Virginia’s directed offshore summer flounder fishery opens with a 12,500-pound period limit

Virginia’s directed offshore summer flounder fishery is open. A Virginia Marine Resources Commission notice dated Sept. 9, 2026, sets two fall and winter periods for the offshore, exclusive-economic-zone fishery. From Thursday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 15, the landing limit is 12,500 pounds. That is a maximum for the whole period, not a per-trip cap. From Monday, Nov. 16, through Thursday, Dec. 31, the limit is another 12,500 pounds for that entire second period.

During the open periods each vessel has to hold a Virginia Summer Flounder Endorsement License. It is unlawful to land summer flounder in Virginia more than once in any consecutive five-day period. Possession aboard a vessel in Virginia waters may not exceed the Virginia landing limit of 12,500 pounds plus the legal North Carolina or New Jersey landing limit or trip limit. Once the commission projects and announces that 100 percent of the quota in 4VAC20-620-30 A has been taken, possession of any amount of summer flounder aboard a vessel in Virginia is unlawful.

The notice points industry to the summer flounder chapter of the Virginia administrative code for the rest of the requirements, and to the “Summer Flounder Notices” link on mrc.virginia.gov. This is the commercial offshore opening, not the October trout stocking already filed for Virginia.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: VMRC — Opening of Virginia’s 2026 Directed Offshore Summer Flounder Fishery (Sept. 9, 2026). Listed on VMRC what’s new.