50 CFR 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.