June 8, 2026 — The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) are seeking participants for a stakeholder workshop on recreational sector separation options for the summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish fisheries.
The workshop will support development of a joint amendment considering potential changes to the recreational management programs for these species, including options for managing for-hire fisheries separately from other recreational fishing modes, as well as possible changes to permit and reporting requirements for the for-hire sector. Workshop discussions will primarily focus on the current draft range of options, including:
- Recreational mode management approaches and guidelines
- Potential Letter of Authorization program for federally-permitted for-hire vessels
- Federal for-hire permit requirements and limited entry options
- State for-hire permitting and reporting requirements
Input provided during the workshop will help inform continued development of management options for consideration by the Council and Commission later in 2026.
Workshop Details
The workshop will be held September 23-24, 2026, in the Baltimore, MD area.
Who Should Apply?
The Council and Commission are seeking approximately 20 highly engaged recreational fishery stakeholders with experience in the for-hire or private recreational fisheries for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass and bluefish and an interest in identifying meaningful approaches for improving management across all recreational sectors. Participants must be available to attend in person. The Council will cover travel/lodging costs for selected participants.
How to Apply
Interested individuals are encouraged to complete the Workshop Application Form by Friday, July 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Applications will be reviewed by the Fishery Management Action Team/Plan Development Team for this action, with recommendations forwarded to the Council and the Commission Chairs for approval. The Council and Commission will seek to identify a group of participants with balanced representation across states/regions, interest groups, and expertise. Individuals selected to participate will be notified in late July.
If you have questions about the workshop, please contact Kiley Dancy at kdancy@mafmc.org.
The press release can also be found at https://asmfc.org/news/press-releases/mafmc-and-asmfc-seek-participants-for-recreational-sector-separation-workshop/