Interstate Fisheries Management

Scup, Stenotomus chrysops, are highly sought by both commercial and recreational fishermen throughout Southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic. It is one of four species jointly managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. The Scup FMP includes a seven-year plan for reducing fishing effort and restoring the stock. The primary concerns are excessive discarding of scup and near collapse of the stock. The 2002 Northeast Regional Stock Assessment indicated that scup are no longer overfished but that “stock status with respect to overfishing cannot currently be evaluated.” The assessment also concluded that, although the “relative exploitation rates have declined in recent years, the absolute value of fishing mortality (F) cannot be determined." However, they did indicate that survey data indicate strong recruitment and some rebuilding of age structure in recent years. <species profile> <stock status> <habitat fact sheet>

Contacts Toni Kerns, FMP Coordinator Management Board Chair, Jack Travelstead Technical Committee Chair, Rich Wong Technical Monitoring Committee Advisory Panel		Management Reports & Actions Amendment 13 to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan - Executive Summary (August 2002) Addendum XIII (August 2004) Addendum IX (March 2003) Addendum XI (January 2004) Fishery Management Plan and Addendum I for Scup (March 1996) Addendum III (March 2001) Addendum IV (January 2001) Addendum V (February 2002) Addendum VII (February 2002) * Previous plans and addenda can be found at Fishery Management Reports or by contacting the Commission at (202)289-6400. Annual Reports FMP Reviews 2006 2005 2004 2002 2000 Stock Assessment Reports State-by-State Regulations
Upcoming Meetings/Annoucements Scup Winter I Daily Trip Limit Changes to 1,000 lbs Effective March 16, 2008 NOAA Fisheries has projected that 80% of the Winter I period commercial quota for the scup fishery has been harvested. The regulations adopted by the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board require states to reduce the Winter I commercial scup possession limit when 80% of the quota is projected to be harvested. The commercial scup possession limit will be reduced to 1,000 pounds per day effective March 16, 2008 through April 28, 2008 or until the Winter period is fully harvested, whichever occurs first. NOAA Fishers has informed Federally permitted scup vessels and dealers of this possession limit for federal waters (see attached letter).

Pending Actions for Public Input		Meeting & Minutes Summaries

Press Releases ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board Approves Addendum XIX (August 14, 2007) ASMFC Approves 2008 TALs for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish (August 9, 2007) ASMFC Approves Amendment 14 to the Scup FMP (May 10, 2007) ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board Releases Draft Addendum XIX for Public Comment (May 10, 2007) ASMFC Releases Draft Amendment 14 to the Scup FMP for Public Comment (February 16, 2007) ASMFC & MAFMC Approve 2007 TALs for Scup & Black Sea Bass (August 4, 2006) ASMFC Board Approves Addendum XVI to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Plan: Addendum Establishes Procedures to Address Delayed Implementation of Required Fisheries Management Measures (May 10, 2006) ASMFC Board Approves Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Public Information Document for Public Comment (March 21, 2006) States Schedule Public Meetings to Gather Comment on Draft Addendum to Address Delayed Implementation of Required Fisheries Management Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass (November 23, 2005) ASMFC Approves Draft Addendum XVI to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP for Public Comment Addendum to Address Delayed Implementation (November 3, 2005) ASMFC & MAFMC Approve 2006 TALs for Bluefish, Scup and Black Sea Bass (August 12, 2005) States Approve Addendum XV and XVI for Public Comment (October 14, 2004) ASMFC to Hold Industry Workshop on Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass (September 10, 2004) ASMFC & MAFMC Approve 2005 TALs for Bluefish, Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass: Assessments Show Continued Improvements to Summer Flounder & Black Sea Bass Stocks (August 13, 2004) ASMFC Forwards New York Noncompliance Finding to the Secretaries of Commerce & the Interior for Action (June 17, 2004) States Schedule Hearings for Addenda XII & XIII: Public Comment Accepted until July 9, 2004 (June 17, 2004) ASMFC Board Approves Addenda XII and XIII for Public Comment: State Hearings to be Held in June & July (May 25, 2004) ASMFC Board Takes Action on Scup, Black Sea Bass and Summer Flounder Management Measures (March 12, 2004) ASMFC Approves Draft Scup Addendum XI for Public Comment (December 22, 2003) ASMFC Approves Scup Addendum XI: Northern States to Reduce Recreational Landings by 57% (January 22, 2004)