{"data":{"id":"us/50-cfr-648.89","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"50 CFR 648.89","heading":"Recreational and charter/party vessel restrictions.","body":"(a) Recreational gear restrictions. Persons aboard charter/party vessels permitted under this part and not fishing under the DAS program or under the restrictions and conditions of an approved sector operations plan, as specified in § 648.87(c), and recreational fishing vessels in the EEZ, are prohibited from fishing with more than one line per angler, and all other gear on board must be stowed and not available for immediate use as defined in § 648.2.\n(b) Recreational minimum and maximum fish sizes—(1) Minimum and maximum fish sizes. Unless further restricted under this section, persons aboard charter or party boats permitted under this part and not fishing under the NE multispecies DAS program or under the restrictions and conditions of an approved sector operations plan, and private recreational fishing vessels may not possess fish in or from the EEZ that are smaller than the minimum fish sizes or larger than the maximum fish sizes, measured in total length, as follows:\nTable 1 to Paragraph (b)(1)\nSpecies Charter/party minimum size Private minimum size Maximum size\ninches cm inches cm inches cm\nCod\nEGOM cod stock area 1 23 58.4 23 58.4 N/A N/A\nWGOM cod stock area 1 23 58.4 23 58.4 N/A N/A\nGB cod stock area 1 23 58.4 23 58.4 N/A N/A\nSNE cod stock area 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A\nHaddock\nInside GOM Regulated Mesh Area 2 17 43.2 17 43.2 N/A N/A\nOutside GOM Regulated Mesh Area 2 18 45.7 18 45.7 N/A N/A\nPollock 19 48.3 19 48.3 N/A N/A\nWitch Flounder (gray sole) 14 35.6 14 35.6 N/A N/A\nYellowtail Flounder 13 33.0 13 33.0 N/A N/A\nAmerican Plaice (dab) 14 35.6 14 35.6 N/A N/A\nAtlantic Halibut 41 104.1 41 104.1 N/A N/A\nWinter Flounder (black back) 12 30.5 12 30.5 N/A N/A\nRedfish 9 22.9 9 22.9 N/A N/A\n1 Cod stock areas specified in § 648.88\n2 GOM Regulated Mesh Area specified in § 648.80(a).\n(2) Exceptions—(i) Fillet size. Vessels may possess fillets less than the minimum size specified, if the fillets are taken from legal-sized fish and are not offered or intended for sale, trade or barter.\n(ii) Transiting. If the minimum size specified for cod and haddock differ between stock areas, vessels in possession of cod or haddock that meet the minimum size specified for fish caught in one stock area, as specified in § 648.88, may transit a different stock area with that cod and haddock, provided all bait and hooks are removed from fishing rods, and any cod and haddock on board has been gutted and stored.\n(3) Fillets. Fish fillets, or parts of fish, must have at least 2 square inches (5.1 square cm) of skin on while possessed on board a vessel and at the time of landing in order to meet minimum size requirements. The skin must be contiguous and must allow ready identification of the fish species.\n(c) Possession Restrictions—(1) Private recreational vessels. Persons aboard private recreational fishing vessels during the open season listed in the column titled “Open Season” in table 2 to paragraph (c)(1), may not possess more fish in or from the EEZ than the amount listed in the column titled “Possession Limit” in table 2 to paragraph (c)(1). Persons aboard private recreational fishing vessels may not possess stocks, as specified in the column titled “Stock” in table 2 to paragraph (c)(1), in or from the EEZ during that stock's closed season as specified in the column titled “Closed Season” in table 2 to paragraph (c)(1).\nTable 2 to Paragraph (c)(1)\nStock Open season Possession limit Closed season\nEGOM Cod September 1-October 31 1 May 1-August 31; November 1-April 30.\nWGOM Cod September 1-October 31 1 May 1-August 31; November 1-April 30.\nGB Cod September 1-October 31 1 May 1-August 31; November 1-April 30.\nSNE Cod CLOSED No Retention All Year.\nGB Haddock All Year Unlimited N/A.\nGOM Haddock May 1-February 28 (or 29); April 1-30 15 March 1-March 31.\nGB Yellowtail Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nSNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nCC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nAmerican Plaice All Year Unlimited N/A.\nWitch Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nGB Winter Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nGOM Winter Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nSNE/MA Winter Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nRedfish All Year Unlimited N/A.\nWhite Hake All Year Unlimited N/A.\nPollock All Year Unlimited N/A.\nNorthern Windowpane Flounder CLOSED No retention All Year.\nSouthern Windowpane Flounder CLOSED No retention All Year.\nOcean Pout CLOSED No retention All Year.\nAtlantic Halibut See paragraph (c)(3) of this section.\nAtlantic Wolffish CLOSED No retention All Year.