NOAA Fisheries announces the final rule to implement Amendment 31 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagics of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region. This final rule removes Atlantic cobia from the fishery management plan. Atlantic cobia is now managed under the purview of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission because the majority of Atlantic cobia landings are in state waters.
WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:
- The final rule is effective on March 21, 2019.
WHAT THIS MEANS:
- Atlantic cobia is no longer managed under the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan.
- Regulations in federal waters will be implemented through the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act.
- Most existing management measures in federal waters for commercial and recreational harvest of Atlantic cobia from Georgia through New York do not change through this rule.
- For the commercial sector, the minimum size limit is 33 inches fork length and the trip limit is two fish per person per day or six fish per vessel per day, whichever is more restrictive.
- For the recreational sector, the minimum size limit is 36 inches fork length and the bag and vessel limits are one fish per person per day or six fish per vessel per day, whichever is more restrictive. For both sectors, persons harvesting Atlantic cobia must comply with more restrictive size limits, bag limits, and possession limits in the states where the fish are landed.
- Fishermen should contact the state for regulations in state waters.
This is ridiculous the size limit for commercial and recreational Fischmann should be at least 40 inches for commercial I would actually recommend more there’s very little meat on the 33 inch fish and I would have a limit on maximum size nothing over 60 inches perhaps 58 protect the species protect the future . And if you want the real truth covia should be off limits to commercial fishing
Agreed!
This is ridiculous! Might as well stop the shrimp trawling in the pamlico sound with trawlers! I know it’s our way of a living and our way of life, but if we are going to sustain our estuary, how about fixing the inlet from Bonner bridge? Wheres the Federal funding?
Nice shrimp up the machipungo river, past the bridge, at certain times of the year.
What makes u think u should have any a commercial guy can’t.
F**k your mammy Wallace
What are the seasons and can you use a gaff to boat the fish?
As recreational fishermen, we pay our fair share of the cost, as well as support the local waterfront economy, and we should be treated equally at the least. This change seems to discriminate against recreational fishermen. Be mindful of the impact on the local economy.
Seems to me, last year cobia were more plentiful than the fall striper season. With that being said, it would be nice to see a 2 fish per angler rule as it is with striper.
It should be off limits for rec fishing because its about 4 billion of you
4 billion; Really?
Liberals + Math = Hilarity.
Insane… 40” limit, 58” max., no commercial harvest, 1 fish per angler/4 fish per boat per day whichever is less. Or, we pound this fishery into oblivion like we have the flounder, trout, and striped bass.
This isn’t management, its merely a continuation of the greed-based insanity we have about our natural resources as a whole.
You can’t harvest but we can take a few. You then talk about greedy, you are a joke.
For those of you who have commented out of your postier on this change, let’s set the record straight.
The recreational and commercial size limits and daily creels discussed here are for FEDERAL WATER. This means that these numbers are for cobia caught 3 miles or more offshore. That has almost zero impact on Virginia, as almost all the recreational and commercial catch comes from in the Bay in state waters.
VMRC must set limits which meet the quota requirements set by ASMFC. Last year, those limits included a 40 inch TL size limit, one fish over 50 inches, and 3 fish PER BOAT or one per angler if there are fewer than 3 anglers. You can expect the catch limits to be similar this year.
The Cape Charles Mirror basically reprinted a SAFMC News bulliten and failed to add any of that context. Shame on them. And shame on each and every one of you commenters for not engaging in the management process proactively instead of just complaining after the fact.
Thank you for commenting and actually knowing what this pertains to. All to often people react and have no clue what they even talking about. At the end of the day each of us are responsible for taking care of this fishery and doing our part by knowing the regulations and what they pertain to and actually taking what fish we need for food. Too many anglers keep just to show up at the dock with it and to get pictures and attention. I only kept one cobia last year and that was one opening day. After that , they all were tagged and released.
The 36” Fork length is basically the same as VA’s 40” total length (tip of nose to tip of tail). I know because first year we were wrong and measuring VA 40” to fork length and were throwing back 38”-39” Fork that woulda made legal 40” total length fish,
But do agree that commercial size should at least be same or mirror recreational size limits
I’m gonna catch what I want….when I want and kkep what I want F*** the rules and regulations…I have had enough of the bs.
Hopefully the VMRC or Marine Patrol visit you this year
So those know, the size limit is different for the following reasons.
1. The mess size to size of cobia landed in such mess size. Historically the largest commercial catch had been as by catch in the king mackerel fishery.
2. Prior to the regulatory caused “crisis”, the commercial sector wasn’t exceeding its 8% of the total ACL.
3. Annual catch limits based on poundage, larger the size limit often results in fewer overall number of fish, and ACL being reached faster.
I’m not a commercial Fisher, never sold of cobia, but the past two years the season has closed in Sept, resulting in wasted cobia in the NC Nov bycatch. The commercial ACL from GA to NY has been 50k pounds compared to East Coast of FL having 80k to itself.
The recreational size limit was increased as we have been credited with the vast vast majority of catch, and in the Hhope’s of allowing an additional year of spawning for females (many have seen it’s working). At 40 total length a female on average has gone through at least 3 years of spawning, of which they release row MULTIPLE times a year, study have shown every 8 to 10 days.
This fishery is nothing like rock fish, or flounder, but is more like trout spawning habits.
I promise we are much stronger together than pointing fingers between Rec and Commercial, bc the truth is there are other interests that aren’t in favor of either user.
One fish per person per day
NC 2 per boat (May) 1 per boat (May-Dec)
VA 3 per boat only 1 over 50 TL, reporting. June 1- Sept 30th
I’d agree the bay needs to be mindful of cobia as cobia as a whole are in the bay and able to be landed far longer than any other state in the management group.
But, part of being resource minded in advocacy is to understand the difference in the species AND the fishery.
I respectfully and strongly disagree this is a continuation of greed based management, in fact the documented facts support it being a continuation of unjust regulatory restriction.
I believe we both want sound management, not management that in part or in full is based upon one state’s, persons, corporation”want”.