PODCAST: Black Sea Bass in the Gulf of Maine with Marissa McMahan

In this episode of Maine Coast Dock Talk, we are discussing black sea bass in the Gulf of Maine with our guest, Marissa McMahan, the Senior Director of Fisheries at Manomet.

Black sea bass are often brought up as a potential "climate winner" in the Gulf of Maine as waters warm and the habitat range of this species expands up and beyond Cape Cod. While this opportunity may be real someday, currently, there are no commercial landings of black sea bass in Maine, and little to no recreational landings are recorded. This, in conjunction with limited scientific data being collected, leaves a large gap between potential opportunity and where we stand today.

Marissa McMahan, did her PHD on black sea bass, and in this podcast shares some of what she has learned about black sea bass in Maine, where gaps exist in our current research and data, and details about a project MCFA and Manomet are doing to try and start building the foundation for better information in the future.

A black sea bass being measured on a lobster boat

Some info about black sea bass from NOAA Fisheries:

• In 2023, commercial landings of black sea bass totaled 4.7 million pounds and were valued at $13 million.

• In 2023, recreational anglers landed 8.2 million pounds of black sea bass,

• The black sea bass fishery is managed in state and federal waters by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, in conjunction with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

• The fishery is managed using minimum size, season, and a bag limit for the recreational fishery; and an annual coast-wide quota, size limit, and gear restrictions for the commercial fishery.

• The minimum commercial size limit for black sea bass is 11 inches in total length (Note: Filament/tail extension is NOT included in total length measurement).

• In 2025, a conservation equivalency for the black sea bass recreational fishery was approved as a management strategy. Under conservation equivalency, states or regions develop minimum sizes, possession limits, and fishing seasons that will achieve the necessary level of conservation.

Check with your local state agency for any state or regional measures and requirements that may apply.

Current Black Sea Bass Specifications (January 1-December 31, 2025)

Overfishing Limit (OFL)	17.01 million lb
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC)	16.66 million lb
Commercial Annual Catch Limit (ACL)	7.50 million lb
Commercial Annual Catch Target (ACT)	7.50 million lb
Commercial Quota	6.00 million lb
Recreational ACL and ACT	9.16 million lb
Recreational Harvest Limit (RHL)	6.27 million lb