The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s South Atlantic State/Federal Management Board recently approved the 2015 Black Drum Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report for management use. According to the assessment results, black drum is not overfished and not experiencing … Continued
NOAA Fisheries recently released preliminary estimates of 2014 recreational billfish landings (January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014) for Atlantic blue and white marlin, roundscale spearfish, and western Atlantic sailfish. 2013 recreational billfish landings data (final) was also released, for … Continued
In 2011, as part of the National Marine Recreational Fishing Expenditure Survey, the Office of Science and Technology at NOAA Fisheries surveyed recreational anglers about their expenditures associated with fishing for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) from Maine to North … Continued
NOAA’s 2014 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report contains a review of the current status of Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) stocks (tunas, swordfish, billfishes, and sharks), describes the agency’s efforts in managing Atlantic HMS fisheries, and provides an … Continued
At the 2014 Special meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in Italy, members met and adopted multi-year total allowable catch (TAC) levels for bluefin tuna, amendments to the tropical tunas management measure, and terms … Continued
NOAA Fisheries is encouraging the public to review and comment on a draft Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy. According to NOAA, the policy was developed in cooperation with anglers, the Regional Fishery Management Councils, and the Interstate Marine Fisheries Commissions. Anglers … Continued
In 2016, coastal states from Maine through Georgia will transition to conducting the Access Point Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS) to collect information on marine recreational fishing catch and effort data in their own waters, according to the Atlantic States Marine … Continued
Virginia is home to important commercial and recreational fisheries, according to an annual report from NOAA Fisheries entitled: “Fisheries of the United States 2013.” Fisheries of the United States 2013 Highlights: Recreational Fishing In the USA, approximately 11 million saltwater … Continued
In October, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) unanimously voted to raise the saltwater recreational license fees. The increase, which is the third since 1993, is a result of continuing budget shortfalls. According to VMRC, the increase will allow for … Continued
Preliminary results from an ongoing long-term survey conducted by researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) suggest an average class of young-of-the-year striped bass was produced in Virginia tributaries of Chesapeake Bay in 2014. Striped bass from the … Continued