[Rimarinefisheries] Informational notice regarding commercial summer flounder

[RI Marine Fisheries]

This is an informational notice regarding the commercial summer flounder possession limit increase going into effect this Sunday, March 31st.

A new benchmark stock assessment<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nefsc.noaa.gov_publications_crd_crd1901_&d=DwIFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=3BstAh1AIW6SHvV_EHOlOepYPd7JCak2xCc2dTp6fSKIbravRbCWe8iBt1PxQJ3O&m=VnljOPSrpydXtq4-2B4EDJOx_Xh_GjSheB_PpVQ4FkQ&s=4T-R_Ux9EemXUet34UHXZbz9gCMUDSdfMM66zdqJzFU&e=> for summer flounder was completed in November 2018.  The key finding of the assessment is that summer flounder stock status is generally healthy, with population size above the management threshold and fishing mortality below the threshold level.   A key attribute of the assessment is the inclusion of recently recalibrated recreational catch data provided by the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP).  The inclusion of that data, as well as the other modifications made to the model, resulted in a significant increase in the estimate of overall population size compared to previous assessments.

As a follow-up to the new stock assessment, the MAFMC and ASMFC approved revised specifications for the 2019 fishing season at their joint meeting earlier this month (March 2019).  That meeting, and setting of specifications, was originally scheduled to occur earlier this year, but was postponed due to the federal government shutdown in January.  Based on the new estimates of increased population size, and overall health of the resource, the revised specifications include an approximately 70% increase in the commercial quota for all states, including RI.  While the final decision, by NOAA, to implement the new specifications is not expected until later this Spring, that decision appears imminent.  As such, within the next month or two, RI expects to be allocated as much as 700,000 pounds of additional commercial summer flounder quota for the remainder of 2019.  In anticipation of that mid-season adjustment, and with a view to affording access to the increased quota for all segments of the fishery, DEM is increasing the possession limit for the remainder of the Winter I period, which runs through the end of April.  The additional quota will also be distributed proportionally to the Summer (May-Sept 15) and Winter II (Sept 16-December) periods (see:  https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/250-90-00-3).


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