ANNAPOLIS (May 24, 2010) — The recreational fishing season for black sea bass in Maryland opened Saturday. The daily creel and size limits are 25 fish per angler at 12.5 inches or longer.
The black sea bass is a type of grouper found most often in northern ranges from the coast of Maine to the northeast corner of Florida. They prefer deep water up to about 400 feet deep where they spend most of their time close to the sea floor around rocks, wrecks, artificial reefs, jetties, piers and pilings.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, a federal fisheries management authority, recently decided to allow a season extending from May 22 to October 11 with another season beginning November 1 through the end of the year. However, the National Marine Fisheries Service must agree with the closing dates and the extra fall/winter season before they can become official. That information will be available soon.