Recreational Sector Separation

December 2024

The Policy Board and Council reviewed and approved a document for public comment. As the first step in the amendment process, the document solicits public input on the potential development of an amendment to consider modifications to the recreational management of summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. Specifically, the amendment may consider options for managing for-hire recreational fisheries separately from other recreational fishing modes (referred to as sector separation), as well as options related to the collection and use of recreational data, such as private angler reporting and enhanced for-hire vessel trip reporting requirements.

• Meeting Summary
• Briefing Materials
• Draft Scoping Document
• Presentation

April 2025

The Policy Board and Council reviewed public comments and identified near-term priorities, including continued development of management options for recreational sector separation and options related to for-hire permit and reporting requirements. Based on submitted public comments, and input from the species advisory panels and Fishery Management Action Team/Plan Development Team (FMAT/PDT), the Policy Board and Council agreed that recreational sector separation and recreational data collection should be addressed separately. Further development of the amendment will focus on management options for recreational sector separation, including mode management, as well as consideration of for-hire permitting and reporting requirements.

The Policy Board and Council separated out the recreational data collection and use issue from the amendment due to concerns that the complexity of this issue would cause significant delays in the amendment timeline. Policy Board and Council members also noted there is a need to more clearly define the objectives for recreational data collection improvement. This issue will be explored through a white paper which will consider the feasibility of various approaches and help the Council and Policy Board clarify goals for potential future action.

• Meeting Summary
• Briefing Materials
• Presentation

August 2025

The Policy Board and Council reviewed and provided feedback on draft conceptual alternatives for further development.

• Meeting Summary
• Briefing Materials
• Presentation

December 2025

The Policy Board and Council reviewed and provided guidance on revised draft management options. The groups discussed questions and areas of feedback identified by the FMAT/PDT. While some of these questions were addressed, the Council and Board recognized that additional stakeholder input and discussion among managers is needed to continue development of alternatives. The groups delayed development of a draft amendment/public hearing document to hold a workshop in 2026 to further refine the draft management options.

The Policy Board and Council also removed from consideration an option that would have required states to consider or implement state-level mode management during the recreational measures setting process. The groups also discussed, but did not approve, removing bluefish from the amendment and pursuing further development of the LOA options only for summer flounder and black sea bass.

• Meeting Summary
• Briefing Materials
• Supplementals
• Presentation

February 2026

The Policy Board and Councilprovided feedback on plans for a stakeholder workshop to seek input on draft management options and agreed to hold the workshop in September 2026. The Policy Board and Council directed the FMAT/PDT to develop a variation on the draft alternative for regional for-hire management measures prior to the workshop, to be included as part of the discussion. The groups also reviewed a revised amendment timeline, with final action tentatively scheduled for August 2027. This timeline may be adjusted based on feedback received at the workshop and subsequent direction from the Policy Board and Council.

• Meeting Summary
• Briefing Materials
• Supplementals 1
• Supplementals 2
• Presentation

Next Steps

February 2026 – Present: Preparation for Fall 2026 Stakeholder Workshop and continued development of draft management options by the Fishery Management Team/Plan Development Team (FMAT/PDT).