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Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagic Fishery Management Plan

Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic

About

Coastal migratory pelagic species are managed jointly by the Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils.  The area of management is from the Mexico/Texas border to New York.

Species managed: king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, cobia

To reach Sustainable Fisheries staff, please call 727-824-5305.

Maps and GIS

Related Resources

 

*Executive Order 14172, “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” (Jan. 20, 2025), directs that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America. Gulf of America references in this website refer to the same area as the Gulf of Mexico in the applicable regulations under 50 CFR parts 216–219, 222–226, and 600–699. The name change did not result in any changes to, and had no effect on the applicability or enforceability of, any existing regulations. This website continues to use “Gulf of Mexico” when quoting statutes, existing regulations, or previously published materials.

Actions

Under Development Implemented Actions

Framework Action: Modifications to Location Reporting Requirements for For-Hire Vessels in the Gulf of Mexico

The proposed rule would provide flexibility to for-hire operators with a federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf of Mexico reef fish or Gulf coastal migratory pelagic species who report a malfunction with a vessel’s location-positioning device.
Information Gathering,
Gulf of Mexico
Issued
11/10/2022

Carryover Provisions and Framework Modifications

The purpose of this amendment to is establish a carryover provision for managed reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic (CMP) stocks. Carryover provisions would apply to stocks and stock complexes with sector allocations. Unused portions of the secto
Information Gathering,
Gulf of Mexico
Issued
03/11/2019

Framework 12: Modifications to Commercial Gulf King Mackerel Gillnet Fishing Season

CMP Framework 12 and the final rule would adjust the Gulf king mackerel gillnet component fishing season.
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
10/10/2023

Framework Action : Historical Captain Permits Conversion into Standard Federal Charter/Headboat Permits

This rule will address the Framework Action to provide federal for-hire operators in the Gulf an opportunity to replace their reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic historical captain permits with standard Gulf charter/headboat permits.
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
07/31/2023

Amendment 34: Catch level and allocation adjustments, and management measures for Atlantic king mackerel

Atlantic king mackerel and Atlantic Spanish mackerel
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic
Effective
06/08/2023

Framework 11: Management of Gulf King Mackerel

CMP Framework 11 and the proposed rule would adjust the Gulf king mackerel overfishing limit, acceptable biological catch, and annual catch limits consistent with the most recent Southeast Data Assessment and Review 38 update stock assessment.
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
01/06/2023

Amendment 32: Management of Gulf Migratory Group Cobia

Amendment 32 proposes to modify Gulf Migratory Group cobia recreational data monitoring data units from MRIP Coastal Household Telephone Survey to MRIP Fishing Effort Survey and reduce the Gulf Group cobia catch limits.
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
11/21/2022

Framework Amendment to Modify Multi-Day Trip Possession Limits for Federal Permitted Charter/Headboat Vessels in the Gulf of Mexico

Generic Abbreviated Framework: Modification of For-hire Multi-day Trip Possession Limits
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
03/26/2021

Gulf of Mexico Modifications to Charter Vessel and Headboat Reporting Requirements

The For-Hire Electronic Reporting Amendment would modify data reporting requirements for federally permitted for-hire vessels (charter vessels and headboats) in the Gulf of Mexico to declare (hail-out) the type of trip (for-hire or other) prior to departi
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
Effective
01/05/2021

2019-2020 Coastal Migratory Pelagic In-Season Actions

This is a list of the in-season actions related to the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagic Fishery Management Plan, such as fishery closures and trip limit changes, that occurred in the 2019-2020 calendar year.
Temporary Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic
Issued
12/31/2020

Emergency Rule: Vermilion Snapper Commercial Trip Limit & Atlantic King Mackerel Recreational Bag Limit

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council requested a temporary rule for emergency action to increase the commercial trip limit for vermilion snapper and recreational bag limit for Atlantic migratory group king mackerel.
Emergency Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
09/17/2020

Framework Amendment 8: King Mackerel Trip Limits

King mackerel trip limits
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
09/09/2020

South Atlantic Modifications to Charter Vessel and Headboat Reporting Requirements

The For-Hire Amendment includes Amendment 39 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, Amendment 9 to the FMP for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic, and Amendment 27 to the Coastal Migra
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
09/01/2020

Framework Action: Replacement of Historical Captain Permits with Standard Federal Charter/Headboat Permits

This amendment and rule will provide an opportunity for eligible individuals to replace historical captain permits in the reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic fisheries with standard federal for-hire permits. The rule would apply to ind
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic
Effective
05/21/2020

Modifications to Gulf of Mexico Migratory Group Cobia Size and Possession Limits

This framework action proposes to implement the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council's recent recommendation to increase the recreational and commercial minimum size limit for Gulf migratory group cobia.
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic
Effective
03/25/2020

2018-2019 Coastal Migratory Pelagic In-Season Actions

This is a list of the in-season actions related to the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagic Fishery Management Plan, such as fishery closures and trip limit changes, that occurred in the 2018-2019 calendar year.
Temporary Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic
Issued
12/31/2019

Emergency Rule: King Mackerel Trip Limits

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council requested a temporary rule for emergency action to increase the Season 2 (October 1- end of February) commercial trip limits for king mackerel in the southern zone from 50 fish to 75 fish for the 2019 fishing
Emergency Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
10/01/2019

Framework Amendment 6: Atlantic King Mackerel Commercial Trip Limits

Framework Amendment 6 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Fishery Management Plan would increase Season 1 king mackerel trip limits in the Atlantic Southern Zone EEZ.
Final Rule,
South Atlantic
Effective
09/11/2019

Amendment 31: Management of Atlantic Migratory Group Cobia

Amendment 31 proposes removing Atlantic group cobia from the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan (CMP FMP). Future management of Atlantic group cobia would be under the purview of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Management Commission (
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
Mid-Atlantic
South Atlantic
Effective
03/21/2019

Framework Amendment 4: Modify Management Measures for Atlantic Cobia

Coastal Migratory Pelagics Framework Amendment 4 and the proposed rule would reduce the recreational bag limit, establish a recreational vessel limit, increase the minimum size limit, modify accountability measures and implement a commercial trip limit fo
Final Rule
Issued
09/05/2017

Modification of the Coastal Migratory Pelagic and Reef Fish Charter Vessel/Headboat Permit Renewal and Transfer Requirements

Modification to renewal and transfer requirements for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic and Reef Fish Charter Vessel/Headboat Permit.
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic
Effective
08/30/2013

Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagics Historical Amendments and Rulemaking (1983-2017)

A list of historic rulemakings to the Fishery Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic.
Final Rule,
Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic
Effective
02/04/1983

Last updated by Southeast Regional Office on 06/09/2025