50 CFR § 648.126 - Scup minimum fish sizes.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t50/s648.126"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "50 CFR § 648.126 - Scup minimum fish sizes."
title_number: 50
title_name: "Wildlife and Fisheries"
section_number: "648.126"
section_name: "Scup minimum fish sizes."
chapter_name: "FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE"
part_number: "648"
part_name: "FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "16 U.S.C. 1801"
regulatory_source: "61 FR 34968, July 3, 1996, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "648"
---


# 648.126 Scup minimum fish sizes.

(a) *Moratorium (commercially) permitted vessels.* The minimum size for scup is 9 inches (22.9 cm) TL for all vessels issued a moratorium permit under § 648.4(a)(6). If such a vessel is also issued a charter and party boat permit and is carrying passengers for hire, or carrying more than three crew members if a charter boat, or more than five crew members if a party boat, then the minimum size specified in paragraph (b) of this section applies.

(b) *Party/Charter permitted vessels and recreational fishery participants.* The minimum size for scup is 10 inches (25.4 cm) total length for all vessels that do not have a scup moratorium permit, or for party and charter vessels that are issued a scup moratorium permit but are fishing with passengers for hire, or carrying more than three crew members if a charter boat, or more than five crew members if a party boat. However, possession of smaller scup harvested from state waters is allowed for state-only permitted vessels when transiting Federal waters within the Block Island Sound Transit Area provided they follow the provisions at § 648.131 and abide by state regulations.

(c) The minimum size applies to whole fish or any part of a fish found in possession, e.g., fillets. These minimum sizes may be adjusted pursuant to the procedures in § 648.122.

[76 FR 60635, Sept. 29, 2011, as amended at 78 FR 37480, June 21, 2013; 79 FR 38264, July 7, 2014; 84 FR 65703, Nov. 29, 2019; 87 FR 35116, June 9, 2022]