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DOC/NOAA RIN: 0648-BO09 Publication ID: 2026 
Title: ●2026 and Projected 2027 Summer Flounder and Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish Specifications 
Abstract:

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing this action, which will increase flexibility and provide significant economic benefits for some of the region’s highest value commercial and recreational fisheries, pursuant to the authorities under sections 303(c) and 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission jointly manage summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass as a part of the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and bluefish as part of the Bluefish FMP. At a joint meeting in August 2025, the Council and the Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board recommended 2026 and projected 2027 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass specifications. The Council and the Commission’s Bluefish Board recommended 2026 and projected 2027 bluefish specifications. This action would set the acceptable biological catch limits, as well as the recreational and commercial annual catch limits, annual catch targets, commercial quotas, and recreational harvest limits for all four species.  Overall, the proposed catch limits provide an up to $36 million (in 2024 dollars) increase in the value of the commercial fishery and an unquantified economic benefit in the recreational fishery over the 2-year period. No changes to the commercial management measures are being proposed. This action proposes to increase the possession limits in the recreational bluefish fishery.  Recreational management measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass will be implemented at a later date through a separate action.

 
Agency: Department of Commerce(DOC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: First time published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Proposed Rule Stage 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
EO 14192 Designation: Fully or Partially Exempt 
CFR Citation: 50 CFR 648   
Legal Authority: 16 USC 1801   
Legal Deadline:
Action Source Description Date
Final  Judicial    01/01/2026 
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  12/09/2025  90 FR 57018   
NPRM Comment Period End  12/24/2025 
Final Action  07/00/2026 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No  Government Levels Affected: None 
Small Entities Affected: Businesses  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Michael Pentony
Regional Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region
Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
55 Great Republic Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930
Phone:978 281-9283
Email: michael.pentony@noaa.gov