\n(2) Charter or Party Boats. Persons aboard charter or party boats during the open season listed in the column titled “Open Season” in table 3 to paragraph (c)(2), may not possess more fish in or from the EEZ than the amount listed in the column titled “Possession Limit” in table 3 to paragraph (c)(2). Persons aboard charter or party boats may not possess stocks, as specified in the column titled “Stock” in table 3 to paragraph (c)(2), in or from the EEZ during that stock's closed season as specified in the column titled “Closed Season” in table 3 to paragraph (c)(2).\nTable 3 to Paragraph (c)(2)\nStock Open season Possession limit Closed season\nEGOM Cod May 1-May 31; September 1-October 31 1 June 1-August 31; November 1-April 30.\nWGOM Cod May 1-May 31; September 1-October 31 1 June 1-August 31; November 1-April 30.\nGB Cod May 1-May 31; September 1-October 31 1 June 1-August 31; November 1-April 30.\nSNE Cod CLOSED No Retention All Year.\nGB Haddock All Year Unlimited N/A.\nGOM Haddock May 1-February 28 (or 29) April 1-30 15 March 1-March 31.\nGB Yellowtail Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nSNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nCC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nAmerican Plaice All Year Unlimited N/A.\nWitch Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nGB Winter Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nGOM Winter Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nSNE/MA Winter Flounder All Year Unlimited N/A.\nRedfish All Year Unlimited N/A.\nWhite Hake All Year Unlimited N/A.\nPollock All Year Unlimited N/A.\nN Windowpane Flounder CLOSED No retention All Year.\nS Windowpane Flounder CLOSED No retention All Year.\nOcean Pout CLOSED No retention All Year.\nAtlantic Halibut See paragraph (c)(3) of this section.\nAtlantic Wolffish CLOSED No retention All Year.\n(3) Atlantic halibut. Vessels permitted under this part, and recreational fishing vessels fishing in the EEZ, may not possess more than one Atlantic halibut on board the vessel.\n(4) Accounting of daily possession limit. For the purposes of determining the per day trip limit for cod and haddock for private recreational fishing vessels and charter or party boats, any trip in excess of 15 hours and covering 2 consecutive calendar days will be considered more than 1 day. Similarly, any trip in excess of 39 hours and covering 3 consecutive calendar days will be considered more than 2 days and, so on, in a similar fashion.\n(5) Fillet conversion. For purposes of counting fish for cod and haddock for private recreational fishing vessels and charter or party boats, if fish are filleted, fillets will be converted to whole fish by dividing the number of fillets by two. If fish are filleted into a single (butterfly) fillet, such fillet shall be deemed to be from one whole fish.\n(6) Application of daily possession limit. Compliance with the daily possession limit for cod and haddock harvested by party, charter, and private recreational fishing vessels, in or from the EEZ, with more than one person aboard, will be determined by dividing the number of fish on board by the number of persons on board. If there is a violation of the daily possession limit on board a vessel carrying more than one person the violation shall be deemed to have been committed by the owner or operator of the vessel.\n(7) Storage. Cod and haddock must be stored so as to be readily available for inspection.\n(8) Transiting. If the possession limits specified in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section for cod and haddock differ between stock areas, vessels in possession of cod or haddock that meet the possession limit specified for fish caught in one stock area, as specified in § 648.88, may transit a different stock area with that cod and haddock, provided all bait and hooks are removed from fishing rods, and any cod and haddock on board has been gutted and stored.\n(d) Restrictions on sale. It is unlawful to sell, barter, trade, or otherwise transfer for a commercial purpose, or to attempt to sell, barter, trade, or otherwise transfer for a commercial purpose, NE multispecies caught in or landed from the EEZ by recreational, charter, or party vessels permitted under this part not fishing under a DAS, on a sector trip, or under a Handgear A permit, Handgear B permit, or Small Vessel Category C permit.\n(e) Charter/party vessel restrictions on fishing in GOM closed areas and the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area—(1) GOM closed areas. (i) A vessel fishing under charter/party regulations may not fish in the GOM closed areas specified in § 648.81(a)(3) and (4) and (d)(4) during the time periods specified in those paragraphs, unless the vessel has on board a valid letter of authorization issued by the Regional Administrator pursuant to § 648.81(d)(5)(v) and paragraph (e)(3) of this section. The conditions and restrictions of the letter of authorization must be complied with for a minimum of 3 months if the vessel fishes or intends to fish in the GOM cod protection closures; or for the rest of the fishing year, beginning with the start of the participation period of the letter of authorization, if the vessel fishes or intends to fish in the year-round GOM closure areas.