Stock Assessment Reports

Scientific evaluations of fish stock status, providing critical data on population sizes, health, and trends to inform management decisions.

  • This document provides an overview of the 2021 stock assessment update for tautog (Tautoga onitis), which includes four regional stock assessments. The update uses the assessment methodology that was approved for management use as part of the 2016 Regional Benchmark Stock Assessment and subsequently used in the 2017 update.

  • Cooperative interstate management of Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) in U.S. waters was first implemented in 2015 with the adoption of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP; ASMFC 2015). However, there has been no stock assessment of U.S. Jonah crab to date, stock status is unknown, and there has been limited science-based advice available to support management of Jonah crab fisheries

  • This document summarizes the 2020 assessment updates for the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) winter flounder stocks. Both assessments update the 2011 Benchmark Stock Assessments that were peer-reviewed by an independent panel of scientific experts at the 52nd Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop/ Stock Assessment Review Committee (SAW/SARC 52) meeting.

  • This 2021 Management Track Assessment (MTA) of summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) is an update through 2019 of the commercial and recreational fishery catch data and research survey indices of abundance. Assessment model estimates of stock size and fishing mortality are updated through 2019.

  • This 2021 Management Track Assessment (MTA) of scup (Stenotomus chrysops) is an update through 2019 of the commercial and recreational fishery catch data and any available research survey indices of abundance. Assessment model estimates of stock size and fishing mortality are updated through 2019.

  • This assessment of the Southern New England Mid-Atlantic winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) stock is an operational assessment of the existing benchmark assessment (NEFSC 2011), and follows operational updates in 2015 and 2017. In each assessment since the benchmark the stock was overfished, but overfishing was not occurring (NEFSC 2015, 2017). The current assessment updates commercial fishery catch data, recreational fishery catch data (using new MRIP calibrated data), research survey indices of abundance, and the analytical ASAP assessment models and reference points through 2019. Additionally, stock projections have been updated through 2023.