The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted to cut the rockfish harvest by 18 percent in the Chesapeake and coast-wide from North Carolina to Maine in hopes of reversing years of decline.
The board vote was 11-4 in favor of adopting Addendum VI Option 2, which requires the recreational and commercial fishing sectors to cut their catch.
Below is what the 15-state board voted to implement in 2020:
• One fish bag limit and 28-35-inch recreational slot limit per day for ocean recreational fisheries.
• One fish bag limit and an 18-inch minimum size limit per day for Chesapeake Bay recreational fisheries.
• Reduction in all state commercial quotas by 18 percent.
States may follow the above verbatim or submit alternative regulations – called Conservation Equivalency – that still achieve the 18 percent reduction yet are better suited for their particular fishery.