National Marine Fisheries Service
03/21/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/21/2025 13:21
NOAA Fisheries Announces the 2025-2026 Recreational Fishing Season for Black Sea Bass in the South Atlantic Region
What/When:
- The 2025-2026 recreational fishing season for black sea bass in federal waters of the South Atlantic, south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (35°15.19′ N. latitude), will open at 12:01 a.m., local time, on April 1, 2025, and remain open through March 31, 2026.
- Estimates indicate recreational landings for the 2025-2026 fishing year will be below the 2025-2026 recreational catch limit. Therefore, black sea bass will be open for the entire 2025-2026 recreational fishing year.
Why This Announcement is Happening:
- NOAA Fisheries projects that the 2025-2026 recreational catch limit of 366,510 pounds whole weight will not be met.
- This announcement is in compliance with the current regulations which require NOAA Fisheries to announce the length of the recreational season.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR part 622 or at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622/subpart-I /.
Sign Up For Text Message Alerts - Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures
NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery-related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt out at any time.
Text alerts you may receive include:
- Immediate fishery openings and closures
- Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly
Sign up for one or more of the following groups:
-
Gulf Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
- Text GULFRECFISH to 888777
-
Gulf Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
- Text GULFCOMMFISH to 888777
-
South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
- Text SATLRECFISH to 888777
-
South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
- Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777
- Caribbean Fisheries Related Alerts
Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office
Permits Mailbox: The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, Florida, now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers. Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application. The mailbox will be checked daily. For more information, contact the Permits Office at 877-376-4877.
Media Contact: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750
Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202
National Marine Fisheries Service published this content on March 21, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 21, 2025 at 19:21 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io