Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Sarah Taylor-Rogers has announced new 2001 season recreational summer flounder fishery regulations to take effect in all Maryland waters of the Atlantic Ocean, its coastal bays and tributaries and the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries at 12:01 a.m. April 25.
The new regulations specify that the minimum size for summer flounder caught by recreational anglers is 17 inches. Recreational summer flounder catch limits will be eight (8) per person per day for all tidal waters in Maryland. The season begins April 25 and continues through July 24 and will be closed from July 25 through Aug. 6. The season will reopen at 12:01 a.m. Aug. 7 and continue through Dec. 31.
These measures were created based upon comments received at public meetings. Further, these measures have been established to comply with coast-wide mandated recreational harvest reductions for summer flounder to decrease fishing mortality and increase spawning stock biomass. This action is consistent with recommendations from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and the Chesapeake Bay Summer Flounder Management Plan. DNR held public meetings in Annapolis and Ocean City to present management opinions to achieve the necessary reductions in Maryland.
Posted: 4-26-2001
