Fishermen Seek Permit for More Skate Wings to Minimize Waste
Published Date: 4/2/2026
Notice
Summary
Fishing boats with federal permits want special permission to catch more skate wings than current rules allow. This change, requested by the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation, aims to help fishermen use more of their catch and reduce waste. People have until April 17, 2026, to share their thoughts before a final decision is made.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Temporary higher skate wing trip limits
If approved, 17 federally permitted vessels could take up to 650 experimental trips between May 1, 2026 and April 30, 2027 and exceed current skate wing per-trip limits. The EFP would raise Season 1 trip limits from 4,000 lb to 7,000 lb of skate wings and Season 2 limits from 6,000 lb to 9,000 lb per trip, potentially increasing skate wing landings by about 1.95 million lb and yielding an estimated ex-vessel value of over $1.5 million.
Market monitoring and suspension safeguards
The EFP includes monitoring and safeguards to limit market harm: NMFS and the applicant will track ex-vessel skate prices and can suspend EFP trips if prices fall or markets destabilize. The EFP may also be suspended for the remainder of a season if skate landings surpass 70 percent of the total allowable landings (TAL) or if NMFS projects that the 85-percent TAL threshold will be met.
Monkfish overlap may stop EFP in NFMA
Because skate fishing overlaps the monkfish fishery—especially in statistical area 521—the EFP could improve utilization of the monkfish annual catch limit or could contribute to monkfish TAL overages. If NMFS projects that the Northern Fishery Management Area (NFMA) monkfish TAL will be exceeded and an accountability measure will be triggered, the EFP would stop in the NFMA for the rest of the project period.
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