\n(ii) A vessel fishing under charter/party regulations may not fish in the GOM Cod Spawning Protection Area specified at § 648.81(b)(3) during the time period specified in that paragraph, unless the vessel complies with the requirements specified at § 648.81(b)(2)(iii).\n(2) [Reserved]\n(3) Letters of authorization. To obtain either of the letters of authorization specified in paragraphs (e)(1) and (2) of this section, a vessel owner must request a letter from the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, either in writing or by phone (see Table 1 to 50 CFR 600.502). As a condition of these letters of authorization, the vessel owner must agree to the following:\n(i) The letter of authorization must be carried on board the vessel during the period of participation;\n(ii) Fish species managed by the NEFMC or MAFMC that are harvested or possessed by the vessel, are not sold or intended for trade, barter or sale, regardless of where the fish are caught;\n(iii) The vessel has no gear other than rod and reel or handline gear on board; and\n(iv) For the GOM charter/party closed area exemption only, the vessel may not fish on a sector trip, under a NE multispecies DAS, or under the provisions of the NE multispecies Small Vessel Category or Handgear A or Handgear B permit categories, as specified at § 648.82, during the period of participation.\n(f) Recreational fishery AM—(1) Catch evaluation. As soon as recreational catch data are available for the entire previous fishing year, the Regional Administrator will evaluate whether recreational catches exceed any of the sub-ACLs specified for the recreational fishery pursuant to § 648.90(a)(4). When evaluating recreational catch, the components of recreational catch that are used shall be the same as those used in the most recent assessment for that particular stock. To determine if any sub-ACL specified for the recreational fishery was exceeded, the Regional Administrator shall compare the 3-year average of recreational catch to the 3-year average of the recreational sub-ACL for each stock.\n(2) Reactive AM adjustment. If it is determined that any recreational sub-ACL was exceeded, as specified in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, the Regional Administrator, after consultation with the NEFMC, shall develop measures necessary to prevent the recreational fishery from exceeding the appropriate sub-ACL in future years. Appropriate AMs for the recreational fishery, including adjustments to fishing season, minimum fish size, or possession limits, may be implemented in a manner consistent with the Administrative Procedure Act, with final measures published in the Federal Register no later than January when possible. Separate AMs shall be developed for the private and charter/party components of the recreational fishery.\n(3) Proactive AM adjustment. When necessary, the Regional Administrator, after consultation with the NEFMC, may adjust recreational measures to ensure the recreational fishery achieves, but does not exceed any recreational fishery sub-ACL in a future fishing year. Appropriate AMs for the recreational fishery, including adjustments to fishing season, minimum fish size, or possession limits, may be implemented in a manner consistent with the Administrative Procedure Act, with final measures published in the Federal Register prior to the start of the fishing year where possible. In specifying these AMs, the Regional Administrator shall take into account the non-binding prioritization of possible measures recommended by the NEFMC: For cod, first increases to minimum fish sizes, then adjustments to seasons, followed by changes to bag limits; and for haddock, first increases to minimum size limits, then changes to bag limits, and then adjustments to seasons.\n(g) Regional Administrator authority for cod and haddock recreational measures. The Regional Administrator, after consultation with the NEFMC, may adjust recreational measures for cod and haddock stocks that do not have a recreational allocation to set consistent measures with other stock areas, as appropriate. Appropriate measures, including adjustments to fishing seasons, minimum fish sizes, or possession limits, may be implemented in a manner consistent with the Administrative Procedure Act, with the final measures published in the Federal Register prior to the start of the fishing year when possible. Separate measures may be implemented for the private and charter/party components of the recreational fishery.","path":["Title 50—Wildlife and Fisheries","CHAPTER VI—FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE","PART 648—FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES","Subpart F—Management Measures for the NE Multispecies and Monkfish Fisheries"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-50.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:26:39Z","sha256":"5ba66bc60129c26ee69bd2e00a73e2901248284d9b1e9ac2cc71e2911d6fdf0d","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/50-cfr-648.88","next":"us/50-cfr-648.90"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}