WHAT/WHEN:
- The daily trip limit for the commercial harvest of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone is reduced from 1,500 to 500 pounds, effective 6:00 a.m., local time, on January 27, 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:
- The March 2018 through February 2019 commercial catch limit for the Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel southern zone is 2,667,330 pounds, and the adjusted commercial catch limit is 2,417,330 pounds.
- When commercial landings of Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the southern zone reach or are projected to reach 100 percent of the adjusted commercial catch limit, the daily trip limit is reduced to 500 pounds. The trip limit reduction is necessary to slow the rate of commercial harvest to avoid exceeding the commercial catch limit.
AFTER THE TRIP LIMIT REDUCTION:
- The 500 pound commercial trip limit will remain in effect until the end of the current fishing season on February 28, 2019, or when 100 percent of the commercial catch limit is reached or projected to be reached, whichever occurs first. If 100 percent of the commercial catch limit is reached or projected to be reached, NMFS will close the commercial sector in the southern zone for the remainder of the fishing year.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=4a1c3805e95097423c9a607a31c4c9f8&rgn=div5&view=text&node=50:12.0.1.1.2&idno=50#sp50.12.622.q.
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