Black Sea Bass
Help us fill the data gap straight from the water!
Black Sea Bass Are Moving North. Maine Fishermen Are Already Seeing It.​
Maine fishermen have been saying it for years: black sea bass are showing up more and more in their traps and along the coast. Landings at Gulf of Maine ports have nearly doubled since 2010, and the northern edge of black sea bass spawning has shifted roughly one degree latitude northward over the last 40 years.
Yet formal survey data hasn't caught up. The state's inshore trawl survey misses this species because black sea bass prefer structured, rocky habitats and that is where the trawl survey needs to avoid. That means the fishermen working the rocky bottoms every day are sitting on some of the most valuable data around.
We Need Your Expertise and Eyes on the Water.
MCFA, in partnership with Manomet, has launched a collaborative science project to build a fishermen-generated dataset on black sea bass presence in Maine waters. Our goal is to use this data to inform fishery management decisions and help fishermen and seafood businesses prepare for a future directed fishery.
Maine currently holds just 0.5% of the quota of black sea bass allocated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, with harvest limited to hook and line only and a 50lb daily catch limit. Better data could change that picture.
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How to Identify a Black Sea Bass
Black sea bass are black in color with brown tones, a paler underside, and white spots and bands on the dorsal fin. They typically grow to under two feet and nine pounds. During spawning season, dominant males develop a striking bright blue color and a bump on top of their head called a nuchal hump.
How to Participate
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Take a photo of a black sea bass caught in a lobster trap or on hook and line.
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Gently lay the fish straight on a lobster trap or next to a ruler, tape measure, or lobster measure so it can be measured from the photo.
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Through this link or scanning the QR code on our black sea bass business card, you can upload your photo and fill out the short survey (location, habitat, depth, and date)
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If you do not have the QR code and want one, please email Hannah and she can get you either business cards or a flyer for the dock.
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Need an Incentive?
Earn MCFA merch just for participating!
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Submit a sighting
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Enter your contact information (not mandatory for survey but needed to get merch)
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We will reach out to you for merch options we can mail to you!
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