December 27, 2024 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board has left rockfish regulations unchanged.
The decision responds to the 2024 Stock Assessment Update, which indicates that while the resource remains overfished, it is not currently experiencing overfishing. Projections estimate an increase in fishing mortality in 2025 due to the above-average 2018 year-class entering the current recreational ocean slot limit, combined with the lack of strong year-classes behind it. To address these concerns, the Board plans to explore a range of reductions for both recreational and commercial fisheries, including adjustments to season and size limits that account for regional differences, as well as potential no-harvest and no-targeting closures.
“We understand that many will be disappointed in the Board’s decision to initiate an addendum versus taking immediate action,” said Board Chair Megan Ware from Maine. “However, after deliberating for more than three hours about the path forward, the Board came to the conclusion that the best course of action is to proceed with an addendum which will allow for clarity on 2024 removals and additional analyses.”