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DOC/NOAA RIN: 0648-BO39 Publication ID: 2026 
Title: ●2026 and 2027 Recreational Management Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass 
Abstract:

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service issues this interim final rule 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 cooperatively manage summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass as a part of the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP). At the joint meeting in December 2025, the Council and the Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board recommended 2026 and 2027 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass recreational management measures. This is a routine action that is done annually or biannually for these three species. For summer flounder and black sea bass, the Regional Administrator must implement coastwide measures or approve conservationally equivalent measures per 50 CFR 648.102(d) and 50 CFR 648.142 as soon as possible following the Council and Commission's recommendation. This interim final rule establishes conservation equivalency for fishing year 2026 (i.e., waiving Federal measures in lieu appropriate state water measures) for the recreational summer flounder and black sea bass fisheries and proposes non-preferred coastwide measures to be effective in Federal waters if, ultimately, w are unable to approve conservation equivalency. This action proposes no changes to the Federal recreational management measures for scup. Recreational management measures for black sea bass are expected to be relaxed across states, while summer flounder measures will remain the same.

 
Agency: Department of Commerce(DOC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: First time published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Final Rule Stage 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
EO 14192 Designation: Other 
CFR Citation: 50 CFR 648   
Legal Authority: 16 USC 1801   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
Interim Final Rule  04/30/2026  91 FR 23178   
Interim Final Rule Effective  04/30/2026 
Interim Final Rule Comment Period End  05/15/2026 
Final Action  08/00/2026 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Undetermined  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