Northeast fishermen banned from key flounder spots for the year
Published Date: 5/7/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting May 5, 2026, common pool fishing boats in the Northeast can’t take any trips targeting yellowtail flounder in the Closed Area II Special Access Program, and the Regular B Days-at-Sea fishing program is closed for the year. These changes help keep fish stocks healthy and avoid fishing limits being hit too fast. Fishermen will need to adjust their plans through April 30, 2027, to stay in the game and protect the fish.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
No Yellowtail Trips in Closed Area II
Starting May 5, 2026, common pool vessels are allocated zero trips to target yellowtail flounder in the Closed Area II Yellowtail Flounder/Haddock Special Access Program (SAP) through April 30, 2027. The SAP will be open only to target haddock from August 1, 2026, through January 31, 2027, and vessels fishing in the SAP must use a haddock separator trawl, a Ruhle trawl, or hook gear. The commercial groundfish yellowtail flounder sub-ACL for 2026 is 167,551 lb (76,000 kg), equal to 11 trips landing a 15,000-lb (6,804-kg) limit, and NMFS states that at least 150 trips with a 15,000-lb limit (2,250,000 lb / 1,020,600 kg) would be needed to justify allocating yellowtail trips.
Regular B Days-at-Sea Program Closed
The Regular B Days-at-Sea (DAS) Program is closed and use of Regular B DAS is prohibited from May 5, 2026, through April 30, 2027. This closure applies to all vessels issued a limited access Northeast multispecies permit and is based on very small Quarterly Incidental Catch TACs (for example, American plaice 10.22 mt total with quarterly splits of 1.33 mt, 2.96 mt, 2.96 mt, 2.96 mt; Witch flounder 2.69 mt total). NMFS determined continuation would undermine the FMP because incidental TACs are too small to manage in-season.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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