2020-2021 Recreational Fishing Season for Black Sea Bass in the South Atlantic Region

NOAA Fisheries Announces the 2020-2021 Recreational Fishing Season for Black Sea Bass in the South Atlantic Region
Image of a black sea bass
KEY MESSAGE:

The 2020-2021 recreational fishing season for black sea bass in federal waters of the South Atlantic, south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (35°15.9′ N. latitude), will open on April 1, 2020, at 12:01 a.m., local time and remain open through March 31, 2021.
The recreational fishing season for black sea bass in the South Atlantic region begins on April 1st and ends when the recreational catch limit is predicted to be met.
Estimates indicate recreational landings for the 2020-2021 fishing year will be below the 2020-2021 recreational catch limit. Therefore, black sea bass will be open for the entire 2020-2021 recreational fishing year.

WHY THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS HAPPENING:

NOAA Fisheries projects that the 2020-2021 recreational catch limit of 381,330 pounds whole weight will not be met because recreational landings in the past three fishing years were substantially below this amount.
This announcement is in compliance with the current regulations which require NOAA Fisheries to announce the length of the recreational season.