Northeast Skate Catch Limits Updated for 2026 Season
Published Date: 6/15/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting June 15, 2026, new skate fishing rules kick in for the Northeast U.S. These rules set catch limits for 2026 and projections for 2027 and 2028, while letting fishers keep more skate wings and bait per trip. This helps protect skate populations and gives fishers more freedom to work smart and steady.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Higher skate catch limits for 2026–27
Starting June 15, 2026, the acceptable biological catch (ABC) and annual catch limit (ACL) for the Northeast skate complex increase to 41,282 metric tons (mt) for fishing years 2026 and 2027 (up from 32,155 mt in 2025). The overall fishery total allowable landings (TAL) rise to 20,966 mt in 2026–2027 (from 15,718 mt in 2025), with wing TAL 13,943 mt and bait TAL 7,024 mt.
Bigger skate wing trip limits
The rule raises per-trip skate wing possession limits for vessels fishing on a monkfish, Atlantic sea scallop, or NE multispecies Day-At-Sea (DAS). Season 1 (May 1–Aug 31) wing trip limits become 4,500 lb (2,041.2 kg) of wings (10,215 lb whole weight) and Season 2 (Sep 1–Apr 30) become 6,500 lb (2,948.4 kg) of wings (14,755 lb whole weight) per trip.
Higher skate bait trip possession limit
For trips operating under a Bait Letter of Authorization, the rule raises the skate bait whole-weight possession limit from 25,000 lb (11,339.8 kg) per trip to 30,000 lb (13,607.8 kg) for all three bait seasons (May 1–Jul 31; Aug 1–Oct 31; Nov 1–Apr 30).
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