Fishing Fleet Seeks More Room to Catch Skate Wings
Published Date: 5/22/2025
Notice
Summary
Fishing boats with federal permits want special permission to catch more skate wings than current rules allow, helping them use the full skate wing fishery. This change is being reviewed now, and anyone interested has until June 6, 2025, to share their thoughts. If approved, it could boost fishing opportunities without extra costs right away.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Higher Skate Wing Trip Limits
If you operate a participating federally permitted vessel, the Exempted Fishing Permit would raise per-trip skate wing limits from 4,000 lb to 7,000 lb in Season 1 (May 1–Aug 31) and from 6,000 lb to 9,000 lb in Season 2 (Sept 1–Apr 30). The EFP would authorize up to 700 such trips in the 2025 fishing year across 7 vessels and could increase skate landings by over 2.1 million lb (952 mt) with an estimated ex-vessel value of over $1.4 million.
Exemption Suspended at 75% Quota
If skate landings exceed 75 percent of the total allowable landings (TAL) in either Season 1 or Season 2, the possession-limit exemption would be suspended for the rest of that season and vessels would be subject to the fishery-wide possession limit. The notice states the 2025 skate wing TAL is 10,453 mt.
Limited Participation and Per-Vessel Caps
The EFP would be limited to 7 participating vessels and up to 700 trips in 2025, with an intent that each vessel may make up to 100 trips; unused trips from any vessel may be used by other participating vessels. All EFP trips must be wing-only trips (no bait skate landings).
Required Trip-Level Data Collection
All participating vessels must collect data on every large-mesh gillnet trip with and without the raised trip limit, including trip duration, number of nets and soak time, quantity and value of skate and non-target catch, fuel used, and monkfish/bycatch information. This data collection applies for the duration of the project (upon approval through 04/30/2026).
Potential Monkfish Fishery Benefit
The notice says that because of overlap with the monkfish fishery, the EFP could improve utilization of the monkfish annual catch limit by reducing skate-related constraints in the Southern Fishery Management Area. This effect is presented as a potential outcome of approving the exemption.
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