WHAT/WHEN:
- The daily trip limit for the commercial harvest of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone is reduced from 3,500 to 1,500 pounds, effective 6:00 a.m., local time, on December 24, 2019.
- The southern zone includes federal waters off the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida. The boundary for the southern zone is the North Carolina/South Carolina border and the Monroe/Miami-Dade Counties, Florida, border.
WHY THIS TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION IS HAPPENING:
- When landings of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone reach or are projected to reach 75 percent of the adjusted commercial quota, the daily trip limit is reduced to 1,500 pounds.
- The trip limit reduction is necessary to slow the rate of commercial harvest to avoid exceeding the commercial quota.
AFTER THE TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION:
- The 1,500 pound trip limit will remain in effect until the end of the current fishing season on February 29, 2020, or when 100 percent of the adjusted commercial quota is reached or projected to be reached, whichever occurs first. If 100 percent of the adjusted quota is reached or projected to be reached, NOAA Fisheries will reduce the commercial trip limit to 500 pounds.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=76c2b80788a139f1549b85d3764437b0&mc=true&n=pt50.12.622&r=PART&ty=HTML#sp50.12.622.q.
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