Finfish

Regulation Authority:

R.I. Gen. Laws Title 20
R.I. Gen. Laws Chapters 42-17.1
42-17.6
and 42-17.7
and in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-35-18(b)(5)
Administrative Procedures Act
as amended

Purpose and Reason:

1. Commercial Menhaden Management:

• Proposal 1 (Industry/Noticed): Increase the weekly limit for menhaden regardless of the MMA status and add one additional open day (section 3.21.2(A))

• Proposal 2 (Industry): Expand weekly limit for menhaden regardless of the MMA status (section 3.21.2(A))

2. 2026 Commercial Striped Bass Management (General Category, Floating Fish Trap, Gill Net):

• Proposal 1 (Industry/Noticed): Amend the General Category season and closed days (sections 3.8.2(A)(3)(a&b))

• Proposal 2 (Industry): Amend the General Category season (section 3.8.2(A)(3)(a&b))

• Proposal 3 (Division): Amend the General Category possession limit. This option is being put forward proactively in case the ASMFC adopts commercial reductions for 2026 at their October 2025 meeting (section 3.8.2(A)(3)(b))

• Proposal 4 (Division): Amend the General Category closed days. This option is being put forward proactively in case the ASMFC adopts commercial reductions for 2026 at their October 2025 meeting (section 3.8.2(A)(3)(b))

• Proposal 5 (Industry): Amend the gill net prohibition for striped bass to allow for commercial harvest under the general category fishery (section 3.8.2(C))

• Proposal 6 (Industry): Amend the FFT allocation and gill net prohibition for striped bass to allow commercial gill net harvest (section 3.8.2(B)(2))

• Proposal 7 (Industry): Do not allow any floating fish trap allocation to change until after the 2029 rebuilding timeline for striped bass or the striped bass stock has been rebuilt (section 3.8.2(B)(2))

3. 2026 Commercial Tautog Management:

• Proposal 1 (Industry/Noticed): Sub-period allocation changes (sections 3.10.2(B)(2)(a)), 3.9.2(B)(4)(a)), and 3.9.2(B)(6)(a))

4. 2026 Commercial Black Sea Bass Management:

• Proposal 1 (Industry/Noticed): Sub-period allocation changes (sections 3.6.2(B)(1)(a)) and 3.6.2(B)(6)(a))

• Proposal 2 (Industry/Noticed): Possession limit changes (sections 3.6.2(B)(3)(b)) and 3.6.2(B)(4)(b))

• Proposal 3 (Industry): Amend the weekly black sea bass limit to a daily limit (section 3.6.2(B)(1)(b)). This proposal should only be considered in conjunction with Part 23 – Aggregate, Proposal 5 to amend the Aggregate Program to be a single year-round program (see Part 23 – Aggregate below and accompanying document “Summary of Proposed Rulemaking” for full details).

5. 2026 Commercial Summer Flounder Management:

• Proposal 1 (Division/Noticed): Amend sub-period possession limits (sections 3.9.2(B)(3)(b)(1)) and 3.9.2(B)(3)(b)(2))

• Proposal 2 (Industry/Noticed): Amend landing restriction for summer flounder (section 3.9.2(D))

• Proposal 3 (Industry): Amend landing restriction for summer flounder (section 3.9.2(D)). This proposal should only be considered in conjunction with Part 7 – Dealers, proposal #1 regarding the landing restriction for summer flounder for dealers (see below Part 7 – Dealers Proposal 1 and accompanying document “Summary of Proposed Rulemaking” for full details)