Skates on the Menu: New Fishing Rules for 2026-2028
Published Date: 3/26/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The government is setting new skate fishing rules for 2026-2028 to keep skate populations healthy and help fishermen catch more per trip. These changes affect fishermen in the Northeast U.S. skate fishery and start May 1, 2026. They also want your thoughts by April 10, 2026, so get ready to weigh in!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Higher skate catch limits 2026-27
If you operate in the Northeast skate fishery, the acceptable biological catch (ABC) and annual catch limit (ACL) are proposed to increase to 41,282 metric tons (mt) for fishing years 2026 and 2027 (up from 32,155 mt in 2025). The total allowable landings (TAL) for 2026-2027 would be 20,966 mt, with wing TAL 13,943 mt and bait TAL 7,024 mt; for 2028 a lower ABC/ACL of 37,154 mt and TAL of 18,800 mt are projected.
Bigger per-trip skate possession limits
If you fish skates under Federal permits, proposed per-trip wing limits would rise by 500 lb per season to 4,500 lb (2,041.2 kg) in Season 1 (May 1–Aug 31) and 6,500 lb (2,948.4 kg) in Season 2 (Sept 1–Apr 30). Bait whole-weight trip limits for Bait Letter of Authorization trips would increase from 25,000 lb (11,339.8 kg) to 30,000 lb (13,607.8 kg); NMFS estimates these possession-limit changes could raise gross revenues by $98,802 (Season 1) and $176,426 (Season 2) in 2026 for the wing fishery, $43,363 for bait LOA trips in 2026, and about $900,908 total additional gross revenues for the combined fishery over 2026–2028.
Small increase in little skate landings, not overfishing
The proposed bait possession limit increase could raise little skate landings by about 381,228 lb (172,922 kg) per year to about 7,437,382 lb (3,373,540 kg) annually, a roughly 5.4-percent increase. Based on the 2025 data and comparisons to the little skate biomass threshold (moving average 4.03 versus threshold 3.38), NMFS concludes this increase is unlikely to cause little skate to become overfished and overall the measures are not anticipated to increase the risk of overfishing.
2028 projections contingent on amendment approval
The proposed projected specifications for fishing year 2028 (ABC/ACL 37,154 mt and TAL 18,800 mt) are contingent on approval of a concurrent omnibus management flexibility amendment; if that amendment is not approved and effective when NMFS prepares the final rule, the final rule would not set projected 2028 specifications.
Agency finds no significant small-business harm
NMFS (using SBA guidelines) certified that this proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities; NMFS uses an $11 million combined annual receipts threshold to define small businesses in commercial fishing. In 2024 there were 1,929 Federal skate permits affiliated with 1,304 unique entities and NMFS concluded the action is unlikely to disproportionately impact small businesses.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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