.
Black sea bass if the tail filament (tendril) is present, it is not included in the total length measurement.
Billfish (swordfish, sailfish, marlin) are measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the tail fork.
Sharks are measured from the tip of the snout to the fork of the tail. Tunas measurement is taken in a line, tracing the contour of the body from the tip of the upper jaw to the fork of the tail, which crosses the dorsal insertion of the pectoral fin and the dorsal side of the caudal keel.