NOAA Fisheries is closing the entire Atlantic mackerel fishery in federal waters through the end of the fishing year on December 31, 2021.
Effective at 0001 hour on October 15, 2021, vessels are prohibited from fishing for or landing more than 5,000 lbs of Atlantic mackerel per trip in or from federal waters through December 31, 2021. Vessels may not land Atlantic mackerel more than once per calendar day.
The most recent management track assessment from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center concluded that the species remains overfished and overfishing increased slightly. We are implementing this closure to minimize additional catch for the remainder of the current fishing year.
If you have started a trip prior to October 15, 2021, you may offload and sell more than 5,000 lbs of Atlantic mackerel from that trip, as long as the vessel entered port before 0001 hour on October 15, 2021.
For more information, please read the notice as filed in the Federal Register.
