Section 648.147 - Black sea bass size requirements(a)Moratorium (commercially) permitted vessels. The minimum size for black sea bass is 11 inches (27.94 cm) total length for all vessels issued a moratorium permit under § 648.4(a)(7) that fish for, possess, land or retain black sea bass in or from U.S. waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from 35°15.3' N. Lat., the latitude of Cape Hatteras Light, North Carolina, northward to the U.S.-Canadian border. The minimum size may be adjusted for commercial vessels pursuant to the procedures in § 648.142 .(b)Party/charter permitted vessels and recreational fishery participants. The minimum fish size for black sea bass is 15 inches (38.1 cm) total length for all vessels that do not qualify for a black sea bass moratorium permit, and for party boats holding a black sea bass moratorium permit, if fishing with passengers for hire or carrying more than five crew members, and for charter boats holding a black sea bass moratorium permit, if fishing with more than three crew members, unless otherwise specified in the conservation equivalent measures as described in § 648.151 . However, possession of smaller black sea bass 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 § 648.151 and abide by state regulations. 76 FR 60638 , Sept. 29, 2011, as amended at ; 84 FR 65705 , Nov. 29, 2019; 87 FR 35116 , June 9, 2022; 88 FR 15 , Jan. 3, 2023; 88 FR 55419 , Aug. 15, 2023 84 FR 65705 , 12/30/2019; 87 FR 35116 , 6/9/2022; 88 FR 15 , 1/3/2023; 88 FR 55419 , 8/15/2023