The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced new recreational fishing regulations for summer flounder and scup for the 2024 season. The new regulations, approved by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), meet the requirement for all states, including New York, to reduce recreational summer flounder harvest by 28 percent and scup harvest by 10 percent while balancing the preferences of New York anglers.
Since January 2024, DEC has been conducting outreach to New York recreational fishing stakeholders on potential changes to summer flounder and scup regulations through an online feedback survey, public meetings, and multiple fishing outreach events. New York and Connecticut are in the same management region for summer flounder, and the two states must adopt identical season, minimum size, and possession limit regulations. New York also manages scup regionally with Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, and adopts similar limits as these states.
Summer Flounder
ASMFC previously approved six options that New York and Connecticut could utilize to meet the 28 percent reduction requirements. Based on feedback from New York’s recreational fishing community and feedback received by Connecticut from its recreational fishing community, New York and Connecticut advanced a seventh option that better meets the needs and preferences of anglers in both states, as well as ASMFC requirements. ASMFC approved this new option on March 25, 2024.
The 2024 summer flounder season will open May 4 and go through Oct. 15. It uses a split-size limit to preserve an extended fishing season while maintaining a smaller minimum size for the beginning of the season.
On May 4, the possession limit is set at three fish with a minimum length of 19 inches. Effective Aug. 2, the minimum length increases to 19.5 inches and the possession limit remains at three fish. The season closes after Oct. 15.
Scup
The minimum length for scup caught recreationally by vessel-based anglers has increased by one-half inch, from 10.5 to 11 inches. All other aspects of New York’s recreational scup fishing regulations remain unchanged. The minimum length limit for recreational anglers from shore remains unchanged at 9.5 inches. The recreational scup season for all anglers opens May 1 and goes through Dec. 31. Recreational anglers may possess 30 fish per day throughout the season and from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, anglers aboard licensed party/charter boats may possess 40 fish.
Changes to the regulations for both species has initially been adopted as an emergency regulation so that they are in place prior to the start of the fishing season, anglers can be notified in adequate time, and New York can comply with ASMFC requirements. Anglers will have the opportunity to provide public comments before changes are permanently adopted. The complete text of the rulemaking is available on DEC's website. DEC is accepting comments on the regulations from April 18 through June 17, 2024. Written comments can be sent by mail to Rachel Sysak, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 123 Kings Park Blvd., Kings Park, NY 11754, or by email to [email protected].
For current fishing limits, check DEC's Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations. Anglers must enroll in the annual no-fee Recreational Marine Fishing Registry before fishing New York's Marine and Coastal District waters or when fishing in the Hudson River and its tributaries for "migratory fish of the sea." Anglers can enroll for the registry online, by phone (1-866-933-2257, option 2), or by visiting a license-issuing agent location.
